Gregg MacPherson

Tim, or any regular moderator, Sorry, I didn't realise the position of the Eclair Fleamarket had been shifted to this sub forum. Can someone delete this post. My endless edit powers are only effective in the Eclair forum. Thanks, Gregg.

I've decided to sell all my remaining ACL components and parts. The S16 body is not quite ready to sell, but we begin...Any offers please direct message me or email me viz(at)xtra.com.nz or phone me with WhatsApp.. 64 274 377 086 (08:00 to 22:00 NZT) There are links to more pics at dropbox under each heading. Any problems with access let me know. I may edit this later if any errors or improvements needed. I also listed this on the Cinemarketplace forum ..https://cinematography.com/index.php?/forums/topic/103570-eclair-acl-components-and-parts/ 1) ACL II S16 BODY, no motor or eyepiece pics at dropbox.. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/fs7ao30o45ffyd9preapg/AEJhWgq9P1hq6-PZjIJan1U?rlkey=a5tusjicswi72qi6bp7aeru99&st=w8sxyd47&dl=0 The item is with a technician at Panavision getting a new 9 pin Canon motor connector. It may be with him for a month 'till he has time after hours, so there is time to consider how best to sell it and take questions..... My spare ACL II body, no motor, eyepiece or handle module. S16 conversion by Visual Products. VP conversions are about the best, with really nice, simple ground glass markings. The ACL II base, I don't know if it was a bespoke factory original or someone's aftermarket piece. The machining, apart from the front shape, looks the same as factory standard, including the labeling. The rod mount is almost integral at the front.... looks really useful..no plate needed. Needs a CLA and a couple of hopefully small repairs... I've never used it, but ran scratch tests to assess it (scratch free). Sounded like the shutter was just lightly ticking against the body. Also, one of the motor mount threads on the body is striped, so probably needs a thread insert. I emailed Paul at Visual Products and it sounded like the shutter ticking noise might get fixed within a CLA. It may be something easy like the mirror connecting rod. If it's difficult then maybe a couple extra hours. There could be a couple of options on how to sell this....I could sell as is. When the connector is replaced we could assess the noise. Or, I could send it to Paul at VP for CLA, repair then set a price A thought re the stripped motor mount screw.... That one screw has only a very thin section of body casting to anchor to. The other 3 screws are threaded into much stiffer sections, so I wonder if 3 screws are probably enough. I can ask Paul later. Added notes... If there is a new 9 pin Canon connector in one of the photos please ignore it. It's not included. The 9 pin Canon connector at the side grip location..has a big chip out of the plastic surround. The metal pins are all good and the connector works just fine. 2) ACL multispeed motor pics at dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ef8hntmi8lswndudmlwjo/AKYnbwbJWNZXU0aLn9Ezps4?rlkey=2uofa0lgo7xo7fy7ni2bbhdjw&st=9yvsy87o&dl=0 Heavy duty, late model Thomson crystal sync motor (MIMUL) with crystal speeds of 8fps, 12fps, 24fps, 25fps, 50fps, 75fps. Mirror parking on camera stop (meaning the mirror always stops in the viewing position). Serviced by Andrzej (AZ Spectrum) in July 2023 and not used since. Cosmetic condition quite good. A couple scratches and paint chips that the techs touch up. AZ Spectrum invoice in the photos. PRICE. $1300 3) FRENCH ACL MAGS dropbox pics at https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/peubt0fb83952tjzbict6/AMVW4xSgubP7MAUtm5BrUG8?rlkey=ogxfip3ppmrtm1nngh593b7uq&st=ruyb70g9&dl=0 All mags are late model French with the separate little pressure