Trusting photos will ruin your helmet.

Rogue Studios

Active Hunter
On the fence with this whole flare issue? Here is a photo SS found on the web taken by a non-member here. Shows how focal length can ruin even a real deal helmet. The stalk even appears bent. This is a great example that if you go to prove your case on something to make darn sure the photo was shot at a focal length lens setting at 50mm (natural eye setting) if it wasn't there will be distortions no matter how minute. Just thought I would toss this in for some Friday fun stuff. Thanks SS for shooting me the pic too.

Lee

ROTJoriginal.jpg
 
Wow! How can be made that? :eek: Thank you for the info! I never knew that about the 50mm focal lenght. Thank you Rogue! :)

:cheers
 
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I've been meaning to post on this subject for awhile, so I am glad Lee took the initiative. Many years ago, I would have told you the ESB had more "flare" than all the other helmets. I was wrong.

"Flare" is a lie; Don't believe it. The size of the actor, the padding/suspension inside the helmet, angle of the photo, and position of the helmet in relation to the actors neck are what causes all the helmets to change its "flare."

Attached is the ESB helmet compared to the PP2 helmet. Shape-wise, they are the same. There is no extra flare on the ESB. We are just used to seeing the Prepro 2 helmet placed farther down on the actor's head.

pp2-esb-small.jpg
 
I've been meaning to post on this subject for awhile, so I am glad Lee took the initiative. Many years ago, I would have told you the ESB had more "flare" than all the other helmets. I was wrong.

"Flare" is a lie; Don't believe it. The size of the actor, the padding/suspension inside the helmet, angle of the photo, and position of the helmet in relation to the actors neck are what causes all the helmets to change its "flare."

Attached is the ESB helmet compared to the PP2 helmet. Shape-wise, they are the same. There is no extra flare on the ESB. We are just used to seeing the Prepro 2 helmet placed farther down on the actor's head.

View attachment 23758
you know what else is a lie? the cake is a lie. i've actually been curious about the "flare." what part of the helmet flares? the bottom? cheeks? i'm not really sure where to flare.
 
lol, yes, that is the reference I was going for.

Actually, it doesn't flare anywhere. What's been mistakenly done is the widening of the sides of the helmet to "match" publicity photos, usually by pushing the front and back in.
 
Well a good indicator is the RF stalk. It was designed to be lined up straight vertically. It's mounted to the side of the helmet and if there was any change in flare you see it indicated by the stalk tilting to the inside I would presume. I really see no indication of this or indications they made changes so it would line up straight if it did flare out. Just a personal observation.

Lee
 
I've often wondered about that "flare" myself. Having spent a great deal of time examing Vader's helmet in various images - movie stills, production shots, etc - I can contibute my opinion that various factors can contribute to what appears to be size/shape differences that don't actually exist. In some photos the flange on Vader's lid appears to be drawn back and shortened, while in others it looks like it's scooping forward and down toward the shoulders - sometimes between two images that should appear the same, but differ because of camera angles, distance, or whatever.
 
About focal length:

I'm a serious amature/semi professional photographer and also used to sell cameras for a living. So I'd like to shed some more light on this subject for what it's worth.

For anyone who doesn't know, focal length is the distance from the front element (the end of the lens) to the focal plain (the film or CCD/CMOS sensor)

50mm focal distance is "normal"/ what your eye sees on 35mm film cameras and digital cameras with a 35mm sized CCD/CMOS sensor. The "normal" focal length of digital cameras is different depending on the sensor, most digital camera sensors are smaller than 35mm meaning that the "normal" focal length is going to be less than 50mm. There is no standard sensor size so you'll need to check the instruction manual to know what is "normal" for your camera.
 
I always assumed there was a slight flare and the verticality of the ears was corrected by the tapered areas where the ears mount. These areas definitely taper outwards from bottom to top, but only at the front, as the helmet sides curve round, the flare is lost. If there wasn't a slight flare, surely this would mean the ears are over vertical?
 
"Doesn't it bother you that you have to get up in the morning and you have to put on a bunch of pieces of flair?"
 
The ear is in two halves on the RF side and one thing to consider to is if one is move out further the other has to as well or they will pinch in the middle.
 
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