Tamron 6.5 mm super wide angle lens

[Ryan Navazio]

Has anyone had any experience at all with this lens on a bolex reflex?

[Guest Ian Marks]

If your 6.5 is the same as mine (with a very large front element), it sure looks like it will go on a reflex camera, as the rear element doesn't appear to protrude too far. I would caution you against trying it your Bolex, however. The Bolex has that expensive and vulnerable prism block behind the lens and I'm sure you don't want to risk marring it. I suspect that a Beaulieu R16, with it's up and down mirror/shutter, might be a better bet.

 

For an ultrawide in this range for not a lot of money, you might try fitting a Nizo "UW" wide angle adapter (originally made for Super 8 cameras) to a 10mm Switar or Schneider lens. Hope this helps.

[Sam Wells]

Both Bolex and Century make wide angle adaptors for the Switar 10mm RX which gives you a 6mm FL.

 

The Bolex Aspheron is a little better but costs a bit more. (same design was used by Zeiss and Cooke)

 

The problem with the Tamron lens you're talking about is that it's not corrected for the optical effect of the prism so will likely exhibit aberrations and astigmatism. That said you might not mind the look but in addition it may well not focus at infinity either. I think it won't at a wide aperature.

 

I don't know if that c mount lens would touch the prism on a Bolex but it always pays to be cautious

(shades of crunched mirror shutters on 16SR's :o )

 

At least put a gel filter in the slot and "screw cautiously" :D

 

(really, swing the turret away screw it in and see if it exceeds the depth of the c mount)

 

-Sam

[Boris Belay]

(really, swing the turret away screw it in and see if it exceeds the depth of the c mount)

 

-Sam

Indeed, that's the safest and simplest way to check for the rear-mount depth of a lens on a Bolex Reflex : swing the turret out, mount the lens fully on a lens port that is outside of the turret area and see if it sticks out. In doubt, swing the turret back, without forcing.

I suppose some lenses could stick out beyond the turret plate without touching the prism glass, but do you really want to try ? If so, definitely insert a filter holder as protection. And obviously, your turret will be locked on that lens while shooting.

In general, though, regarding CCTV lenses (and not most Television/TV-16 lenses from the 70's, which are film lenses), the first thing to do before getting your hopes up is looking up the lenses specs and make sure that model covers more than 1/3 inch CCDs, (so at least 1/2 or 2/3 inch), as those would not work on film as the image formed is too small.

-B