Angenieux 10mm for Super 16 Bolex

[Eugene Lehnert]

Does the Angenieux 10mm wide angle lens for the Bolex cover the Super16 format? Also what does Retrofocus mean? How do these lenses compare to the switar 10mm lenses?

[Guest Ian Marks]

Retrofocus just refers to the optical design. I believe that Angenieux was a pioneer in bringing retrofocus wide angles to the market, and they were very attached to the word in the same way that Pentax was attached to the word "multicoated."

 

I have a 10mm Angenieux now and a 10mm Switar on the way, and I'm looking forward to testing them against each other. I'm hoping someone else on this forum can tell us if the Angenieux will cover Super-16 or not (my guess is that it won't). I have been told that some of the Switars will cover - barely - while others will not.

 

The most obvious difference I can see between the the two lenses is that the Angenieux is a fixed-focus design, while the Switar has a focus ring and actually allows the user to focus quite close. The Angenieux also does not have filter threads, which I find quite annoying. The other Angenieux lenses in the range (15mm, 25mm, 50mm, and 75mm) all take the same hard-to-find Series 5.5 filters via a threaded retaining ring.

[Sir Alvin Ekarma]

This is an old thread, but I was just following up. Did anybody determine whether the lens was S16 safe or not? I did a search of the forum and didn't turn anything up.

[Sir Alvin Ekarma]

The Angenieux 10mm does not cover Super 16...

[Alex Turner]

The Angenieux 10mm does not cover Super 16...

I've got a Super 16mm Bolex EBM and my Angenieux 5.9mm covers 99% of the frame with just a hint of vignetting arround the corners. If you are doing a DI or HD work just push in a little, little bit and you're done...

[salt-sg]

Cine-Nikkor10mm may cover super16,,,

[Guest Ian Marks]

The Cine-Nikkor does indeed cover Super-16, but they're very hard to find. If you want a C-mount 10mm for Super-16 work, you'd have an easier time finding a Schneider Cinegon 10mm (the model with the larger - about 55mm - front element), which covers with room to spare.

[Bert Smith]

Good lord!!!

As I just wrote about a moment ago on another thread, a C-mount Cine-Nikkor 10mm JUST ended on Ebay tonight, and I could not bring myself to bid, since there were so many questions, and answers that were not dependable. But now I read that it does indeed cover Super16!!! Damn!!!!!!! And it ended for right around $200!!! Unless I am mistaken, it seems I have missed an opportunity to buy a very nice wide-angle lens which does cover Super16, and is also as rare as rocking horse manure. Can someone please verify this, so I can walk to the closet, separate all the right shoes from the left ones, put them on, and begin kicking myself in the rear?

[David T. Nethery]

On 6/14/2005 at 5:14 PM, Guest Ian Marks said:

The Angenieux 10mm does not have filter threads, which I find quite annoying. The other Angenieux lenses in the range (15mm, 25mm, 50mm, and 75mm) all take the same hard-to-find Series 5.5 filters via a threaded retaining ring.

Old topic, but for anyone now or in the future searching for a solution to this problem:
Search on eBay or at photography stores with a supply of vintage camera equipment for a Slip-On filter retaining ring, which goes around the outside of the lens. The outside diameter of the Angenieux 10mm is slightly is about 41.7mm so a slip-on retaining ring of 42mm or 42.5mm or even 43mm should work.  (43mm may be slightly loose, so add a strip of teflon tape to the inside rim of the 43mm slip-on ring) Then find a set of vintage Series VI (6) drop in filters.  The drop in filters are held in place by the slip-on retaining ring.

Edited August 18 by David T. Nethery

[David T. Nethery]

On 8/18/2026 at 3:46 PM, David T. Nethery said:

Old topic, but for anyone now or in the future searching for a solution to this problem:
Search on eBay or at photography stores with a supply of vintage camera equipment for a Slip-On filter retaining ring, which goes around the outside of the lens. The outside diameter of the Angenieux 10mm is slightly is about 41.7mm so a slip-on retaining ring of 42mm or 42.5mm or even 43mm should work.  (43mm may be slightly loose, so add a strip of teflon tape to the inside rim of the 43mm slip-on ring) Then find a set of vintage Series VI (6) drop in filters.  The drop in filters are held in place by the slip-on retaining ring.

 

Addendum to above:  I re-measured the Angenieux 10mm lens and it really needs a 41mm slip-on filter retaining ring for a snug fit, the 42mm slip on retaining ring is too loose. 43mm is much too loose. (but as mentioned, a few tabs of teflon tape or gaffer's tape folded over the inside edge of the slip-on retaining ring can help make a loose fitting retaining ring fit more snuggly, but better to just use a properly sized ring to start with so you don't have to mess with the tape. )

Edited August 22 by David T. Nethery