B&H Filmo 70 DR

[Andrew Hamilton Watts]

Hi all, 

I recently acquired a B&H Film 70 DR and have a few questions about it. First, I see there are various areas where you can insert oil, what oil should I be using for this? I have seen some say a sewing machine oil? But I am wondering if there is a specific brand or type people are familiar with. 

Second, since it is a C-mount lens, am I able to use RX Bolex lenses on it? I am just curious what the lens calibrated for the prism would do without a prism? Likewise, there are a number of cheap c-mount tv lenses on the market, if I am not too concerned about quality (which I am not) would these lenses work on this camera?

Any other information on this camera would be greatly appreciated since I do not know much about the various B&H 70 models.

Thanks so much,

Andrew 

[Charles MacDonald]

the Bolex lenses are only for a bolex.  you should use a regular C-mount lens.  B&H often shipped these with "Comat" lenses  (Super Comat C-Mount Lens)  you will need a viewfinder objective that matches the focal length of your lens.  If you are lucky you will have a couple of the objectives in the turret and can pick a lens to suit.

since the B&H Filmo oil is no longer made.  Many folks will use a VERY SMALL drop of sewing machine oil.  (This is what I use, but I am not sure of their is not a better product to use)

I can't quickly find a good like to a 70DR user manual, although Archive dot org has a manual for an ealier version.

[Frank Wylie]

Andrew,

A light weight mineral oil is generally acceptable, but don't over do it. See this operator's manual in D.D. Teoli Jr.'s archive:

https://archive.org/details/filmo-70-manual-d.-d.-teoli-jr.-a.-c./page/n13/mode/2up

Here's another general use manual:

http://vintagecameras.fr/images/MonSite/BELL-HOWELL/Filmo_70DR/_doc/prod_manual-filmo.pdf

Charles beat me to the punch on the lenses, only be aware that SOME very early TV c-mount lenses have a different back focus and may not focus to infinity.

In general, I try to avoid any lens marked "TV" for that reason...

[Andrew Hamilton Watts]

2 hours ago, Charles MacDonald said:

the Bolex lenses are only for a bolex.  you should use a regular C-mount lens.  B&H often shipped these with "Comat" lenses  (Super Comat C-Mount Lens)  you will need a viewfinder objective that matches the focal length of your lens.  If you are lucky you will have a couple of the objectives in the turret and can pick a lens to suit.

since the B&H Filmo oil is no longer made.  Many folks will use a VERY SMALL drop of sewing machine oil.  (This is what I use, but I am not sure of their is not a better product to use)

I can't quickly find a good like to a 70DR user manual, although Archive dot org has a manual for an ealier version.

Okay great, thank you! I guess I foolishly thought that any C mount lens would work. I was hoping to put my 10mm Switar and just use it for a simple wide set up, but I guess I’ll need to keep looking. I guess it’s best to avoid TV lenses as well since I don’t want to waste money of out of focus film. It seems like a lot of folks use them and get decent results though.

can I ask what brand of oil you use? Is all sewing machine oil the same?

[Frank Wylie]

Personally,  I tend to use VERY SPARINGLY a 50/50 mix of clear sewing machine oil and Marvel Mystery Oil on totally mechanical cameras.

Take great care to wipe away any residual oils in the film chamber with a solvent.  You don't want to get it on your film or film path.  That ruins the roll and the lab will hang you from the nearest lamp post.

[Dom Jaeger]

You can actually use RX lenses on cameras that are not reflex Bolexes, but at wide apertures you will get aberrations that will make the images a bit soft and hazy. If you stop an RX lens down three stops or more from wide open, the aberrations will be far less noticeable. Test your Switar out, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Any brand of sewing machine oil, or clock oil, should be fine.

 

[Andrew Hamilton Watts]

7 hours ago, Dom Jaeger said:

You can actually use RX lenses on cameras that are not reflex Bolexes, but at wide apertures you will get aberrations that will make the images a bit soft and hazy. If you stop an RX lens down three stops or more from wide open, the aberrations will be far less noticeable. Test your Switar out, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Any brand of sewing machine oil, or clock oil, should be fine.

 

Awesome, thank you. This is sort of what I was thinking, I just don’t have the technical knowledge to be sure. I did manage to score a 0.7” B&H Super Comet for super cheap, surprisingly. Perhaps that says something about the quality of the lens. I’ve got some very expired Kodak EXR that would be great to test the Switar.

[Simon Wyss]

It’s Comat, not Comet. The Super 0.7" is a four-elements dialyte.

[Andrew Hamilton Watts]

7 hours ago, Simon Wyss said:

It’s Comat, not Comet. The Super 0.7" is a four-elements dialyte.

My apologies. My phone either wants to correct that to “combat” or “comet.” Thanks for the information.