Crystal
sync
cameras
are
true
sound
capable
cameras.
The
speed
of
the
electric
motor
is
critically
governed
by
a
quartz
crystal
much
in
the
same
way
as
a
digital
watch.
Fluctuations
in
speed
are
ironed
out
by
the
crystal
motor
that
an
audio
recorder
(like
a
Nagra
or
DAT)
can
synchronize
with.
If
your
project
has
any
dialogue
longer
than
two
words
at
any
given
time,
you
need
crystal-sync
sound
or
an
old
pilot-tone
sync
generator.
The
Arriflex
16S
with
a
crystal
motor
can
do
the
job
but
can
still
make
an
awful
lot
of
noise.
Some
of
the
noise
can
be
hushed
by
throwing
one
or
two
thousand
blankets
over
it
but
the
sound
made
by
the
camera
will
still
interfere
with
audio
recording.
A
half-solution
is
to
set
the
camera
far
away
from
the
dialogue
if
it
is
fitted
with
a
telephoto
lens,
but
you
are
limited
to
the
best
focal
length
of
the
lens.
Another
option
is
the
Arriflex
16BL
or
35BL,
the
BL
stands
for
"blimped."
A
blimp
is
a
sound
absorbing
shell
fitted
over
the
camera,
it's
sometimes
called
a
"Barney."
The
Arriflex
BL
models
also
have
sound
insulated
lenses
and
much
quieter
mechanisms.
These
too
are
obsolete
but
are
still
in
wide
circulation.
Most
of
the
cameras
used
by
guerrilla
filmmakers
are
old,
obsolete
"has-been"
cameras
but
a
resourceful
guerrilla
recognizes
the
value
of
a
camera
that
can
do
the
job
required
because
these
"cheap"
cameras
cost
between
a
few
thousand
and
as
high
as
20
thousand
dollars.
The
next
step
in
used
equipment
begins
in
the
low
20's
and
peaks
around
120
thousand
dollars
for
some
modern
16mm
and
35mm
cameras.
This
should
put
the
value
of
an
obsolete
but
operational
old
camera
into
perspective
for
you
(suddenly,
DV
demonstrates
its
benefits
in
cost,
practicality
and
image
quality).
Sound
recording
Super-8
cameras
are
around
for
a
few
hundred
dollars
but
are
still
impractical.
The
best
all
around
Super-8
camera
is
the
Beaulieu
which
can
be
fitted
with
a
crystal-sync
motor
for
syncing
with
a
Nagra
audio
recorder
and
has
an
interchangeable
zoom
lens
system.
If
you
cannot
afford
crystal-sync
sound
and
your
end
product's
destined
for
video
tape,
just
get
it
over
with
and
shoot
DV.
You'll
get
first-rate
sync
audio
footage
and
save
a
bundle
on
film
and
processing.
Many
high
resolution
DV
camcorders
are
available
whose
images
blow
16mm
out
of
the
water.
