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Bolex help!!!


Joao de Botelho

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I just received my second batch of footage shot with my Bolex and it's way too jittery! I'm using it professionally so this is something I can't afford. Basically what happens is that every 2/3 seconds the footage shakes. Sometimes to a point where even post production can't fix it.

 

Can someone point me out to a solution? Otherwise any place that can fix my Bolex in Europe?

 

Thanks

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Would you mind sharing the camera’s serial number? If you don’t feel comfortable with that, you may suppress the last three numbers such as 37XXX or 105XXX. That way I can tell you more about the film advance.

 

Maybe you had only a lost loop (which would point to an earlier model before 1954). A photo of the film gate would help a lot here.

 

I do service on Paillard-Bolex products.

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How about a few basic bits of information, first? Bolex is not a generic term, but I assume it must be a 16mm camera at least...

 

What model? What type of film are you shooting? Is it new or old stock?

 

If I had to hazard a guess with the total absence of information to work from, I would say you are losing your loop below the gate, because once you lose it above the gate, you cannot recover just running the camera.

 

It could indicate:

 

1. dirty, sticky gate.

2. take down claw dirty or damaged

3. pressure pad not seated properly

4. all of the above.

 

More information is needed!

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Hi guys, forgive me the rush. Since I noticed this today the idea of having my little camera malfunctioning is wearing me a bit. When I remove the gate plate and slide my nail through it I do feel two very very tiny marks. Not sure this is enough to make it jitter?

The bolex is a SBM model converted to super 16 and Wil PL mount conversion as well (Guy Bodart did this conversion). The loop to me looks fine but I can't really say.

I'm uploading something I hope helps.

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That is truly weird. In addition to a light leak, see the stable perforations on the left-hand side but the image is jumping around.

 

Are you doing straightforward location shooting? You aren't shooting off a monitor or anything like that are you?

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If you look at the transfer you have, you can see the outline of half of the perforation on the top and half of it on the bottom. These perforations are very steady as far as I can tell, so something has to be moving around IN FRONT of the gate; not the film jumping around in the gate.

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I am not able to stabilise all of them and the problem is that Im using this professionally, meaning it looks bad to receive something this bad from a lab. I just really want it to be good. I don't know if my gate plate is dirty and if that would change anything. Did you get a chance to look in the pics? The plate is not completely flat flat...

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Yes, I looked at the pics of the pressure pad and gate. The pad appears to have some wear on it; nothing too dramatic that I can tell, but it's hard to tell what might be a defect. Where are the tiny marks you speak of? Are they on the edges of the pressure pad?

 

Was this new film stock? If not, how old was the film?

 

IF the film was tacky when going through the gate, it could have "cocked-around" a tiny bit, sticking and freeing itself as it went. The shots inside the camera body look like there is some emulsion dust around the gate; do you have the film itself and can you look at the base and emulsion to see if there are marks or scratches?

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It might just need a good cleaning of the gate and to re-tension the lateral springs; especially important for Super 16mm cameras.

 

I don't work on them, but the other two responders on this thread do; you might want to talk to them...

 

Wish I could have been more help!

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Although in the form of leaf springs the guides on the left hand (as seen from behind camera towards scene) are quite strong, no film can lift them up. The guides on the right hand side are immobile. Only one spring leaf locates the film laterally, it touches the film right next to the (forward) transport claw. The aperture plate generally measures 16 mm or a tad more. On the height of the leaf spring it is milled narrower to about 15,85 mm to make room.

 

When the technician reassembles the gate the lateral guide frame must be placed over the aperture plate with great care. Maybe something occurred then or, worse, the leaf spring I’m speaking of doesn’t touch the film edge by some reason. It is most important that that is the case. Before you have a specialist check the cam, clean the space between aperture plate and side guide spring at the side of the claw, and everything with an unused toothbrush, pressure plate removed. Make certain shutter is closed in order to prevent debris spill on the back side of the reflex prism block. Dust on the shutter leaves is harmless.

 

You have the more sensitive film gate with H-16 cameras, the anodized aluminum aperture plate of the magazine models.

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This is a video of my Bolex rolling film. Please notice if there is anything wrong. I feel like the loops move around much?

https://wetransfer.com/downloads/a747683a2530af132a809d2ed1115f3a20181125014139/524b1f582de5747988483da9af71b08020181125014139/074124

 

You have the film the wrong way around, with the black backing towards the lens and the photographic coating on the pressure plate. The lower loop appears a little too short.

 

And, if you please, let the image be horizontal.

VVS

Edited by Simon Wyss
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No, there isn’t. What you can do is to lace up clear leader film, polyester, if you can find. Set motor clutch lever to 0 and side release to M. Remove the pressure plate. See that you have plenty of light and a loupe, if necessary. Inspect the action of the claw while turning the mechanism slowly with the rewind crank. Check whether claw enters perforation and pulls down in the middle of the holes. Check whether claw jumps towards film at less than one eighth revolution of the 1-1 drive shaft. If not, repair is indicated.

 

Push the side spring gently away from film with a toothpick or a match (plastic or wood). See whether it springs back and presses on film edge.

 

The other lateral film guides must rest on the sides of the aperture plate. If not, repair job. I wasn’t able to verify that from the videos.

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