ALCS 4-speed Universal Crystal motor for Kinor16, Eclair ACL, etc. cameras

[Aapo Lettinen]

[Aapo Lettinen]

[Aapo Lettinen]

A reminder:

I will make one batch of the 4-speed motors in September but likely no third batch after that.

All the motors in the September batch will be PINK. other colors are special order items and need the special orders before August 10th 2025.

So standard color of the metal body of the motor: Pink.  other motor parts same colour as before.

Special order colors:  black and dark grey.

Let me know before August 10th about the special orders. Otherwise I will just make all of them the same colour :)

[Aapo Lettinen]

4-speed on the ACL:

 

[Aapo Lettinen]

 

[Aapo Lettinen]

detailed mounting plates and adapters info:

 

[Aapo Lettinen]

tested a handheld setup with the Eclair ACL. seemed to work fine. the balance is also pretty good if having the original ACL viewfinder, my NPR finder setup changes the position more backward for the finder being longer but is is still pretty fine. 

Got the 50Wh mini-vlock battery now and it is perfect fit with these motors! I am using a Dynacore one but Smallrig and others have good batteries too with similar capacity and form factor. One could shoot couple of hours with one battery so should last one or two shooting days without recharging and is really compact and lightweight.

 

[Aapo Lettinen]

 

[Aapo Lettinen]

Just a reminder that if you want BLACK or GREY motors there is two days left to order!

otherwise you'll get a pink motor. economy of scale and all the stuff, it costs much more to order different color parts separately and pink ones have already been ordered so I will make them all pink unless someone specifically orders a neutral colored one and will very likely use all the remaining parts on the pink motors so there will be no more batches after this second one 😄   

 

[Aapo Lettinen]

Yes the rest of the world will get pink motors then! 😄

I am planning on making a higher priced version of the 4-speed motor with some extra features so will likely only make this one batch of normal low-priced ones in September and that's it. So all the normal 4-speeds will be pink then 🙂 

[Aapo Lettinen]

my Kinor test camera is for sale if someone wants to buy a camera with 4-speed or other type of motor 

 

[Aapo Lettinen]

I am designing a newer version of the 4-speed motor which has output for external footage counters and crystal frequency input to use external speed generators for additional speeds. The new 2.0 version is 780usd without mounting parts and has black surface finish on the aluminium motor body. Price with mounting parts for one camera type, Kinor or ACL, is 940usd. 

It is possible to purchase the Aaton Footage Counter device with this 2.0 motor at package price if you need footage counter and additional speeds with it. The discount price for the counter with the 4-speed V2.0 motor is 300usd.

It is possible to order the 2.0 version already, will make a batch in October - November2025. This 2.0 version will replace the original 4-speed v1.0 model so if you don't need external connecting possibilities and the pink motor body is fine then you have about 2 weeks left to order the v1.0 version from the final batch made in September.

[David Bernard Anderson III]

On 7/23/2025 at 5:09 PM, Aapo Lettinen said:

drafting a 3d-printable plate which allows attaching a mini-vlock plate to the motor body so that small-enough batteries could be used with it when using with Kinor16.

ACL has smaller mounting screws on the camera body side and the motor is on the operator side on the ACL so would not use this kind of arrangement with ACL. But on Kinor and other cameras with sturdy-enough mounting and right side mounted motor it could be usable option.

This draft design made super thick so that it should hold the battery even if home printed out of cheapest PLA. The idea is to gather all kinds of misc models which are included with the motor purchase and one can print and test them out if wanted.

I could make aluminium battery plate holder system too which would be much thinner and more elegant but it would cost a lot more to make so I think a 3d printed one would be just fine for most uses. One can get them printed out of ABS if wanting it to last longer

This is so dope Aapo! I can’t wait to get mine man! 

[Aapo Lettinen]

On 8/16/2025 at 10:33 PM, Aapo Lettinen said:

Yes the rest of the world will get pink motors then! 😄

I am planning on making a higher priced version of the 4-speed motor with some extra features so will likely only make this one batch of normal low-priced ones in September and that's it. So all the normal 4-speeds will be pink then 🙂 

Will order the pink motor bodies soon, if there is still someone wanting the standard version of the 4-speed motor for the 650usd/850usd price let me know before 3rd September!  I will only make one or two extra ones so you will surely miss out the chance of getting the affordable normal version if not preordering it now. 

All the rest of the motors made later will be of the more expensive V2.0 version.

The leftover 4-speed V1.0 circuit boards will be used for my "diy-oriented" motor version where there is just a aluminium box housing the electronics and the brushless motor drive is separate with a short cable connecting it to the electronics box. That version is usable for people wanting to experiment with Bolex/Krasnogorsk/Pentaflex/etc modifications and is about 500usd with shipping. If you happen to need that kind of crystal motor for camera modification tests, let me know beforehand so that I can ensure I have time and materials to make it in October-November

[Aapo Lettinen]

got a batch of new inching knobs! these are much more ergonomic than the old design. 