plate over the gate. Like an SR, the film is held in a precise gap by the long pressure plate, and only the little plate over the gate applies pressure. - 400' French ACL mag, S16, machining looks nice. Fairly tidy looking. Needs CLA, but really just lubrication. ("Pat 1"), #SD-503, with cap. PRICE USD800 - 400' French ACL mag, standard 16. Fairly tidy looking. Needs CLA, but really just lubrication. ("FR3"), #SC-797, no cap. PRICE USD650 (you can buy a 3D printed cap on eBay for USD55) - 200' French magazine,standard 16, in as new condition, friction feels low, but should have lubrication soon, #D98, with cap. PRICE USD800 4) ACL MAG PARTS SELL dropbox at https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ahux7jypyku5ls9u7f449/ABc2z_xeJVOUdHABIouUYtw?rlkey=y0r1oxtpnatyz6dz274w6hq4l&st=mf9hn5z0&dl=0 400' English mag for parts. Has a French throat, otherwise is all English. Missing feed side door, platters. Belts, spindles, rollers, guide shoe assembly all good. Drive sprocket, I cant remember what the ball bearing was like. Partly disassembled, I could probably disassemble completely and just ship the bits and pieces, leaving the body and door behind. USD100 as is...... USD120 just the bits and pieces, no body/doors.... Support plate assy with guide shoes and rollers, complete less sprocket assembly (MIN 445 E/A)...New Later model French. No mounting screws. One of the recommended mods if running high speed. See the Eclair ACL Parts Catalogue (not the UK one), page4, shows pics of the different plates. Drive sprocket spindle assembly for French mag (315 E..?)....used Ball bearing and shaft feel ok but shaft has a little bur right near the tip that needs smoothing before reassembly. The "pulley" on the assembly body that drives the take up belt has some little dents and burs that will need to be smoothed out (mostly just careful straightening. PRICE USD120 for support plate assembly and sprocket assemblies together..... French 400' mag doors...New. Brand new alloy doors, L/R. No latch hardware. There is one white disck for the big latch knob. (MIN 717, 727) Sound deadening for French 400' take up door...New (MIN 707/708) It has laminated layers. There is a lead impregnated layer. The factory screwed up when they laminated the rear part of the sound deadening, with the layers in reverse order. To use it, one would have to delaminate it and glue it back in correct order. The outer surface of the black vinyl stuff may then have old glue to clean off. Maybe one could use new vinyl for that part. USD160 for doors and sound deadening together...Shipping French 400' footage counter face plate. New. (MIN 748, 749, .. ?) Has 3 layers: printed metal face plate/ clear plastic/ inner metal face plate. PRICE USD150 for doors, sound deadening and footage counter face plate together...Shipping 5) Arri S adapter for Eclair ACL dropbox pics at https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/z02yjls363fa5kqavubia/AMgsr3uilOWRww8QTE-G0iQ?rlkey=zuljlulh4so0vwmjv3cmchrn6&st=wxzcuqjh&dl=0 TS/Arri-S (standard) adapter for Eclair ACL. This mount will let you use older Arri, Zeiss, Schneider lenses, also old Cooke Kinetal. The Kinetal will turn OK in the lens port if it is loosened a tiny bit (normally have a light smear of lubricant). This is the standard Arri S adapter that was sold with the ACL cameras. Good condition, all thread movements smooth, some signs of use, some wear on the anodized coating on the front flange, but nothing that should affect FFD. Rear flange good. Just what's in the photo, no front or rear cap. There are proper caps for an Arri S port that you could buy somewhere, or scrounge up used ones. Being a Kiwi I have used a plastic cap off a vegemite jar. I can maybe find a spare one to go with. PRICE. $450

