48fps with an npr?

February 8, 2006

Hi everyone, it's my first post, glad to be here.

Does anyone know where I can get my hands on one of those fabled Perfectone non-sync motors that can allegedly run an npr at 48fps? Are they real?

And if not, is it at all possible to modify another motor to achieve this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

-Brett

Mitch Gross · February 9, 2006

I saw an NPR motor converted to sync with variable speeds up to 50fps. I also saw it destroy the camera movement, seizing and then shredding it.

I would not advise pushing that camera beyond 36fps.

andrewbuchanan · February 9, 2006

My Beala III motor runs strong at just a tick over 40fps (probably 42 or 43). Works great, gives a very steady image, and hasn't caused any problems with the camera. It came with the motor (it's a late model camera), so I assume everything is fine... maybe watch out for aftermarket motors, but mine works great.

February 10, 2006

I saw an NPR motor converted to sync with variable speeds up to 50fps. I also saw it destroy the camera movement, seizing and then shredding it.

I would not advise pushing that camera beyond 36fps.

Yeah, that was a concern, I've read actual eclair literature that said the npr's are rated to 48 fps max, but I'm sure some 30 years later, they're probably not as eager to cycle that fast, thanks for the advice.

My Beala III motor runs strong at just a tick over 40fps (probably 42 or 43). Works great, gives a very steady image, and hasn't caused any problems with the camera. It came with the motor (it's a late model camera), so I assume everything is fine... maybe watch out for aftermarket motors, but mine works great.

Have you ever heard of a Beala motor, or an npr motor that looks strikingly like a Beala, that only syncs at 24, and only has non-sync speeds from 12 - 32?

Scott Bullock · February 10, 2006

If it were me, I'd give George at Optical Electro House in CA a call. He can answer many of the Eclair NPR questions. I believe he either manufactures or re-manufactures motors for the NPR. That said I've never seen this camera used for super slow-motion work.