Focusing with a non-reflex bolex

[Jon Boguslaw]

Hi, I looked for a thread that adressed this but couldn't find one.

 

I recently got a Bolex with a 25mm Lytar lens. It doesn't seem to have a focusing ring that I'm used to having with 35mm SLRs. Is the only way for me to get closer objects in focus to make the apperture smaller to increase the depth of field?

[Clive Tobin]

...I recently got a Bolex with a 25mm Lytar lens. It doesn't seem to have a focusing ring...

Is it possible that this is a video lens? I have run into some that had a focus ring, but it was not calibrated in distance. Other video lenses have vague "Near - Far" settings. These are intended for video surveillance use where the distance is set once using a monitor, and never changed.

 

If you have the rackover focus finder on top of the camera, look through the lens and see if the focus changes when you move any unmarked ring that might be present. This is my best guess.

[Jon Boguslaw]

Thanks a lot for the suggestion

 

hmmm, it really doesn't look like a video lens to me. There are a lot of markings regarding distances and such that list the apperture setting that would contain them. I can unscrew the front, but that doesn't seem to help. I can't find any way to make changes that are visible in the critical focuser. The lens says Lytar Som Berthiot F=25 1:1.8

[Jon Boguslaw]

Oh, nevermind. The focusing was just jammed very very tight. Thanks for your help!