ECLAIR NPR (Nikon Mount?)

Matt Bizer · April 24, 2007

Ok, so I hear there is a c-mount to Nikon for the Eclair npr.

Does this mount work and will any 15-150 or other nikon lens cover super 16mm?

Matt Bizer · April 24, 2007

Actually, I will just state my situation.

I have an Eclair NPR and I am looking to convert it to super 16.

what are my lens mount options/ best choices for lens mounts and lenses that cover the super 16mm frame.

i am new to the super 16mm world and this will be my 1st conversion of any camera I own.

any info on experiences and ideas for the NPR let me know! I am open to feed my brain.

Thanks for the help everyone,

Matt

Bernie O'Doherty · April 24, 2007

A couple of things regarding this lens.

First of all, it's not in the same league as Zeiss or Cooke. Loses definition mid-range on the zoom.

Second, it's quite heavy for the little 'c' mount. Needs a support.

Thirdly, it's out of the ballpark when compared with good primes. Why go all the way to Super 16 and end up with questionable glass/images ? The camera is only the box which holds and moves the film. The glass is what's important. I would save up and try for either used Russian primes, or used Cooke/ Zeiss/ Canon zooms.

Matt Bizer · April 24, 2007

A couple of things regarding this lens.
First of all, it's not in the same league as Zeiss or Cooke. Loses definition mid-range on the zoom.

Second, it's quite heavy for the little 'c' mount. Needs a support.

Thirdly, it's out of the ballpark when compared with good primes. Why go all the way to Super 16 and end up with questionable glass/images ? The camera is only the box which holds and moves the film. The glass is what's important. I would save up and try for either used Russian primes, or used Cooke/ Zeiss/ Canon zooms.

Thanks for the feedback. In using Cooke / Ziess/ Canon would I need to upgrade to a different lens mount or will I be able to find these in reasonable ease as C mount covering a super 16mm frame?

Bernie O'Doherty · April 25, 2007

You can get them in either Eclair or Arri. If you get them with the most popular, an Arri bayonet, you can put an adaptor on there and it will mount to your Eclair. Price for adaptor around $250, maybe cheaper on Ebay.

Matt Bizer · April 25, 2007

You can get them in either Eclair or Arri. If you get them with the most popular, an Arri bayonet, you can put an adaptor on there and it will mount to your Eclair. Price for adaptor around $250, maybe cheaper on Ebay.

Thanks for all the help.

I just realized that you are the same Bernie that I want to send my camera to for the modification.

Thanks for all of your help.

-Matt

Alex Turner · May 2, 2007

Thanks for all the help.

I just realized that you are the same Bernie that I want to send my camera to for the modification.

Thanks for all of your help.

-Matt

Actually, I?ve found Nikon lenses to be quite sharp, certainly comparable if not better than an old set of Russian primes. Of course it depends on what the condition of the lens you are using is. The Nikon adapter + lenses are relatively inexpensive to boot.

Mac Zefer · August 3, 2007

Check out Les Bosher and George Zorzoli at Optical Electro House for a precise conversion of the NPR to Super 16.

Mac Zefer · August 3, 2007

Check out Les Bosher and George Zorzoli at Optical Electro House for a precise conversion of the NPR to Super 16.

Also, Lenses, on the cheap check out the Kinoptik 9mm 1.5 c-mount that can be ordered from Ikonoskop in Sweden. Sharp lens and covers Super 16. 900 Euros roughly. Look for Optar Illuminas too. The 15-150 is not a good lens. I mean if you are going through the effort to go Super 16 you want a sharp picture. If you have 8k get a Canon 8-64 (PL mount). This is a great lens. I blown up numerous films to 35mm that I shot with this lens and you could hardly tell it was shot on 16. Or just rent. It's a hassle but a good way to get the best glass. Minimum you're looking at 4500 for a halfway decent zoom.

Martin Yernazian · August 3, 2007

Hey Marc

Well I'm actually in the same debate than Matt, but I wonder, which films have you done with the 8/64 Canon that you blown up to 35mm? I will love to see some of them, anything I can rent ?

For know this are my top choices:

Canon 8/64

" 11.5/138

Cooke 10.4/52

Zeiss 12/120 t2.4

I want a zoom, because their versatility and quickness

Best

Mac Zefer · August 3, 2007

Hey Marc

Well I'm actually in the same debate than Matt, but I wonder, which films have you done with the 8/64 Canon that you blown up to 35mm? I will love to see some of them, anything I can rent ?

For know this are my top choices:

Canon 8/64

" 11.5/138

Cooke 10.4/52

Zeiss 12/120 t2.4

I want a zoom, because their versatility and quickness

Best

Unfortunately nothing you can rent. I play in the festival circuit with experimental films. But there are plenty of films that have been shot on S16 and then blown up. Duart in NYC does excellent work. I would go with the Canon. I prefer 8mm rather than the 11.5 but both are great lenses. Certainly they are better than the Cooke and the Zeiss as those lenses are S16 conversions and usually they cost a little less 3-4k less than the Canon.

August 4, 2007

I've mention this before and everyone seemed to ignore it. In the super 16 format a good number of regular 16 lenses will cover if you frame for the 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The super 16 aspect ratio of 1.66 is not standard for any presentation medium. It was always meant to be cropped. If you plan to frame for 16:9 then you will have a bit more of a coverage issue with regular 16 lenses. My Cooke 9-50mm covers super 16 1.85 from about 11.5-50mm, in 16:9 it become roughly a 17-50mm, in 1.66:1 it covers from around 20-50mm.

I shoot mostly low budget features and shorts. The $2,000.00 price tag to convert my lens to super 16 is not worth the difference between 16:9 and 1.85:1 The 16:9 is really only for projects produced for T.V. widesceen broadcast. If you are shooting for widescreen T.V. broadcast then there should be a big enough budget to rent a proper camera kit. If you are shooting something that may have a theatrical or straight to dvd distribution then 1.85:1 will be the best choice.

The topic of lens coverage in super 16 is relative to the aspect ratio you intend to shoot in. I brought this topic up only because there are so many questions related to "Low cost lenses that will cover super 16." If money were not an issue we would be taking about our ARRI 416 and ZEISS Master Prime kits.

Martin Yernazian · August 4, 2007

You have a great point there, I actually never heard you say that , so sorry for not paying the proper attention

My goal is to produce my own feature projects by the end of this great year, you are right the ratio is key

Thanks for that great advice, still I think I'm shooting for the Canon 8-64, because of the sharpness and versatile of the glass, ( the Cooke is great to, but as yet I have not seen anything done on the Cooke to appreciated more) Any Examples?

Best