The soundhead is reading only intensity, that's all it does. The faster there is a change in intensity, the faster the output of the soundhead changes. It's just a photocell sensitive to only one color of light, looking through a narrow slit.
In the case of a variable-area track, this means that both distortion and high frequency response are very much affected by having a crisp image with very sharp outlines. That's why the sound recording stocks are designed to have as fine grain as possible, no edge effects, and very very high contrast. The older sound recording stocks were lower contrast than the current EXR stock... and also many of them were on acetate base, which tended to expand and contract with humidity. The newer sound recording stock gives a much more precise and sharp outline. If the sound recorder were absolutely perfect and there was no light leakage inside it, then it really wouldn't matter how contrasty the sound recording stock is. But, it's not a perfect world. --scott _______________________________________________ FrameWorks mailing list FrameWorks@jonasmekasfilms.com https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
