Gareth Blackstock

Although I may be the only person in here these days using a Pentaflex, I reckon they might be a good alternative, if one wants more than a K3 and less than Arri, Aaton or similar. I have found using one to be very good, aside from the shutter timing I am yet to fix, I am loving mine. They are built well, so far pretty darn reliable, easy to service, very nice lenses are easily available and cheap, the camera runs off 12volt bike battery, hell, I even found a cheap kit in Ukraine: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Pentaflex-16mm-Carl-Zeiss-Jena-movie-camera-for-parts-or-to-be-restored/122936059080?hash=item1c9f8f64c8:g:BIgAAOSw2GlXGmrp I think an old saying is well placed here: Buying an old camera cheap may soon cost in servicing and fixing similar to a modern one that needs less servicing and fixing. If you are happy to keep a camera that is potentially 40 to 60 years old in service, then try to accept the high costs of employing another person to keep the camera running. I am happy to work with older stuff, and maybe when I feel ready to justify the cost I'll go and buy an old Arriflex, sexy damn camera! Below is a link to some work I did on my Pentaflex, there're ugly and heavy, but easy to work on... http://canon-s8-repair.yolasite.com/pentaflex-16.php

Hello, thanks for the quick reply. I will ask the person who does the developing if they can do 50ft lengths. That might help the results. Cheers

Tyler, You mention pulsing being caused by developer not touching the film perfectly, can you view some below footage and offer a suggestion on the cause? Sorry to hijack the thread Jan, just a quick question... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtmHX84aqnQ

I recently bought a similar adapter, upon attaching it to the camera it was a very nice secure fit. The adapter appeared to be well made. I bought it for a Bolex and M42 super takumar I have. It cost me $22AUD, I figure sometimes it is bad economy to go the cheapest, although when I shoot some test footage with it and the focus is buggered or the film plane out, then I will know I have to get a better adapter, and it did not cost the earth. Not all cheap stuff is poor quality I have found. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Pixco-Lens-Adapter-Ring-For-M42-Screw-Mount-To-16mm-C-Mount-Film-Movie-Camera/401222713920?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Years ago I made a blimp for my super8 camera that worked great. It was easy to make, parts are available from your average electronics store, and I used a run switch to run the camera. for that camera I used a makeup case, but for a k3 just use a bigger case. The reason I used a case was so that when I needed to change a cart, I could just open the side, swap carts and re-seal the case. Easy. http://www.mishkin.yolasite.com/super8-camera-blimp.php If you did'nt want to use a box, just buy some heavy duty zippers, and make it out of material with the same sound deadening materials.

I reckon the bell & Howell 240 series 16mm might fit the bill, each wind lasts over a minute, nice indicator to show how much to wind, and pretty quiet. Just don't get the EE model, can't remove the lens, the other 240s take a C mount. I like using this one!

Hello, You don't sound like a very happy K3 owner! You do know you are meant to carry vodka while shooting? It eases the pain. I shot some test footage recently trying out a camera mount, and I thought the K3 footage was great, taking into account the expired film and hand processing, honestly the more I use the K3 the more I like it. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zpkhTULIsek Cheap to buy, easy to fix, simple to run, and if it falls over? It still runs!

Thanks for the replies, it has also been suggested to me the claw may not be engaging all sprockets leading to a weave effect. Looks like I better pull her down and adjust. Cheers

Hello, I was hoping to get some thoughts on a strange affect on some footage I recently got back. During most parts of the 100ft there is a ghosting or double exposure affect, initially I thought it was just the bright parts of the image, but it seems throughout to be the same, and it fluctuates a little. The stock is 7293, hand processed and pro scanned. I had the same stock processed that I had used in 2 other cameras that same day, and that came back fine. One person I already asked suggested lens but was not entirely sure. Anyone see this before?

