Chris Elardo

I did this project on the weekends under a tight deadline - it's for a contest- and the whole time I was gritting my teeth wishing for a dolly or at least a spreader to get some movement. I just didn't have access to it and my equipment is pretty limited. There are several scenes I should have made more dynamic for sure. Thanks a lot for watching and for your helpful critique, Will!

Hmmmm... My Kern zoom is the same way- it starts to vignette at around 24mm down to 16mm. This short film I shot uses all of my Switars: 10, 26, 75mm primes and the zoom. I'd like to hear folks' opinion of the photography, though I'm sure many won't agree with the subject matter- :D

This is an interesting topic. I have, and use, all the Switar prime presets for my Super 16 Bolex and also the 16-100mm POE zoom lens. I think they're all very nice- especially the 75mm prime. But what else would be a really good c-mount zoom for my camera? I'm not sure if there's a Zeiss that works for a Bolex- is it mainly Angenieux? Thanks! Chris

If you really want to simply maximize your Rex 1, buy a PanCinor lens with the dog-leg or 90° viewfinder attached. You can adjust it to sit on the opposite side of the camera and ignore the dim Rex viewfinder completely. They're very nice optics, extremely bright and plentiful on ebay. I have a 17-70mm Pan Cinor zoom mounted on a non-reflex M-5 and it's a very good lens. I'd still listen to Jean-Louis and buy a better Rex5 or SBM for S16 conversion as well... Chris

Whoops! I had to edit- 1.00 = 3 1/3 stops

I have a similar problem shooting here in Arizona. The sunlight is so intense it's impossible get proper exposure without a ND filter. I purchased all of mine through ebay. The Kodak Wratten series of filters is by far the most common and you can find lots of NOS filter gels with no problem. ND filters are rated as 1 stop for each increment of .3. So, a 1.00 rated filter is a difference of 1 1/3 of a stop. A .3 rated filter is 1 stop. I usually have to use a .9 filter (3 stops) in the desert to get where I need my exposure to be. You might also try a polarizing filter on the front of your lens to handle reflections/glare. But remember, this will add another 1 to 3 stops to your exposure so be sure to check the f-stop rating of the polarizer. Good luck!

I live/shoot in Arizona and I keep my film stock out of the sun in my camera case. I have also used a soft cooler with frozen gel packs in it to store my rolls until I need them. Just keep it out of the sun and it should be o.k.

I think there will always be a market for traditional mediums. Think of all the zillions of fim cameras produced over the last century. There's a lot of investment in the equipment/workflow of film from the consumer and the labs that process it. Film as a capture medium will always be taught in schools and is recognized as historically important while still viable in the digital age. I think the most important thing is that artists DEMAND CHOICE, and not let industry trends dictate how we create. As far as traditional painting goes- I've never seen a computer art gallery, but I've seen plenty of traditional fine-art galleries. People know the intrinsic quality in a piece of art produced by someone who doesn't have an 'undo' button on their paintbrush. It takes vision and serious discipline to channel your creativity through such direct means. Technology isn't special. The artist is special! No one talks about the hammer and chisel Michaelangelo used. They talk about Michaelangelo. My fear is that technology is now being celebrated over the individual artist and I think that sucks. Just my two cents...

I don't know where you're located, but Dieter at Procam/Bolex USA is the Bolex factory tech for the USA. He replaced the prism in my Rex 5. It was delaminating so he replaced it for me. Hope this helps-

Ha! Well said. Today's film stocks are certainly amazing and retain their quality when cropped or blown up. Also, I would welcome any Arriflex into my home- it's just that cameras that can be converted to S16 seem to enjoy a bit of an advantage in the market place since shows like Walking Dead and even some features are shot in this format. All the labs are equipped to process it, blow ups to 35mm are no problem, etc.. I'm using a converted Bolex to do time lapse and I really love it-

I think a lot of this may be the fact that if you're going to shoot 16mm, Super 16 is the way to go. Old Arri's like the S can't be converted and a lot of older models are worth very little because of this restriction. 16 x 9 is here to stay, so if you want longevity, buy a camera that can be modified.