I've decided to sell all my remaining ACL components and parts. The S16 body is not quite ready to sell, but we begin...Any offers please direct message me or email me viz(at)xtra.com.nz or phone me with WhatsApp.. 64 274 377 086 (08:00 to 22:00 NZT) There are links to more pics at dropbox under each heading. Any problems with access let me know. I may edit this later if any errors or improvements needed. 1) ACL II S16 BODY, no motor or eyepiece pics at dropbox.. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/fs7ao30o45ffyd9preapg/AEJhWgq9P1hq6-PZjIJan1U?rlkey=a5tusjicswi72qi6bp7aeru99&st=w8sxyd47&dl=0 The item is with a technician at Panavision getting a new 9 pin Canon motor connector. It may be with him for a month 'till he has time after hours, so there is time to consider how best to sell it and take questions..... My spare ACL II body, no motor, eyepiece or handle module. S16 conversion by Visual Products. VP conversions are about the best, with really nice, simple ground glass markings. The ACL II base, I don't know if it was a bespoke factory original or someone's aftermarket piece. The machining, apart from the front shape, looks the same as factory standard, including the labeling. The rod mount is almost integral at the front.... looks really useful..no plate needed. Needs a CLA and a couple of hopefully small repairs... I've never used it, but ran scratch tests to assess it (scratch free). Sounded like the shutter was just lightly ticking against the body. Also, one of the motor mount threads on the body is striped, so probably needs a thread insert. I emailed Paul at Visual Products and it sounded like the shutter ticking noise might get fixed within a CLA. It may be something easy like the mirror connecting rod. If it's difficult then maybe a couple extra hours. There could be a couple of options on how to sell this....I could sell as is. When the connector is replaced we could assess the noise. Or, I could send it to Paul at VP for CLA, repair then set a price A thought re the stripped motor mount screw.... That one screw has only a very thin section of body casting to anchor to. The other 3 screws are threaded into much stiffer sections, so I wonder if 3 screws are probably enough. I can ask Paul later. Added notes... If there is a new 9 pin Canon connector in one of the photos please ignore it. It's not included. The 9 pin Canon connector at the side grip location..has a big chip out of the plastic surround. The metal pins are all good and the connector works just fine. 2) ACL multispeed motor pics at dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ef8hntmi8lswndudmlwjo/AKYnbwbJWNZXU0aLn9Ezps4?rlkey=2uofa0lgo7xo7fy7ni2bbhdjw&st=9yvsy87o&dl=0 Heavy duty, late model Thomson crystal sync motor (MIMUL) with crystal speeds of 8fps, 12fps, 24fps, 25fps, 50fps, 75fps. Mirror parking on camera stop (meaning the mirror always stops in the viewing position). Serviced by Andrzej (AZ Spectrum) in July 2023 and not used since. Cosmetic condition quite good. A couple scratches and paint chips that the techs touch up. AZ Spectrum invoice in the photos. PRICE. $1300 3) FRENCH ACL MAGS dropbox pics at https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/peubt0fb83952tjzbict6/AMVW4xSgubP7MAUtm5BrUG8?rlkey=ogxfip3ppmrtm1nngh593b7uq&st=ruyb70g9&dl=0 All mags are late model French with the separate little pressure plate over the gate. Like an SR, the film is held in a precise gap by the long pressure plate, and only the little plate over the gate applies pressure. - 400' French ACL mag, S16, machining looks nice. Fairly tidy looking. Needs CLA, but really just lubrication. ("Pat 1"), #SD-503, with cap. PRICE USD800 - 400' French ACL mag, standard 16. Fairly tidy looking. Needs CLA, but really just lubrication. ("FR3"), #SC-797, no cap. PRICE USD650 (you can buy a 3D printed cap on eBay for USD55) - 200' French magazine,standard 16, in as new condition, friction feels low, but should have lubrication soon, #D98, with cap. PRICE USD800 4) ACL MAG PARTS SELL dropbox at https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ahux7jypyku5ls9u7f449/ABc2z_xeJVOUdHABIouUYtw?rlkey=y0r1oxtpnatyz6dz274w6hq4l&st=mf9hn5z0&dl=0 400' English mag for parts. Has a French throat, otherwise is all English. Missing feed side door, platters. Belts, spindles, rollers, guide shoe assembly all good. Drive sprocket, I cant remember what the ball bearing was like. Partly disassembled, I could probably disassemble completely and just ship the bits and pieces, leaving the body and door behind. USD100 as is...... USD120 just the bits and pieces, no body/doors.... Support plate assy with guide shoes and rollers, complete less sprocket assembly (MIN 445 E/A)...New Later model French. No mounting screws. One of the recommended mods if running high speed. See the Eclair ACL Parts Catalogue (not the UK one), page4, shows pics of the different plates. Drive sprocket spindle assembly for French mag (315 E..?)....used Ball bearing and shaft feel ok but shaft has a little bur right near the tip that needs smoothing before reassembly. The "pulley" on the assembly body that drives the take up belt has some little dents and burs that will need to be smoothed out (mostly just careful straightening. PRICE USD120 for support plate assembly and sprocket assemblies together..... French 400' mag doors...New. Brand new alloy doors, L/R. No latch hardware. There is one white disck for the big latch knob. (MIN 717, 727) Sound deadening for French 400' take up door...New (MIN 707/708) It has laminated layers. There is a lead impregnated layer. The factory screwed up when they laminated the rear part of the sound deadening, with the layers in reverse order. To use it, one would have to delaminate it and glue it back in correct order. The outer surface of the black vinyl stuff may then have old glue to clean off. Maybe one could use new vinyl for that part. USD160 for doors and sound deadening together...Shipping French 400' footage counter face plate. New. (MIN 748, 749, .. ?) Has 3 layers: printed metal face plate/ clear plastic/ inner metal face plate. PRICE USD150 for doors, sound deadening and footage counter face plate together...Shipping 5) Arri S adapter for Eclair ACL dropbox pics at https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/z02yjls363fa5kqavubia/AMgsr3uilOWRww8QTE-G0iQ?rlkey=zuljlulh4so0vwmjv3cmchrn6&st=wxzcuqjh&dl=0 TS/Arri-S (standard) adapter for Eclair ACL. This mount will let you use older Arri, Zeiss, Schneider lenses, also old Cooke Kinetal. The Kinetal will turn OK in the lens port if it is loosened a tiny bit (normally have a light smear of lubricant). This is the standard Arri S adapter that was sold with the ACL cameras. Good condition, all thread movements smooth, some signs of use, some wear on the anodized coating on the front flange, but nothing that should affect FFD. Rear flange good. Just what's in the photo, no front or rear cap. There are proper caps for an Arri S port that you could buy somewhere, or scrounge up used ones. Being a Kiwi I have used a plastic cap off a vegemite jar. I can maybe find a spare one to go with. PRICE. $450