Well I got the footage back, all scanned and I must say I am pretty happy with the results. The film used was expired Kodak 7293, which is tungsten stock, and i used it in daylight without any correction. The film was hand processed too. The samples I have uploaded are uncorrected entirely. I quickly edited them using the editor that comes with Win7, just so I could reduce the size of the file. The bike footage seems sped up, I was afterall doing around 120kmph. The B&H is best for the bike mount mostly due to having a full minute per wind, K3 only manages 27 seconds. The Pentaflex footage I am pretty happy with, a few tweeks here and there and I will confidently start a project using this camera. B&H 240 https://youtu.be/WtmHX84aqnQ k3 https://youtu.be/zpkhTULIsek Pentaflex 16 https://youtu.be/wC-C5XScJdo

Oops

Gday, I did a few d.I.y transfers, for my own needs, and found the vivitar transfer effective and easy to use. Just get yourself a cheap minidv camera, and you can do your own digitising. For example https://m.ebay.com.au/itm/Vivitar-All-In-One-Universal-Video-Converter-UVC-1-Slide-Movie/253352213828?hash=item3afcf7fd44:g:Xi0AAOSwyKxZ~U7g Good luck

Simon, I think you are being a little heavy handed in the way you imply Eastern European technology as being archaic. I think that what you say is quite broad and fails to take into account a huge amount of variables. For a time, Eastern European technology was highly respected, and in some industries, is still considered the "standard" to achieve. I asked a cinematographer years ago for advice on buying a camera, he basically stated that considering the mechanisms that advance the film have remained essentially the same since photography began, he said focus on the really important stuff, the 6 inches in front of the film, and the 10 inches looking through the view finder, ie: pick a good lens and learn your craft. Good advice, I'm still trying to get there... anyway I figure if you screwed a modern lens onto a 1907 handcrank, and shot with some nice Kodak film, you just might get the same footage as a modern Arri, etc. Perhaps I am being too broad, but you get the picture? And what you say about borrowing technology, well companies have been adopting, adapting, stealing, copying etc off each other for centuries, it's considered standard practice. One story every motorcyclist should know, Ernst Degner, defected from Eastern Europe in the 60's, and with stolen technology enabled Suzuki to rule supreme of the 2 stroke racing world. In other words, the West has been pilfering technology from the East just as much as they are accused of taking from the west. And, suggesting that Eastern Europeans simply copied technology, flies in the face of so many unique and advanced designs in many industries. I am of the opinion that if you find a camera, clean it, do what you can to get it running, shoot some film, and learn about it enough that you can fix or adapt, and modify the camera to suit your needs. If it scratches, smooth out the burr, a light leak? strap on some gaffer tape, thats what it is for, if the camera is too heavy, get someone else to carry it, if it squeaks, lube the bugger, if you can afford it, get it serviced, if you get chased while filming, throw the bloody camera at them, if it's a K3, go back and pick it up, it'll still work. Try that with an Arriflex. While I imagine this board has multitudes of industry pro's who make money from film, who can get their equipment claimed as a tax write off, who probably get free stuff, and perhaps smirk at the grubby little film makers messing around with obscure cameras and expired film, spare a thought that the very best camera operators, directors, gaffers, editors, cinematographers, et all, from any film industries "golden period", were filming in a time where skills, initiative, imagination, and daring were more important than the name plate riveted to a box on a tripod. IMHO. :rolleyes:

Gday, not sure about reversal not being done, I have been shooting expired B&W neg, and artist film workshop in Melbourne process it as reversal, easier for me at the moment. They do good work, and offer transfers.

G'day, Thanks for the comments, food for thought. Regarding heat from the engine, I will be adding a plate of metal between the mount and engine, it is summer here at the moment with temperatures expecting be climb to around 35 to 40 degrees Centigrade this year. I am adding rubber mounting and foam tape to help with vibration. I shall soon see though. cheers, Gareth

Hello, i have attached some images of a 16mm motorbike camera mount i am working on. i will be using a Bell & Howell 240 with a 20mm lens and a K3 with a Takumar 28mm. i have a project lined up, and getting some good riding footage will be a priority. i designed the mount to universally fit more than one camera, has an adjustable tilt, and can be raised or lowered, depending on how much leaning there will be. The mount is attached to a standard motorcycle crash guard. Over the next week i will be fine tuning it before running some film through it see how she comes out. I am curious how vibration might affect the image, and thats one reason why i am posting this is to see if others have developed mounts, and how they got around vibration. i did a search around the net and saw no D.I.Y mounts, which I thought odd considering that many older camera operators often build what they cannot buy or steal. Years ago I made a bonnet mount for a short, and while in use it jiggled abit, but curiously the footage showed no real jiggle. so I figured that vertical vibration may be absorbed by the film traveling vertically through the gate, whereas horizontal vibration would be easily spotted? Hopefully I get some sweet footage! And i won't be replicating the early helmet cam either, especially not with a K3

