Chris Davidson

PART 4 The Betzner photo. chris

Part 3 In the extant Z film, Betzner appears, shooting his famous photo of JFK. When he is about to take the picture, a gentleman steps over and partially blocks his photo. Go back and view the Martin film and compare this action with the Z film. http://98.155.2.255:8400/33869/Betzner.flv chris

PART 2. The John Martin film turns out to be the most important film involved in breaking the riddle. He actually captures Betzner taking his famous photo of JFK down on Elm St. with the Stemmons sign in the background. I have red boxed him in the film. Also, please note the two gentleman to Betzner's left and their movements in relation to Betzner. Keep those two men in mind. And, the location of the limo as this is occuring. http://98.155.2.255:8400/4CB63/MARTINFINAL.flv chris

Hello everyone, I'm going to reveal the key to the Zfilm timing riddle first. Then I will follow up with supporting proof. This way, you will start thinking (hopefully in terms of timing) about those idiosyncrasies that have bothered researchers for years, pertaining to the film. The key to the Z film is the limo timing/position within the film itself. It is approx. 2 seconds ahead of where it should be in relation to it's frame count. In other words, at Z133, the limo should be approx 2 seconds closer to the corner of Houston and Elm St. Or in reality Z133 would be Z100 approx. Part 1 chris

John, Behind Rosemarie Willis's right shoulder. The figure turns there face away from the camera. chris

John, You'll have to be more specific about the exact area you are describing. What can I do to enhance what you see? chris

Jack, Near the steps. chris

John, If the ghost images are supposed to be part of adjacent frames which would include camera movement, why does the stationary object (criminal courts building) in the bottom ghost image area not move, while the man in the top ghost image area move with the frame advancing? chris

The suited gentleman we see in the ghost sprocket area could be our mystery man if he has made it across the street under/near the Stemmons Sign, if the properties of ghost images are to be upheld. Which would put that part of the film farther ahead than what we actually see. Time it takes to walk from where we see him in Dorman to ghost image spot in Z. And/Or, The film was enlarged at some point to allow the cropping out of objects. Once again this is occuring when the Stemmons sign is coming into view and the main object (limo) starts varying from center frame. Take a look at how big the girl behind the tree becomes too. OR, Optical problems, ie... pincushioning chris

John, 213-224 http://98.155.2.255:8400/2A7C9/213-224.flv OR Gif included. The flash video is better quality if you can get it. chris

This is Croft or someone who is supposed to be Croft .38 seconds before Z133. The problem is the mystery man, the shadow figure to the right. In a previous supplied animation, I show this figure moving away from Croft. (Post 19) The timing between Dorman(which is the film this frame is from) and Z133 is supposed to be approx .38 seconds. This figure does not appear in Z at all. This is hard evidence that the Z film has been altered. chris

Once again, If we use Myer's film sync formula: Towner's film is 168 frames/23FPS=7.3 seconds. Zapruder's opening segment without the limo is 132 frames /18 FPS=7.33 seconds. Coincidence, I think not. If Towner's real FPS is closer to 18, and Z is 18, someone would have a nice film timeclock to work with, if they too had started filming as the limo turned onto Elm St., as Towner did. Where could you bury/hide 2.25 seconds. How about in a turn from Houston onto Elm. A little wider/narrow turn would do the trick and wouldn't be too apparent from different filming angles. chris

Robin, Yes, you do have the couple (arms around each other) and man with hat correctly identified in both Dorman and Z. The girl that comes down the steps actually stops at the bottom and stays there. The gentleman who follows her down the steps moves out toward the street a little farther than she does. But the important person is the woman who steps back up onto the sidewalk immediately to Crofts right side. She is the one I had indicated (red box) as waving her right arm only forward at approx Z frame 175. Which is when Clint appears to have passed her by, validating what is seen in Dorman. These two films are out of order. What we see in Dorman with Clint Hill passing the waving woman is occuring long before it should in Z. (Approx 40 frames earlier.) Long ago I informed everyone that Myer's sync analysis had a problem by stating Towner's camera was filming at 23 FPS. With this he states all films sync from beginning to end plus or minus 1 frame. He did not do any speed tests on the camera, he simply plugged in a number that fit with the other films. Here is what I'm trying to show you: Towner's film consists of 168 frames supposedly. I think this is probably valid. Myer's has it as 168 frames/23 FPS= 7.3 seconds. I say with the films being approx 40 frames off, that =2.25 seconds going by 18 frames per second for Z and Towner. 168 frames/17.6 FPS= 9.56 seconds 9.56 seconds(17.6 FPS) - 7.3 seconds(23FPS)= 2.26 seconds The 40 frame difference explains the problem with Myer's 23FPS mistake with Towner's camera. Towner's camera was made to shoot at 18 FPS. It states it in the manual, And I long ago revealed, with my own test results that it was between 17 and 18. A little more to come in a bit. chris