I crossed the line and got an Aaton LTR7. I've decided to sell all my remaining ACL components and parts. The S16 body is not quite ready to sell, but we begin...Any offers please direct message me or email me viz(at)xtra,comnz or phone me with WhatsApp.. 64 274 377 086 (08:00 to 22:00 NZT) There are links to more pics at dropbox under each heading. Any problems with access let me know. I may edit this later if any errors or improvements needed. 1) ACL II S16 BODY, no motor or eyepiece pics at dropbox.. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/fs7ao30o45ffyd9preapg/AEJhWgq9P1hq6-PZjIJan1U?rlkey=a5tusjicswi72qi6bp7aeru99&st=w8sxyd47&dl=0 The item is with a technician at Panavision getting a new 9 pin Canon motor connector. It may be with him for a month 'till he has time after hours, so there is time to consider how best to sell it..... My spare ACL II body, no motor, eyepiece or handle module. S16 conversion by Visual Products. VP conversions are about the best, with really nice, simple ground glass markings. The ACL II base, I don't know if it was a bespoke factory original or someone's aftermarket piece. The machining, apart from the front shape, looks the same as factory standard, including the labeling. The rod mount is almost integral at the front.... looks really useful..no plate needed. Needs a CLA and a couple of hopefully small repairs... I've never used it, but ran scratch tests to assess it (scratch free). Sounded like the shutter was just lightly ticking against the body. Also, one of the motor mount threads on the body is striped, so probably needs a thread insert. I emailed Paul at Visual Products and it sounded like the shutter ticking noise might get fixed within a CLA. It may be something easy like the mirror connecting rod. If it's difficult then maybe a couple extra hours. There could be a couple of options on how to sell this.... 1) Send it to Paul at VP. After his service and repair or assessment, set a price. Nice option but for the shipping costs. 2) Offer it for sale as is. I have a newly serviced motor here, so when the connector is replaced I could assess the camera noise again, make a video available. Not sure I can calibrate the recording, but we'll see. A thought re the stripped motor mount screw.... That one screw has only a very thin section of body casting to anchor to. The other 3 screws are threaded into much stiffer sections, so I wonder if 3 screws are probably enough. I can ask Paul later. Added notes... If there is a new 9 pin Canon connector in one of the photos please ignore it. It's not included. I have a Kin Canon connector at the side grip location..has a big chip out of the plastic surround. The metal pins are all good and the connector works just fine. 2) ACL multispeed motor pics at dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ef8hntmi8lswndudmlwjo/AKYnbwbJWNZXU0aLn9Ezps4?rlkey=2uofa0lgo7xo7fy7ni2bbhdjw&st=9yvsy87o&dl=0 Heavy duty, late model Thomson crystal sync motor (MIMUL) with crystal speeds of 8fps, 12fps, 24fps, 25fps, 50fps, 75fps. Mirror parking on camera stop (meaning the mirror always stops in the viewing position). Serviced by Andrzej (AZ Spectrum) in July 2023 and not used since. Cosmetic condition quite good. A couple scratches and paint chips that the techs touch up. AZ Spectrum invoice in the photos. PRICE. $1300 FRENCH ACL MAGS dropbox pics at https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/peubt0fb83952tjzbict6/AMVW4xSgubP7MAUtm5BrUG8?rlkey=ogxfip3ppmrtm1nngh593b7uq&st=ruyb70g9&dl=0 All mags are late model French with the separate little pressure plate over the gate. Like an SR, the film is held in a precise gap by the long