Saro Vallejo Posted December 18, 2025 Posted December 18, 2025 I came across this youtube video of a Bolex Video Manual. At minute 1:03 a photo of filmmaker Giuseppe Baresi is shown. In the background there is a Bolex (I think its a H16 M), with some type of motor on it. I attach a photo of it here. I can't make out the writing and I'm just really curious about this. Does anybody here know something about this specific device? Thanks!
Steve Switaj Posted December 19, 2025 Posted December 19, 2025 It's a Norris Intervalometer. He's shooting timelapse or single frame, something like that. The Bolexes were good at this because they had lightweight spinning disk shutter at the film plane that sealed well and didn't leak light when closed, and it could come up to speed, make a short exposure, and stop again in one frame. Many other high quality 16mm cameras of the era had spinning mirror shutters that tended to leak light if they had a long interval between frames, or had too much mass to do one short exposure then stop again. see:
Joerg Polzfusz Posted December 19, 2025 Posted December 19, 2025 Steve is correct. When buying one, be aware that there are also versions for other cameras. E.g. here is one for the Arri 35 III: https://visualproducts.com/product/norris-film-products-intervalometer-for-arri-35-iii/
Joerg Polzfusz Posted December 19, 2025 Posted December 19, 2025 Bolex Rex 5 with such an intervalometer: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/bolex-rex-norris-intervalometer-458459842
Saro Vallejo Posted February 8 Author Posted February 8 On 12/19/2025 at 5:26 AM, Steve Switaj said: It's a Norris Intervalometer. He's shooting timelapse or single frame, something like that. The Bolexes were good at this because they had lightweight spinning disk shutter at the film plane that sealed well and didn't leak light when closed, and it could come up to speed, make a short exposure, and stop again in one frame. Many other high quality 16mm cameras of the era had spinning mirror shutters that tended to leak light if they had a long interval between frames, or had too much mass to do one short exposure then stop again. see: On 12/19/2025 at 8:14 AM, Joerg Polzfusz said: Steve is correct. When buying one, be aware that there are also versions for other cameras. E.g. here is one for the Arri 35 III: https://visualproducts.com/product/norris-film-products-intervalometer-for-arri-35-iii/ On 12/19/2025 at 8:19 AM, Joerg Polzfusz said: Bolex Rex 5 with such an intervalometer: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/bolex-rex-norris-intervalometer-458459842 Hello and thanks so much for the information! is it possible to do timelapse long exposure with such a device? or what would I need for that? thanks so much again cheers
Steve Switaj Posted February 8 Posted February 8 Timelapse, single frame and animation work is one of those things where I strongly recommend that no matter how much you love film, you should do it digitally. It's just so damn incredibly picky and tweaky that being unable to check your work as you go is far more pain that it is possibly worth, especially for a beginner who's trying to get off the runway for the first time. If you're looking at experimenting, go buy yourself a copy of DragonFrame for $ 295, hook it up to literally any Canon SLR made in the last ten years, pop on a manual lens (probably with an adapter) and you're in business. https://www.dragonframe.com/dragonframe-software/
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