lluis

The very rare (and difficult to find) Kern vario-Switar compact 17-85 F3.5 RX lens covers the super 16 area at all focals and meters. Very sharp even at full aperture. Incredible zoom for its size.

Sure. Here are. No many differences externally... I changed the original glass screen for an Aaton fiber optic (difficult to see in the picture).

Antti: Do you heard the sound of the servo EE motor when you push (in "auto") the button? (move the camera with differents changes of light) If you heard it then it's a mechanical problem, between the friction spring of the servo and the gear of the T scale (anyway no easy to fix). If you don't heard anything of course it's an electrical problem. I don't think with the servo motor... You'll need to check (with anyone with electrical knowledge) the EE amplifier circuit: it's the first that you'll see when open the top cds cover (side of the battery). Write me privately if you have this option. I can send you the electrical diagram of this circuit. All the best, Lluís (Scoopic M it's a really reliable camera!)

Hi Antti. Here some notes for help: 1. Was the lightmeter OK before you? or when/how it failed (the best hint to discover the fault) 2. (obvius) Camera needs to be in "auto" if you want to see needle changes... 3. Can you move manually and freely the T stops? (it discards a mechanical problem) 4. The easyest solution would be if the internal switch (which power the lighmeter) fails (bad contact) 5. The worst if the lighmeter motor is broken (needs spare...) or fails the electrical circuit (posibility to be repair). I convert this camera to super 16 and have all the schemas... Write me if I can help you. All the best, Lluís

Bolex factory in Swiss http://www.bolex.ch/ can convert any Bolex RX (and the 400 mags) in super 16 for about 1300 eur (they told me special offer this month). Not the cheapest but probably the best and surest place. Only they have any original piece/spare for this old camera. Forget Ultra... All the best, Lluís

I have 2 XTR manuals: Febrary 84/85, in english and french. They are very similar to the LTR manual from the Aaton web http://www.aaton.com/products/film/xtr/ltr.php

Sony, Hitachi, Toshiba... all these brands made 3ccd c mount cameras. I use the Sony xc-003P (color) and the Pulnix B/N. Both (although I am seeing only the central optics) are very useful for first lens test. Sure Switars made the most compatible lens for its Bolexes, since the RX lens series use a plus lens elements to correct the spherical aberration due the camera prism. But the two 25mm 1.4 were the worst in sharpness in my test (I couldn't to test the later MC preset lens, sure better). The Canon TV-16 series and the Som Berthiot Cinor lenses are (surprisingly) excellent lens in my Bolexes RX super 16. I couldn't test the 10mm Switar (against Zeiss or Cosmicar) because I don't have it (I have read the most of them don't cover super 16, or have a poor corner resolution). I was exceptical first with the Cosmicar 12.5 lens (designed to cover 1" video, bigger than super 16) until I tested it (there are many in ebay for a few bucks...). Look at http://www.chamblesscineequip.com/catalog/c21211.htm The other lens was the c mount Carl Zeiss Jena Tevidon 10mm f2, which was designed for 1" also. The exit pupil of this lens is more near of the prism (like Dennis Couzin explain...), so I need to close to f4 to have focus sharp in the corners. Excellent lens for my wide angle exterior time lapse shoots... All the best, Lluís

Time ago I tested (in Bolex Super 16 RX camera and 3ccd color video camera) some 25mm c mount lenses. Surprisingly the old Switars 1.4 (RX and non RX) were the worst in sharpness. Canon and Som Berthiot (non RXs) the best one!! Recently I have tested some wide angles lenses: Zeiss 8mm (with c mount adaptor), Zeiss Jena 10mm and Cosmicar 12.5mm. All these cover super 16 area (even the 8mm, the best one at all stops, with an insignificant vignette in the corners, never projected). Closing 1 or 2 stops Jena and Cosmicar solve all the focus problems with RXs. All the best, Lluís

You must unscrew the four viewfinder screws and change the position of the centering slot (a diminute piece between two side screws). If you don't have, check http://www.aaton.com/products/film/xtr/ltr.phpof position All the best.

You are right. Months ago I asked for U16 to differents telecine labs here in Spain, Spirits and C-Realitys, and they can't to cover more image in the side of the perforation. I also asume that in this area is where to would find scratches. Nobody mentions that in the U16 conversion is also necesary the conversion of the mask of screen... All the best

[quote=k25rip,Sep 10 2005, 08:45 PM] Hi, cosmicar i think you'll find is a c-mount cctv lens with manual aperature, designed for use with cctv/security cameras. Possibly ok optically around f5.6, forget it around f2.0. Sorry I am disagree here: I have tested fully the 12.5mm/f1.4 Cosmicar/Pentax lens to my RX5 super16 and I can tell you that it's absolutely sharp even at full open!! This lens is, with the Kinoptiks 5.7mm and 9mm (A-Cam) and the Cooke Kinetal 12.5mm (rare en c-mount), the only wide angles c-mount that I know which cover plenty the super16 area, because it was designed for the old 1" tube video cameras. Next week I am going to test the Computar 12.5mm/f1.3 lens, also a 1" TV lens. These lenses are selling in ebay by insignificant bucks... (I am not the seller) If you intend to use such a lens on a beaulieu/bolex be carefull the c-mount thread is longer than switar,angenieux and schneider primes. May force the turret away from the camera body. The Cosmicar 12.5mm doesn't have this problem. It's posible to use it at infinite (shortest distance to the gate) moving the turret. All the best

Tom: If your Scoopic is a M o MS model check the circular window in the camera (where the screen with F numbers) and the oposite window in the lid (where the light goes to eyepiece...). Probably they are dirty. E-mail me if the problem persist. I converted this camera to super 16 and I know every screw... All the best, Lluís

Hi, The Canon 15-150 TV lens F2.8 was designed for the old 1inch video cameras, which were a 16mm diameter lens coverage (versus 14,5mm in super 16). No problem then with the coverage. This video lens were designed to work without prism (introduced later with the 2/3inch 3ccd cameras) so no problem with chromatic and other aberrations. I bought one for a few bucks and put it an Aaton mount... The results were excellent (specially at 15-100mm focals): very sharp and much better than all the old Angenieux that I have tested!! All the best, Lluís

Hi. Years ago I converted a Scoopic M to super 16 with success (really a hard work...). My 12.5-75mm zoom lens cover this format at 16/9 projection, at all focals and practically all meters. Wonderfull and very sharp lens with a reliable and cheap camera. All the best, Lluís