pCAM version 1.95
Instructions updated: April 30, 2004
Designed by:
David Eubank.
Programmed by:
Dian Suharto Iskandar.
The Field of View,
Depth of Field, Aperture Finder ( for "splits") and Hyperfocal distance calculator with
many film formats/aspect ratios and user-definable formats to choose from.
- The file Mathlib.prc is needed for some of
the formulas. Some manufactures already have Mathlib built into
the system so it may not be necessary. If yours doesn't, then pCAM
will give you a warning message and refuse to load.
- For upgrades after v 1.81 each new release will install over the old. Your
databases will also remain in tact as long as you install over previous
installs and do not delete the program.
- For registered users please hang on to your code as
you may need it again someday.
FEATURES:
- Field of View Calculator:
- Many film formats for Cinematography, Photography and CCTV.
- 10 user definable fields to add your own formats and CoC.
- Find FoV based on Lens's Focal Length and Object's Distance.
- Find Object's Distance based on Lens's Focal Length and FoV.
- Find Lens Focal Length based on Object's Distance and FoV.
- Angle mode for display of angle of view.
- Preview mode for display of camera's framing and object size approximation.
- Ability to size a frame in preview mode and pCAM will automatically
tell you the lens size and distance required.
- Recompose button in Preview to change camera composition.
- Distances or Focal length can be changed with soft or hard up/down keys.
- Can lock horizontal or vertical size in FoV.
- Depth of Field Calculator:
- Circle of Confusion automatically changes with each chosen film format.
- CoC is shown in microns with inch equivalent (example: 25.4 microns = .001")
- Find DoF based on Object's Distance, Aperture and Lens Focal Length.
- Find Aperture and focus Distance based on Near and Far Object's Distance.
- Aperture is selectable from 1/4 stop, 1/3 stop, 1/2 stop, 1 stop or all stops.
- Image page mode, to see image size of chosen format.
- Can tap a button to automatically enter the hyperfocal distance and calculate
its DoF.
- Displays the percentage of focus in front and behind the object
distance.
- Lens Edit to add 20 of your favorite lenses with their ranges.
- Meter or foot/inch selectable format.
- Can save calculations automatically or manually.
- Chose of numeric pad or manual input.
- Runs and looks like a standard Palm application.
GLOSSARY:
- Lens FL = Focal Length
- D = Distance
- FoV = Field of View
- H = Horizontal size of FoV
- V = Vertical size of FoV
- DoF = Depth of Field
- CoC = Circle of Confusion
- Aper = Aperture
- f = Distance far
- n = Distance near
HOW TO SET UP pCAM:
HOW TO USE PCAM:
- At the top right screen, you can choose the film format/aspect ratio.
- At bottom right screen, you can choose which mode, FoV, DoF or Aper.
- If you have added your favorite lenses in Lens Edit, you can load each designated lens by choosing it on the lens pop-up menu (bottom left).
- However, to activate the Lens Edit you must also tap on the checkbox underneath "Lens."
- NOTE: Activating your saved favorite lenses by checking the Lens box limits you to the parameters of that lens.
For instance, if you have a 10-100 zoom lens activated and try to find a matching FoV for a 200mm, pCAM won't allow you because the zoom parameters will already have been set to only go from 10 to 100. You must uncheck the Lens box (bottom left) to go beyond the limits of a saved lens
parameter.
FIELD-OF-VIEW CALCULATOR (FoV):
- Choose your format/aspect ratio from drop-down list (top right).
- Choose FoV in the mode button on the bottom right. You are now in Field of View mode.
- Enter the Lens FL, or D, or FoV based on your needs. Only the underlined entries can be changed.
When you fill in FL, D or FoV in foot\inch mode, you can enter it as 2 11, 2-11, 2.11, 2'11", 2'11 or 2 11" and
all will automatically enter the 2'11" value after you tap OK.
- If you have numeric pad input activated in preferences, then you must tap
the foot symbol (lower right on numeric pad) in order to differentiate between
feet and inches.
- Tap on the darkened icon in the lower right (with padlock icon) to lock in either the D, FL or FoV.
If you choose D (to lock Distance), then you can change FL and the result will be a new FoV. You can also change FoV (Horizontal or Vertical) and a new FL will be calculated.
- If you choose FL (to lock Lens FL), then you can change D and the result will be a new FoV. You can
also change FoV (H or V) and a new D will be calculated.
- If you choose FoV (to lock FoV), then you can change D or FL and the FoV stays the same.
- HINT: This is the most useful feature for finding matching lenses at different distances and keeping the same
FoV.
- You can also change what part of the image size you would like to lock,
horizontal or vertical. Tap on the "Lock H" or 'Lock V"
box in-between the object size graphic. The default is "Lock
H" since horizontal is what truly distinguishes the different formats.
- NOTE: To find matching lenses at various distances it doesn't
matter whether you have H or V locked. However, when trying to
compare various formats it is recommend you lock H (horizontal).
- HINT: The VistaVision format is full aperture since it is used
for effects. When comparing it to other formats remember to
compare apples to apples and compare it to either "16mm Full
Aperture" or "35mm Full Aperture."
- The Angle of View, H and V are automatically displayed at the top left.
- Tap on the Angle button underneath it to see the angle.
- Tap on the Preview button underneath Angle to see an approximation of the framing and
subject size.
- You can pan or tilt the image by tapping the arrows.
- The "C" button is for centering the image.
- The "R" button is for quickly recomposing the image instead
of using the arrows buttons.