pressure plate, and only the little plate over the gate applies pressure. - 400' French ACL mag, S16, machining looks nice. Fairly tidy looking. Needs CLA, but really just lubrication. ("Pat 1"), #SD-503, with cap. PRICE USD800 - 400' French ACL mag, standard 16. Fairly tidy looking. Needs CLA, but really just lubrication. ("FR3"), #SC-797, no cap. PRICE USD650 (you can buy a 3D printed cap on eBay for USD55) - 200' French magazine,standard 16, in as new condition, friction feels low, but should have lubrication soon, #D98, with cap. PRICE USD800 ACL MAG PARTS SELL dropbox at https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ahux7jypyku5ls9u7f449/ABc2z_xeJVOUdHABIouUYtw?rlkey=y0r1oxtpnatyz6dz274w6hq4l&st=mf9hn5z0&dl=0 400' English mag for parts. Has a French throat, otherwise is all English. Missing feed side door, platters. Belts, spindles, rollers, guide shoe assembly all good. Drive sprocket, I cant remember what the ball bearing was like. Partly disassembled, I could probably disassemble completely and just ship the bits and pieces, leaving the body and door behind. USD100 as is...... USD120 just the bits and pieces, no body/doors.... Support plate assy with guide shoes and rollers, complete less sprocket assembly (MIN 445 E/A)...New Later model French. No mounting screws. One of the recommended mods if running high speed. See the Eclair ACL Parts Catalogue (not the UK one), page4, shows pics of the different plates. Drive sprocket spindle assembly for French mag (315 E..?)....used Ball bearing and shaft feel ok but shaft has a little bur right near the tip that needs smoothing before reassembly. The "pulley" on the assembly body that drives the take up belt has some little dents and burs that will need to be smoothed out (mostly just careful straightening. USD120 for support plate assembly and sprocket assemblies together..... French 400' mag doors...New. Brand new alloy doors, L/R. No latch hardware. There is one white disck for the big latch knob. (MIN 717, 727) Sound deadening for French 400' take up door...New (MIN 707/708) It has laminated layers. There is a lead impregnated layer. The factory screwed up when they laminated the rear part of the sound deadening, with the layers in reverse order. To use it, one would have to delaminate it and glue it back in correct order. The outer surface of the black vinyl stuff may then have old glue to clean off. Maybe one could use new vinyl for that part. USD160 for doors and sound deadening together...Shipping French 400' footage counter face plate. New. (MIN 748, 749, .. ?) Has 3 layers: printed metal face plate/ clear plastic/ inner metal face plate. USD150 for doors, sound deadening and footage counter face plate together...Shipping Arri S adapter for Eclair ACL dropbox pics at https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/z02yjls363fa5kqavubia/AMgsr3uilOWRww8QTE-G0iQ?rlkey=zuljlulh4so0vwmjv3cmchrn6&st=wxzcuqjh&dl=0 TS/Arri-S (standard) adapter for Eclair ACL. This mount will let you use older Arri, Zeiss, Schneider lenses, also old Cooke Kinetal. The Kinetal will turn OK in the lens port if it is loosened a tiny bit (normally have a light smear of lubricant). This is the standard Arri S adapter that was sold with the ACL cameras. Good condition, all thread movements smooth, some signs of use, some wear on the anodized coating on the front flange, but nothing that should affect FFD. Rear flange good. Just what's in the photo, no front or rear cap. There are proper caps for an Arri S port that you could buy somewhere, or scrounge up used ones. Being a Kiwi I have used a plastic cap off a vegemite jar. I can maybe find a spare one to go with. PRICE. $450