[Aapo Lettinen]

I ordered all the pink 4-speed motor bodies now. A total of 5 pieces of which 3 are already sold so there is TWO of the 1st generation 4-speed motors available for order. After those are sold all the rest of the motors I make will be of the v2.0 version which is more expensive. So if wanting the pink affordable v1.0 version of the 4-speed now is the time to order them as there is only those two available anymore.

prices like on the previous posts

 

[Aapo Lettinen]

Me shooting a shortfilm on 16mm with Eclair ACL and the new 4-speed Universal Crystal Motor! Black and white Orwo N75 and a bit of Foma, shooting on old tv zoom for extra effect. Pretty good view how the 4-speed works on the ACL. Notice the NPR viewfinder adapted for ACL and the self designed carrying handle.
Photos by Niklas Niinimäki. (Movie name: "DOGMA I WON! NOW I AM GOD!", directed by Jean Aymán )

 

 

Edited October 19 by Aapo Lettinen

[Aapo Lettinen]

 

 

Edited October 19 by Aapo Lettinen

[Aapo Lettinen]

Edited October 19 by Aapo Lettinen

[Aapo Lettinen]

got 50pcs of the custom brushless electric motors for the rest of the 4-speed motors I am going to make before stopping crystal sync projects in 2027.

Likely making maybe around 10 of the 4-speed NPR motors and hopefully something like 20 of the Universal 4-speed motors shown on this thread. 30 in the best case.  

-------------------------

I could design and build a special user-assemble-friendly version of the 4-speed motor with larger-sized 3d-printable motor body but it would need different circuit board and lots of orders to cover the costs. The normal circuit board of the 4-speed design is not suitable for diy assembling, too small components and difficult soldering. I could design a different version with much larger circuit board and use tht components if there is enough demand. 

[Aapo Lettinen]

Designing the Krasnogorsk3 mounting parts for my 4-speed Universal Motor now. 

possible to order already, the pink standard 4-speed motor with K3 mounting parts is possible to order for special price of 800usd including shipping if ordered in November2025. Limited quantity available but I have other motor models like the more expensive V2 version of the 4-speed motor if missing out the cheaper pink version.

The system can be diy installed to the camera body if you are handy enough and have basic tools like drills, a small multitool like Dremel, some screwdrivers, etc. Takes maybe 4 to 6 hours to install. Your regular camera tech can install it too if needed. 

[Aapo Lettinen]

Designing the camera side plate for mounting the 4-speed motor to K3 camera. This plate is fixed to the camera body and then the motor mounted on it like my other adapter plates work. The camera needs to be opened to drill some of the mounting holes and to disable and remove the speed governor mechanism. The winding handle of the spring drive is removed as well. 

there is lots of screwholes to use for mounting to the camera. one of the backmost ones (left side on this view) needs to be bolted as well one of the center ones. From the right side ones (the long side row) about 4 bolts are needed but not all of the holes need to be bolted, there is some alternative positions available. At least one of the topmost ones and the lowest one need to be bolted. 

A hole is cut to the camera body for the motor axle and the axle adapter is fitted to the axle. the gear where the speed governor attaches is removed from the shutter driving axle and the entire start-stop button mechanism removed. then the axle adapter fits to the remaining axle on the shutter assembly. 

Then fine tuning the plate position and fixing the screw when perfect position is found. When drilling screwholes the plate is used as drilling mark position reference. Additional holes can be drilled when the correct plate position is found and fixed.

I will probably use nuts on the bolts and fix them with superglue when the perfect position is found. thus avoiding needing to tap threads to the holes drilled on the camera body. The camera is protected from metal dust during drilling of course.

[Aapo Lettinen]

The finished Krasnogorsk side plate design. 3d-printed test sample, the final will be cnc-machined aluminium. There is lots of 1/4" mounting threads, primarily meant for attaching a battery plate or additional cheeseplate or cable clamps

 

[Aapo Lettinen]

drafting a Konvas adapter for my Universal 4-speed crystal motor. pretty sure it could drive the 61m /200ft magazines well enough. I am designing higher powered motors for similar use too but will be really cool if the basic 4-speed version can run 35mm cameras

[Aapo Lettinen]

Ordered now the test pieces of the Konvas 1M mounting parts for the 4speed motors. Will be super cool if the motor can run the 200ft magazines! I will use it with gimbal because the camera would be really compact with this motor and the small mag.

 

Edited November 17 by Aapo Lettinen