Kodak K100 16mm camera

Michael Ryan · May 17, 2007

Hello All,

I have been watching eBay for several months for just the right Kodak K100 16mm movie camera. I picked one up a few weeks ago (the single lens, no turret) and much to my surprise the camera was as described. It's in mint condition.

I know it's an old saying, but it's true, "They don't make them like that any more." What a really well made camera. It runs as well today as it did 45 years ago.

I have a couple of questions that I hope someone can answer for me. The K100 is a non-reflex camera, but it has a viewfinder. Now, the viewfinder has a focus control on it. So when I look through the viewfinder you can focus on what you are looking at. What purpose does this have?

What are the Kodak lenses like that were made for this camera?

I have the very rare hand crank adapter for the K100. If I hand crank, what frame rate would that most likely be?

Thanks for your help. I can hardly wait to run some film through it. On one wind the camera will run 40 feet of film through the gate! When you release the trigger it almost sounds like an electric motor is inside.

Mike

Herb Montes · May 17, 2007

Hello All,

I have been watching eBay for several months for just the right Kodak K100 16mm movie camera. I picked one up a few weeks ago (the single lens, no turret) and much to my surprise the camera was as described. It's in mint condition.

I know it's an old saying, but it's true, "They don't make them like that any more." What a really well made camera. It runs as well today as it did 45 years ago.

I have a couple of questions that I hope someone can answer for me. The K100 is a non-reflex camera, but it has a viewfinder. Now, the viewfinder has a focus control on it. So when I look through the viewfinder you can focus on what you are looking at. What purpose does this have?

What are the Kodak lenses like that were made for this camera?

I have the very rare hand crank adapter for the K100. If I hand crank, what frame rate would that most likely be?

Thanks for your help. I can hardly wait to run some film through it. On one wind the camera will run 40 feet of film through the gate! When you release the trigger it almost sounds like an electric motor is inside.

Mike

I have two of these. The single lens and the turret model. Viewfinder focus is to adjust to your eyesight. Higher end cameras had this feature. It wasn't common in consumer movie cameras when the K100 was made. That handcrank is very rare. I've been wanting to find one or at least make one for my cameras. You wouldn't mind taking pictures of it to show us how it looked. I can probably figure out how to machine my own. Best way to find out the frame rate is to take the lens off and watch the shutter as you handcrank it. Count how many times the open sector goes by in one turn of the crank. Most handcranked cameras exposed 8 frames per turn. Though the DeVry exposed 6 frames per turn of the crank.

May 17, 2007

Yes, they are great little cameras, aren't they? I have the single lens model too, and I use it with a Compact Pan-Cinor zoom with built-in finder. The viewfinder focus is just to adjust to your eyesight (as I recall - my Kodak is packed away somewhere). It has no effect on the focus of the taking lens. As a little "cheat" with a non-reflex camera like this, you can carry along a 35mm SLR camera with you when you're shooting and transfer the focus readings from it to the Kodak.

I've never used the Kodak C-mount lenses, but I would imagine they're pretty good overall, especially two stops or so down from maximum aperture.

The hand crank will give you different speeds according to the rate at which you turn it, of course, but there is a fixed relationship to the number of frames produced by one turn of the crank - something like two frames for every one revolution of the crank. If you can work out what that relationship is, you'll know how fast to turn the crank - BUT - as you point out - the K100 has a sweet little spring motor in it.

Michael Ryan · May 17, 2007

Thanks Ian and Herb for the info.

Herb, I will put some pictures up, but it will take me a few days. The same guy I bought the hand crank from also sold me the motor drive shaft (also very rare). Both items were also NEW! They had never been used in all these years. They both come with their own set of directions (which I just read). I feel like a bit of a lug nut because the directions just answered some of my questions.

The hand crank says on it, "two frames equals one turn."

Here are some excerpts from the hand crank instructions you may find interesting: "LONG DURATION EXPOSURES. If the hand crank is rotated in the forward direction 45 degrees from the normal stop position, and the exposure lever is held down, the shutter will open and time exposures of any duration can be made. Long duration exposures are useful in certain types of lapse-time photography."

" BACKWINDING. One of the most frequent uses for the hand crank is to wind the film through the camera in reverse for such effects as lap dissolves, double exposures, etc. The film can be backwound a maximum of 40 turns (80 frames or 2 feet).

"FORWARD. The camera can be operated in the forward direction indefinitely by means of the hand crank."

Here is a bit from the motor drive shaft directions: "The motor drive shaft is for use with an external power source, such as an electric motor. The drive shaft is made so that direct coupling of a standard 1800 RPM synchronous motor drives the camera at 24 frames per second.

"CAUTION. Do not use a motor with a shaft speed greater than 4800 RPM because the camera governor shoes will be worn excessively."

Mike

Herb Montes · May 17, 2007

Only two frames per turn? A bit unusual to me. Though the Bolex models I own have both the 8 frame and single frame shaft. I have mounted my Angenieux reflex zoom on my single lens model. The links are to pictures showing the zoom on the camera. I have the Pan Cinor for my Bolex but the advantage the Angenieux has is the viewfinder can swivel forward to allow access to the film chamber. With the Pan Cinor you have to unscrew the viewfinder.

