Eclair ACL II what's it like to use?

[Jon O'Brien]

What are the quirks and good points of the Eclair ACL II camera system? I hear that it has an interchangeable mount that can accept a Nikon adapter. Is this true?

How well does the camera convert to Super 16 generally?

Is this camera easy to use and easy to maintain or does it have any not-so-good aspects considering that it's now getting to be a pretty old model? It's good to have some up to date advice about this camera that is greatly respected by some. I know almost nothing about it.

[Heikki Repo]

The best points of this camera are:

1) It's small and lightweight

2) It allows the use of nearly every lens that was made before m4/3 and mirrorless cameras. There is both c-mount and "TS-mount" that is only an intermediary mount for different adapters. So, one can start by buying Nikon to C-mount or get one of those TS-mount adapters. The TS-mount can take weightier lenses, PL and Arri B-mount.

3) 12V motor. Easy and relatively cheap to build a small battery pack for that.

4) Multispeed motor (8/12/50/75 and crystal 24/25). One can get motor modification at AZ Spectrum for more crystal speeds.

5) Some models include built-in simple lightmeter which can be great for documentary work.

6) The last Kinoptik viewfinder is bright and nice.

7) Both 200ft and 400ft mags available.

8) Relatively quiet, Aaton predecessor.

9) AZ Spectrum sells HD color video tap for it.

10) The movement is relatively simple, so a tech with knowhow can service it. Electronics can still be repaired.

 

The cons:

1) There aren't much spare parts going around.

2) There are people who know how to service these, but finding them is not as easy as before if you are outside of US.

3) No way to change the ground glass. Unless you happen to find one with Shurco made markings, it's going to be either 1.33 or very crudely made one.

4) And speaking of viewfinder, don't look for luminiscent ground glass framing here either.

5) Because the mirror is oscillating, if you have light coming from an extreme angle, you can have the flares flickering.

6) Some models really require you to keep a clothespin half under the mag release button to keep it safely locked when raising the camera from top handle (with 400ft mags). Small inconvenience, until you forget about it... ?

[Jon O'Brien]

Great information, thanks Heikki.

I wonder if Arri parts are more available, for the SR series cameras.

The lens options for an ACL are a big plus.

The ACL II sounds like a well made, good solid camera that often doesn't seem to cost all that much more than a Bolex EL or EBM.

[Heikki Repo]

Just a few days ago @David Sekanina wrote that "There for sure is a shortage of hard fronts, mirrors, prisms, motors, relay lenses, elbows for the Aatons and SRs already now."

So I guess it depends a bit on what parts are needed. I think there are more SR spares going around than ACL ones but then again, I'm not sure how often something breaks in the ACL movement either. Break the mirror and it's going to be difficult with almost all cameras.

[Jack Seibert]

On 2/19/2022 at 1:50 AM, Heikki Repo said:

2) There are people who know how to service these, but finding them is not as easy as before if you are outside of US.

Jumping in here to say thanks for the info, everybody. Does anyone know of these techs who can service ACLs off-hand? I've called a few places and nobody seems to know anyone who can.

[Heikki Repo]

3 hours ago, Jack Seibert said:

Jumping in here to say thanks for the info, everybody. Does anyone know of these techs who can service ACLs off-hand? I've called a few places and nobody seems to know anyone who can.

Look here:

 

 

[Perry Paolantonio]

I love my ACL 1.5 (basically a II). It's comfortable to use, sits nicely on your shoulder, isn't especially heavy and the ergonomics are very good. It's quiet, too and the mags are pretty easy to load. I never liked Arri 16mm cameras. The SR series is clunky if you're hand holding (fine if you're on a tripod), and it's heavier on the electronic controls. 30-40 year old electronics are more likely to fail than something simpler like the ACL. 

As for Super 16 - why? Super 16 was invented was for doing blowups for 35mm. Since you're almost certainly going to scan the film and not blow up to 35, just crop it digitally to the aspect ratio you want. The extra couple mm you get with a Super 16 conversion isn't worth all the hassle of having to have the lens recentered, dealing with potentially bad machining on the gate enlargement, etc.

Obviously a camera that was designed as Super 16 from the beginning is a different story. But we've seen enough clients come through with sub-par S16 conversions to various cameras that it never really seemed worth it to me. 

Edited March 8, 2022 by Perry Paolantonio

[Yves Marchon]

Love my ACL

Anyone knows if you need to modify the magazines for a super16 conversion?

Thank you

[Heikki Repo]

1 hour ago, Yves Marchon said:

Anyone knows if you need to modify the magazines for a super16 conversion?

This is a difficult question. The thing is, I have shot lots of S16 footage with my unmodified magazines. The only scratches I have seen were in the very beginning of some 75 fps footage. With 25 fps, I haven't seen anything, in either 1080P or 4K scans.

The funny thing is, just to be sure I sent my mags to be serviced and checked by Bernie a year before his passing. He informed me that my mags scratch film and offered to do modification. I took his offer.

However, I'm not sure if he did actually anything at all to modify them. I have two Visual Products S16 modified mags now too, and while those are definitely modified, Bernie modified ones do not differ at all from the non-modified ones I have. Rollers haven't been modified. Furthermore, the 75 fps scratches I mentioned were after Bernie modified those magazines.

This has lead me to question if there was any scratching at all to begin with. If there was, I couldn't see it.

Now I mainly use the VP modified magazines, mainly because those also have the newer pressure plate.