Gday, I used to have one of these cameras a few years back, great to use with no issues. Always put the batteries in the right order inside the battery pack, putting them in wrong could melt parts of the pack. I think the switch you might be referring to moves the 85 filter out of the film path. Normally a common screw can be used, source one from a hardware store for a few cents. I always thought the Sankyos were a very under rated camera, very reliable in my experience. Happy shooting

Gday, Perhaps have a look at www.nakanocam.com using google translate, he has rectified a similar prob with an 814. Chances are it is similar layout. Cheers, gareth

Hello, The other week I managed to buy a Bell & Howell 240 electric eye for around $45, the seller stated it did not work. I had been keen on getting one for awhile as most people seemed pretty happy with them. When it arrived, I was surprised that it came with the extra telephoto, incl. the viewfinder mini lens, and all the caps. The camera seemed in excellent condition, but the spring was definitely over wound. I had never unstuck a jammed one before, so I took lots of pics and added them to my site. I won't bother with getting batteries for the electric eye, I'll just use a light meter. Happily I fixed the camera up, had some spares handy, so now I have a great camera for hardly any money, and if people are interested, I did a little D.I.Y section. I should be shooting with it soon, I am pretty keen to see the footage. Awesome camera, really nicely built too. http://canon-s8-repair.yolasite.com/bell-and-howell-240ee.php Hope it's handy, Cheers.

I didn't say welding was easy, just cheap. Cheaper than learning about cameras to a highly skilled level. With welding, if you can run a good bead, you'll never starve. How many highly skilled camera operators can say the same? How many people in the industry, behind camera can say the same?

Have a back up skill that earns decent money, like welding. Cheap to learn, and a skilled welder will find work anywhere in the world.

Well I reckon if the spring motor runs at speeds you can discern, without fluctuating, I would hazard a guess that all is well. I think the only damage that could occur would maybe be to the spring? I'm sure some one with more knowledge would pipe up soon. Apparently the cameras are pretty hardy, and when desperate they can be used as weapons, and still keep filming. Apparently an early soviet requirement for war time purposes....

I would guess that if you run it at 18 or 12fps, it should tell you immediately if there's a problem? Gareth

Keep researching, yashica, Elmo, and sankyo produced great cameras, but research which ones accept modern super8. What do you want from a camera? Canons are great, but unless you spend big, you won't know which of its many functions still work. The 814 is cheaper than the 1014, difference? Longer zoom. Don't zoom, walk closer... The cream cameras of most brands offered more features, a top of the line Elmo may offer same functions of the canon for quarter the price. Good luck....

G'day, Well after shooting around 400 feet of film with the Pentaflex, I have to say I am pretty impressed. It was not as noisy as I thought it would be, and while it is pretty damn heavy to lug around, I found it pretty easy to use. Sadly my projector has packed it in so I cannot upload some poorly transferred footage. I am shooting some expired colour soon, and I will get around 400ft of film transferred and uploaded. Initially I thought I would have issues with loading film into the cassettes inside a change bag, but I came up with a way to do it without all the stress. I posted the info here: http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=74577 Mostly I thought a good reason to find a better way was that when ever I searched for info on the camera, I came across lots of posts complaining of jamming film, noisy cassettes, torn film, or similar. So I figured a way to make sure the film path is just right, every time. That's reassurance I like. So needless to say, the film ran sweetly, no jams. So far so good, after giving the camera a gentle lube, and re-adjustment of a few things, I reckon I have a reliable easy to use camera. The build quality is pretty good too, very solid, and the machining is very nice work. The only down side I can spot so far are the Bakelite gears inside the camera which would make it prone to getting stripped if someone tried to dry run the camera by hand without disengaging the gear lock. Anyway, I hoped by putting this up on the board, future potential users might find a bit of positive info and give the camera a go. Cheers, Gareth For details of camera lube: http://canon-s8-repair.yolasite.com/pentaflex-ak16.php