Better directions. On that web page select... - technical section..then - shooting The pics sort of slide show, the XTR drawing will appear.

Hey Aapo, I like your point. I may not need a precise drawing or 3D model in order to make certain accessories. I downloaded a graphic line drawing of an XTR side elevation and sketched the LTR rod mount I was imagining. Not too hard to design that without a CAD drawing or 3D model of the camera...if I have the physical camera. One is on the way (LTR7). The accessories I was thinking of are... 1) Base plate with rod mount and handle rosettes. 2) A thin shoulder pad that fits up in the existing shape. 3) V-lock battery mount with regulator. The battery can shift to adjust the balance the camera. Other projects may require a 3D model of the camera. A carbon fibre magazine body? If i used the hardware from an existing mag I have the skills with composites design and building to do it. The carbon 400' mag would be quite light. The 200' version would be extremely useful. Gregg. PS: That line drawing of the XTR is at https://www.filmlabs.org/technical-section/shooting/ the images slide left but when you activate your new Screen Snip they stop.

Hallo Vincent. Most people learn generic solids modeling, but for me it was different. Nearly 20 years ago when I started using FEA and 3D panel flow modeling, there were no cheap solids codes and pirate ones were not quite yet easy for me to get. Surface mesh or solid mesh I built within the FEA/3D panel software. I became expert at 2D/3D line drawing in Autocad. Then a complete break. Only now am I a beginner at Rhino surfaces, and a complete beginner at solids within that. So our expertise (or lack of) will shape the methods we might choose. Aapo brings up a good point. See the reply to him below. Gregg

I had a quick look on Facebook and saw... Aaton film camera support group https://www.facebook.com/AatonFilmCamera Aato Anonymous https://www.facebook.com/groups/549441225180087 Any thoughts on those...

The maintenance manual is available in French at Artist-run film labs..... https://www.filmlabs.org/docs/Aaton_7_54_LTR_Maintenance.pdf Does anyone know where I can find it in English? The remnants of my high school French are hopelessly inadequate to it. I'm about to receive a nice, low mileage LTR7 kit (3xmags, PL mount, video prism, 2xfresh batteries, good case, fresh CLA from Edwin at Etkon). I think Stephen Spooner (ex head lens tech at Panavision Auckland) will maintain it, and I may persuade him to tutor me on some basic maintenance. I will ask Artist-run film labs and when I can, Stephen... Thanks in advance for any help. Gregg.

Greetings, I'm looking for CAD line drawings (3 views) of the LTR7. If the LTR54 is dimensionally identical for the most part that would do. I could probably take the drawings from a 3D model if that was available. Alternatively I could manually digitise a scanned line drawing. Building the drawings from manual measurements of the camera is the last resort. I don't have access to 3D scanning. I might design and build some accessories for an LTR7 so the drawings are needed.. Where is the best place on Facebook to find people interested in this? I don't normally use facebook so am a bit unfamiliar with it. Thanks for any help Gregg.

If that is an unregulated LiPo battery the fully charged V can be 16.8V. Find out the max V for the camera electronics and for any aftermarket motors.

Hey Rafael, I think the parts you point to online are a standard M12x1.75 thread. The SR3 rods have what looks like M12x1.0, unless its an odd SAE pitch I don't have. So a much finer pitch. The Arri male fitting on the extension rods has a diam12.2mm step about 3.5mm long, then a little undercut (gap), then about 7mm of thread length. If you had a machinist friend in a kind mood he might make you a rod connector. Otherwise just have to be patient to find the Arri extensions. PS...There are a small number of M12x1.0 aluminum bolts online, so maybe it saves some of the work making a connector.