- There is also a zoom mode which allows you to increase or decrease the
image size. Once you change the size and tap "exit" a
new lens focal length or distance (whichever is chosen) will be
displayed.
- Highlight the "D" button if you want the +/- buttons to
change the distance.
- Highlight the "FL" button if you want the +/- buttons to
change the focal length.
- +/- buttons changes in small increments and ++/-- buttons change in
larger increments.
- HINT: You enter a lens and a particular distance in
FoV, then select the Preview button. If you don't like the
image size represented, then zoom in or out to one you do.
When you exit Preview a new lens size (or distance, if you had
selected it instead) will be displayed in FoV.
- Tap on the camera icon to show the current Image size dimensions and
Image
ratio.
DEPTH OF FIELD CALCULATOR (DoF):
- Choose your format/aspect ratio from drop-down list (top right). This automatically enters the correct Circle of Confusion (CoC).
- Choose DoF in the mode button on the bottom right.
- Above the mode button is a box that changes the increments that the F-stop will be changed. The
choices are 1/4 stop, 1/3 stop, 1/2 stop, 1 stop or all stop.
- In DoF mode you can change Object's Distance, Lens's Focal Length and\or Aperture, and the result will be the Near and Far Object Distance focus.
- The percentage of focus in front and behind the Object distance is
displayed on the dotted line.
- HINT: Use these percentages to learn your actual
coverage. Remember, percentage gradually moves from the
"normal" 33%-66% split to a 50%-50% split as your object
distance decreases, especially under 4 ft.
- Use the up/down arrows to change your Distance, Aperture or Focal Length. Focal length will change 1mm per tap.
-
Aperture will change according to your F-stop setting (see above). Distance will increase or decrease
according to the inc/dec you set up in preferences. Example: set inc/dec to 3" and it will change 3" each
tap.
- HINT: Tap on the diamond next to the up/down arrows to give control to your hard up/down keys.
For obvious reasons you can only choose either distance or aperture, not both at the same time.
- Besides automatically changing with the film format, you can also manually change Circle of Confusion
(CoC) to suit your particular requirements.
- WARNING: your manually changed CoC will automatically be saved when you close the program
and will not default back to the original "factory settings" when you restart pCAM!
Just remember to change the CoC back if you want the orginal settings which are 15.24u (microns) for 16mm and 25.40u (microns) for
35mm.
- Hyperfocal distance is automatically displayed for each calculation above
the aperture buttons.
- Tap on the diamond underneath the human form and it will automatically enter
the hyperfocal distance into the distance formula and recalculate using the
hyperfocal distance. It saves you a step.
- You can also create your own formats with various CoC in User Defined.
- Tap on CoC to see inch equivalent to micron.
- Tap on the camera icon to show the current image size dimensions and
Image ratio.
APERTURE FINDER CALCULATOR (APER):
- If you haven't already done so, choose your format/aspect ratio from drop-down list (top right). This
automatically enters the correct Circle of Confusion (CoC).
- Choose Aper in the mode button on the bottom right.
- You can change Near and Far Object's Distance and/or Lens'
Focal Length and the result will be the aperture needed to keep both points in focus plus where to set the lens barrel to achieve it.
- HINT: This is for calculating "splits." Enter background subject distance (f) plus foreground subject distance (n), then enter focal length (FL) -- pCAM gives you the aperture needed to keep both
subjects in focus.
(D) shows you where to set the lens barrel to achieve it. Change either f, n or FL
to get to an F-stop that you have the light for.
- Use the up/down arrows to change your far Distance or near Distance. Distance will increase or decrease
according to the inc/dec you set up in preferences. Example: set inc/dec to 3" and it will change 3" each
tap.
- HINT: Tap on the diamond next to the up/down arrows to give control to your hard up/down keys.
For obvious reasons you can only choose either far distance or near distance, not both at the same
time.
- Besides automatically changing with the film format, you can also manually change Circle of Confusion
(CoC) to suit your particular requirements.
- WARNING: your manually changed CoC will automatically be saved when you close the program
and will not default back to the original "factory settings" when you restart pCAM!
Just remember to change the CoC back if you want the orginal settings which are 15.24u (microns) for 16mm and
25.40u (microns) for 35mm.
- You can also create your own formats with various CoC in "User Defined."
- In find Aperture mode you can tap Aperture result box to show you a
rounded-off F-stop.
- Tap on CoC to see inch equivalent to micron.
- Tap on the camera icon to show the current Image size dimensions and
Image ratio.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO RUN pCAM:
- pCAM.prc, version 1.81 or later (the Program file).
- MathLib.prc to do the math (included with pCAM).
- Palm device with PalmOS v2.0.5 or later.
NOTE: The
latest version will always be available at www.davideubank.com
BUGS:
- Please report all errors or bugs a.s.a.p.
SHAREWARE AND REGISTRATION INFO:
- pCAM is a Shareware program, $15 US. If you like it and find
it useful, please register it at www.davideubank.com
- When you register, don't forget to give your Palm device Hotsync
name. After registering, you will sent a registration code that can
only be used on your Palm device with your given Hotsync name.
- Without registration you can still use pCAM (there are no missing
features), it will only remind you to register each time you launch it.
I would like to thank the following:
- Andrew Young at Panavision Woodland Hills, CA for his expertise, patience and time
spent beta-testing.
- Mako Koiwai, a Los Angeles Camera Assistant, for his suggestions and time spent
beta-testing.
- Enjoy.
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