The Debrie 'Matipo' is a 35mm step contact printer. 

It has register pins which are often removed these days so that the printer can be used to print shrunken film.

The printer was fitted with notch detectors on both sides of the film path.  The notches in the film were place across the scene join and cut with a Debrie Notcher.

The notch detectors were placed 6 frames above the gate so the printer was fitted with an electro-mechanical delay mechanism.  When the notch was fired the clutch rotated for six frames and then moved the light band forward as the correct frame came into the gate.  

The printer could also be used for colour work by placing colour correction filters over the holes. See the diagram below on Page 28.

The light changes were made by using black cardboard 35mm perforated film in which different size holes were cut to vary the amount of light. These were sometimes known as short charts.  They were punched on a Debrie band punch.

 

 

The light values go  from 1 to 20.  The holes increased in size by the geometric progression of the 6th root of 2.  The smallest size light 1 is 6mm diameter and light 20 is 18mm diameter.  The light values for the sound head go from 1 to 12 and employ the same progression.

An alternative to using notches was the Debrie long chart that uses the same 35mm cardboard film but had small square holes to make the sound and picture light changes.  This chart ran at 1/8th the speed of the film through the printer.  The chart was prepared on a Debrie Chart table. See diagram below.

Debrie Publication No:414 Page 28