The 26mm preset is one of the best lenses for Super16 on a reflex Bolex. The main issue is that the rear element of the lens be large enough for the added width of the frame. Also, lens speed is an issue and generally only lenses that open up to at least 2.0 are safe. Hope this helps-

The best prime lens set for your SBM is the preset style lenses made by Kern/Switar. These are typically a 10mm, 26mm and 75mm. They also offered a 50mm prime. The only zooms made specifically for reflex Bolex's that cover Super 16 are the POE 16-100mm and the 12-120mm. These are also Switar brand. All of these lenses are excellent quality- even the earlier non-preset primes.

I would suggest buying this rig if you can. This is a great camera with the Tobin time lapse/animation motor, and the price is unbeatable. Seriously smokin' deal- http://www.ebay.com/itm/330662766393?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

S16mm by JK Camera. Badabing!

This can be looked at from a number of angles. For instance; if you're using tungsten film outdoors and you need an 80A filter, it's best to use the filter slot so it eliminates the need to have a filter for each lens. Also, I'm not sure if any of your lenses are presets or not, since these use different filter sizes compared to the older lenses. The 10mm Switar with preset levers uses a series 5.5 filter- very difficult to find now, whereas the older 10mm uses a series 5. The 75mm lens with presets uses series 6 drop-ins, which aren't too hard to get. Do you plan on using any ND filters? I like to use these in the filter slot because it enables me to pull the filter holder most of the way out so I can open the lens and focus. If you're using a heavy ND in front of the lens, it becomes a real pain because if it's too dark you have to drop the filter out of the lens, focus and then put it back in. Also, some filters, such as a star, fog, close-up, etc. are only available as drop in lens filters which forces you to go with a wratten gel for your yellow to red combinations. Just some things to consider...

I use a computer enough in my daily life. I just don't want to use one for filmmaking. I like chemical explosions on acetate when it's exposed to light. This conversation has me clutching my Bolex like a teddy and rocking back and forth... Photoshop didn't replace canvas and brushes, thankfully, and I pray the significance of film as a century old medium is forever honored and supported.

I agree with Jeremy. I own a S16 Rx5 along with a Bolex ESM motor and a Tobin time lapse motor. These along with a three lens turret are about as flexible a package as you can get. Happy shooting-

The MM motor is a constant speed motor made to take up film while the camera is running the standard 24 fps. The problem is that you must be careful when shooting for slow motion, or fast motion since the MM motor is not adjustable to compensate for film being run through the gate at faster/slower rates (filling the camera chamber with film or over tensioning the film exiting the lower sprocket). The WM motor, however, is designed specifically to address this problem. It has a speed adjustment knob that can be used to match the speed of the main motor so that film is being taken up into the 400' magazine at the same rate as it's being fed through the gate. The WM motor is definitely harder to find and much more expensive than the standard, common MM motor. Hope this helps-

I paid $1200.00 (approx.) to have my Rex5 converted.

I did not incriminate anyone in my post, nor am I the one who criticized Cameraspro's workmanship. I simply related my own experience with Procam (Dieter) and JK. I am happy with the work that was done on my camera. Since Dieter has been the factory trained Bolex Technician for North America for the last forty years, I trust his experience. He has serviced all my equipment and always does a great job.

...or you can simply contact Chris Millar Camera Supply!

Procam has one TXM-10B Tobin motor. I'm not familiar with this model, but you can contact the folks at Procam for more info. http://www.bolexusa.com/

Duall Camera carries Tobin equipment. I bought the Tobin Time Lapse motor from them and it's very nice. Here is a link to their site showing the model you would need. I believe this is the only one they have left. http://www.duallcamera.com/store/index_BatteriesChargers.shtml If you can't get a Tobin, then your best option is probably the Bolex ESM motor. You will also need the cables and crystal pulse accessory that plugs into it. This is also a good motor. They pop up on ebay once in awhile, but you can also try Dieter at Procam if you're in the U.S. (Bolex factory rep.) or maybe Andrew Alden in the UK. Hope this helps.

It might be easier if you have the ESM motor. The speed selector knob actually clicks into position. Also you won't be timing the ramp-up within the confines of the spring motors 28 (give or take) seconds of power.