The last picture is of the turret model K100.

http://www.hmontes.com/Images/k100a.jpg

http://www.hmontes.com/Images/k100b.jpg

http://www.hmontes.com/Images/k100c.jpg

http://www.hmontes.com/Images/k100d.jpg

http://www.hmontes.com/Images/k100e.jpg

May 17, 2007

The hand crank says on it, "two frames equals one turn."

What do you know? I was right. I've also got a motor shaft somewhere - I bought it off of Ebay a while back for a few bucks. Now that I know that an 1800 rpm motor is required for 24 fps, I'm wondering where I could get such a beast. Maybe an AC synchronous model that I could operate off a wall socket - that way it would maintain sync. Anyone got any ideas?

Herb Montes · May 18, 2007

What do you know? I was right. I've also got a motor shaft somewhere - I bought it off of Ebay a while back for a few bucks. Now that I know that an 1800 rpm motor is required for 24 fps, I'm wondering where I could get such a beast. Maybe an AC synchronous model that I could operate off a wall socket - that way it would maintain sync. Anyone got any ideas?

I have purchased AC synchronous motors from these folks:

http://www.herbach.com/

http://www.candhsales.biz/CandH/

Clive Tobin · May 18, 2007

...an 1800 rpm motor is required for 24 fps, I'm wondering where I could get such a beast....

I have a couple of 1800 RPM sync motors with capacitors that were scrounged from old Sony 3/4" U-matic decks. I don't recall what direction they turn in. What direction does your motor drive shaft need to turn? Specify whether this direction would be looking at the camera or looking at the motor. I will sell these cheaply.

Will Montgomery · May 18, 2007

I love my K-100 but I can't get over the non-reflex focus thing. Always guessing distance is kind of a pain.

So I found a Som Berthiot Pan Cinor lens for it... only to find out that you can't actually focus with the reflex viewfinder; just frame.

From the manual: "Warning! The sharpness of the image seen in the viewfinder is not affected by variations in the Pan Cinor's focusing. Don not forget to bring the Pan Cinor into focus when the subject has been framed."

I was not happy after reading that. Good news is that if I actually focus it properly, it looks great. Bad news is it almost doubles the weight of the camera.

Clive Tobin · May 18, 2007

... Som Berthiot Pan Cinor lens for it... only to find out that you can't actually focus with the reflex viewfinder; just frame. ...

I think the Pan Cinor 85 had a focusing aid (center groundglass or split image), but the 70 did not.

Michael Ryan · May 18, 2007

Hello All,

I received two lenses with the K100. There was a Kodak 50mm (no viewfinder) and a Kodak 25mm with 25mm viewfinder. Unfortunately the 25mm is in such bad shape it's really only good for a paper weight.

Here is my question: Will my Bolex Switar 12.5mm H8RX work on the K100? The lens is a C mount, but will it cover the 16mm frame?

I tried out the hand crank for the K100 and it worked like a charm. At a constant rate of hand speed I think I could only do about 6-8 fps. Any faster you would be turning your hand like you were running from Bigfoot.

OT. I just downloaded Paul McCartney's new single EVER PRESENT PAST. Wow. The lad from liverpool still has it.

Mike

www.super8today.com

www.charliedontfilm.squarespace.com

Herb Montes · May 19, 2007

Hello All,

I received two lenses with the K100. There was a Kodak 50mm (no viewfinder) and a Kodak 25mm with 25mm viewfinder. Unfortunately the 25mm is in such bad shape it's really only good for a paper weight.

Here is my question: Will my Bolex Switar 12.5mm H8RX work on the K100? The lens is a C mount, but will it cover the 16mm frame?

I tried out the hand crank for the K100 and it worked like a charm. At a constant rate of hand speed I think I could only do about 6-8 fps. Any faster you would be turning your hand like you were running from Bigfoot.

OT. I just downloaded Paul McCartney's new single EVER PRESENT PAST. Wow. The lad from liverpool still has it.

Mike

www.super8today.com

www.charliedontfilm.squarespace.com

I bought a 75mm K100 viewfinder objective from Igor's Camera Exchange. He sometimes sells stuff on eBay.

No, the H8Rx lens will not work. It will not cover the 16mm frame and the flange focal distance is different. You should be able to use any other 25mm c-mount lens, even an inexpensive TV lens like the Comiscar.

The crank speed of the K100 is too low for normal filming. The standard for silent film cameras was 8 frames per tusn so a two times a second cranking speed gives you the silent film speed of 16 fps. Oddly enough my DeVry mechanisms exposes 6 frames per turn of the crank so you have to crank 3 times a second to 18 fps.

My two Russian cameras (a Konvas and a Rodina) can be cranked at 8 frames per turn.

May 19, 2007

The later Pan Cinor zooms (the black 17-85mm's) have a coincident rangefinder style focusing aid - zoom to the longest focal length and you'll see a ghosted second image. Bring them into register and you're in focus. Then zoom out and frame your shot as normal.

Will Montgomery · May 19, 2007

The later Pan Cinor zooms (the black 17-85mm's) have a coincident rangefinder style focusing aid - zoom to the longest focal length and you'll see a ghosted second image. Bring them into register and you're in focus. Then zoom out and frame your shot as normal.

Ah, if I had only known. Those K-100's are great cameras though. Double the running time on one wind vs. my Russian K3, easy to load and very dependable. Might take it if I'm every headed to Alaska or Antarctica. Cool to see a picture of someone with a K-100 on Kodak's website still...