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Anything missing on this Eclair ACL?


Nick Norton

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Nicholas,

 

Had a bad experience dealing with that seller in the past. Bought an Arriflex 16S film magazine from him. The mag he sent was not the one pictured in the auction and was not in as good as shape as the one in the auction.

 

So I would not buy from him again. Maybe mine was an isolated incident.

 

Best,

-Tim

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Tough one. I bought a camera from a seller in Montreal last year, but I can't remember if it was this one. My eBay feedback list doesn't list that seller, though.

 

I had been looking at that camera earlier this morning. It looks really nice, if it is the one advertised. Very desirable ACL camera. I have that same lens and it is my go to zoom lens, although it doesn't cover S16 in its entire range. The fact that it is ACL II, with the orientable viewfinder and the heavy duty motor in what appears to be cherry condition, make this camera a total bombshell. It is not Super 16, though.

 

At $2754, the camera pictured is worth it, but not a steal. Not very often do you see eBay ACL's this nice. In fact, I had not seen this particular camera package combination ever on Ebay. I have seen ones a bit nicer, but more expensive. The motor and the lens alone would fetch almost as much through camera merchants.

 

If you converted the pictured camera to S16, added a PL mount for newer glass and added a couple of mags, this camera would rock. However, as is you could do great things with it, no doubt.

 

If I didn't have two already (not as nice) I would consider buying this one. Pay Pal seems to protect the item up to $2000. I once reversed a $500 Pay Pal charge through my bank when the seller refused to make good on me. I would find out what the buyer's legal recourses are -but, damn, this camera looks nice.

 

No wonder they call it internet porn . . .

Edited by Saul Rodgar
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Yeah, I'm the one who purchased it. Did so before reading the responses, and now am a bit concerned about the seller.

 

Thanks to everyone who responded, especially Saul. I thought the camera looked really nice as well, which is why i did not hesitate to purchase it. However, this being my first 16mm camera and my only real camera at the moment... i really want to get a solid piece of equipment.

 

I'm on the fence as to what to do...

 

Any responses/advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

-Nicholas

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Yeah, I'm the one who purchased it. Did so before reading the responses, and now am a bit concerned about the seller.

 

Thanks to everyone who responded, especially Saul. I thought the camera looked really nice as well, which is why i did not hesitate to purchase it. However, this being my first 16mm camera and my only real camera at the moment... i really want to get a solid piece of equipment.

 

I'm on the fence as to what to do...

 

Any responses/advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

-Nicholas

 

Nick, if the camera gets to you as advertised, you are going to have a camera that will last you decades if well kept up with. Hopefully it will be just as it was advertised. If so, you definitely won't regret the purchase!

 

I would talk to your bank first thing tomorrow and see what they can do for you in case it isn't as advertised. That is what I did and was able to reverse the charge as soon as I realized the item was misrepresented.

 

Now I am really jealous! :D

Edited by Saul Rodgar
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Nicholas,

 

While the auction is still listed, copy every picture, and then copy all the text. That way, in a week or so when the camera arrives, you can look at the pics and make sure it is the same camera and everything matches.

 

If you pay with PayPal, you will have some recourse if things aren't right to get at least some of your money back. The situation I had with the seller, he had a number of Arriflex mags, so he posted a picture of the best one and shipped a lesser quality one when someone won the auction and he kept doing this until he sold all the mags. I seriously doubt he has multiple ACL cameras like this one, so the one pictured is probably the one you will get.

 

Also, if memory serves (and this happened over two years ago so it is a bit fuzzy), but if I remember correctly when I contacted the seller to complain, he said that if I left him negative feedback, he would leave me negative feedback. So l left no feedback at all. Sellers can no longer leave buyers negative feedback, so you have that in your favor now as well.

 

You will probably be fine, most of his feedback is positive.

 

Best of luck, looks like a cool camera.

 

-Tim

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Hi Nick,

 

I purchased two ACL's and one Bolex Super16mm camera from that e-bay seller. The Bolex looked incredible in the picture on the listing, and arrived as such. I was very happy with that purchase. The ACL's I bought were maybe 'a little' hyped more than they were, but I think the seller is not a camera person, but just a sales person in most respects. I think he gets a lot of stuff from older TV stations and such that go out of business in Europe and have the equipment sitting around.

 

Looking at the pictures, it looks like that ACL is in very nice condition. And it is the latest and greatest model of the ACL, which is very desirable. The later viewfinders were MUCH better than the earlier versions; brighter and larger magnification. I would think you are in pretty good shape. And having myself bought about five ACL's the past, I think you got a great camera at a very good price. Though, you probably want to send it off to have it overhauled at some point before some lengthy project, even if it is in mint condition and has been sitting around.

 

Hope that helps,

Todd

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