Robin and all, Duncan is right. It is Clint Hill. However: The waving lady who I pointed out is actually on Croft's immediate right. It is not the one to Willis' immediate left. I know this because in the previous looped movie I supplied, It only shows her black right arm waving forward, not backward. This matches Zapruder frame approx 175 and on. Keep a close eye on her right arm after she steps onto the curb and turns toward the street. The Z film is off by approx 40 frames in syncing with Dorman. http://98.155.2.255:8400/0E54F/wave.gif chris

Duncan, That is an outstanding observation. I would agree by the direction traveled , that it probably is Clint. I don't think #1 is the other SS agent because the movie I show of the arm waving person, is just that. That matches what we see in Zapruder. There's the timing problem again: Clint has not passed the arm waving women in the Z frame you supplied, unless I'm misreading the relation between the two. Which means that what we see in Zapruder comes later than what we are seeing in the actual film itself. At least according to the sync between Dorman and Z. chris

Tree possibly blocking Elsie Dorman's view of Phil Willis ? Robin, Woman waving her arm which matches the Z film. But, the Croft figure is walking away from the arm waving women at the moment he should be facing the same way, and getting ready to take a picture. chris

I'll add this other pertinent question. Where is Mrs.Willis in the Dorman frame? chris

The difference in time between Dorman's frame and Z133 is approx (.38 seconds) according to Myers film sync analysis. Is Croft in the same position in Dorman, as he is in Z133, because in .38 seconds, he has to be set, with camera to face, taking a picture. A stretch. chris

A smaller "flash video" version. http://98.155.2.255:8400/58A26/Dorman_Stabilized.flv chris

Jack, I created it as a quicktime movie. Running at 6 FPS. Try this smaller version and see if it helps. chris

It's about 30 megs in size. Quicktime movie Please download and play. Pay attention to the last part of the film, there might be something of interest to you. www.denisedavidson.info chris

John, The focal point is the limo. He has no problems keeping it in center frame from 133 til about the time it reaches the Stemmon's sign. The limo is traveling at a constant rate of speed. 10 mph approx., which is crawling when filming a moving object. Still traveling downhill when it reaches the Stemmon's sign. In this clip, I pan just a bit and let the white truck go by. Keep in mind, these vehicles are traveling much faster than 10 mph. Looking at this, one realizes they have to pan and tilt downward to keep tracking the truck. (focal point) I think it's well represented in the previous clips, regardless of camera, lens, experience, etc. etc chris

Karl, I think a more appropriate question would be " Why is the Z film the only pedestal film where someone tracking the limo going downhill, is tilting the camera uphill? Here are some examples besides mine (sprocket holes included), which show this phenomenon. If anyone knows where I can get a full run from Janowitz's film, please let me know. I could only do a partial of his, with what Craig Lamson supplied awhile ago. http://98.155.2.255:8400/44BBA/ZAPRUDER.gif http://98.155.2.255:8400/601E0/CHRIS.gif http://98.155.2.255:8400/41C21/HILL.gif http://98.155.2.255:8400/2A858/HILL2.gif http://98.155.2.255:8400/6ADA8/Janowitz.gif Something else to consider, " When does Z actually start tilting his camera upward"? Near what object? chris

Thanks Robin, Add this one of the bucket in his hand. chris

John and others, If you can't access it from my original address, try it here: www.denisedavidson.info chris