Three interesting old motion picture cameras in this tableau snipped from Churchill at War (52:33). Simon will know them all well. The lighter one on the right held in front of one's face, the others jammed into one's chest below the clavicle bone. Just a little higher, with a redesigned viewfinder, and one could sit it on one's shoulder. I'm sure that one or two design engineers in 1940 would have doodled a new camera with reconfigured eyepiece and mass distribution. The 35BL or Aaton 35, in their simplest sense, do not seem a huge step, but they took a while to happen. But I guess 16mm happened first.

Mark is this anecdotal...your impression...a guess? or are there statistics? There were a lot of flatbed moviolas used by TV in NZ. When I looked in the editing department at Christchurch all I remember seeing is Moviola. My friend bought 7 of them from TVNZ in Auckland in the 80s. I don't know if there is tribal snobbery favouring the Steenbeck, but in hindsight I wish I had waited for one. The Moviola is overpopulated with ICs...troublesome circuitry. I always thought the Steenbeck would be more simple, mechanical, easier to look after without electronics expertise.

Blocking the shutter on camera stop is normally described as "mirror parking". Later versions of the heavy duty multispeed motor had mirror parking. The expert ACL techs told me that there is some electronics in the camera base of later ACLs that supports the mirror parking function of the motors. ACL i I assume does not have that electronics in the base. You may be able to fit a multispeed motor to an ACL I... I think the motor mount flange on the body casting of ACL I/IIis the same, and the mount flange adapter for the bigger motor fits the same. But I don't know if the mechanism was designed to run at 75fps. I can't confirm that. On an ACL without mirror parking, aligning the mirror manually when operating is no biggie, the inching knob is well placed. For what it's worth, am ACL I with the little motor is notably lighter. And with the 200' mag and a prime lens, very small, light, agile. Gregg.

By Moviola do you mean an upright or flatbed moviola? There were a lot of flatbed moviolas made. Television in NZ used them. I have two (one and 7/8 you could say). As you are probably discovering, Steenbeck and Moviola are brands, flatbed is the type. But both brand names served to indicate a type. I'm sure that a flatbed will be the most useful machine for you. The four plate Steenbeck like Mark Dun has is about the smallest. Though I think it was Cinema Products that started production of a flatbed that had the plates stacked vertically. I fiddled with one for a few minutes around 1984, and it had a very small footprint.

Thanks. I was wondering about that. I have been curious about a CANON HD-EC ZOOM LENS HJ21x7.5B-III KLL-SC T2.1, in B4 mount, that comes with an Abakus 132 (about 1.4 extender) B$/PL for S16 format, which corrects the colour fringing. I have seen some test footage with a 1.1 extender and it looked quite sharp, still covering S16. Just a distraction. I don't need it.

Is it still available? Can you send me the test footage, including something showing the vignetting? Is it factory PL mount or was it swapped over later? Thanks, Gregg.

Really nice Erren. Me too on the memories ....the 80s. Making art with very simple technology.

Hey Marc. Send me a DM with some titles or links to the kiwi music clips you did. I'm fond of some old kiwi stuff. Or start a thread about that...Cheers, Gregg.

I meant to say also...re the lenses. My suggestion would be to sell the lenses separately. If someone was buying the camera as a start to build up from, they would probably be more interested without the lenses. My ideas about the CLA did not include the lenses. Note that AZ Spectrum is not that far away, and Andrzej has the expertise to repair those motors. You could send him an email with a pic of the motor housing with the missing inching knob and ask if he has any thoughts. Tell him that the camera is going to a CLA at VP. Keep the email short and he will probably reply straight back.

Hey Tom, You did the right thing contacting Visual Products, I assume Paul Scaglione. Their hourly rate is fairly high, but Paul is quite fast, a CLA on that may only be a couple of hours. It looks like a camera that has had little use, so if it has not been run dry or otherwise abused then it may just need CLA with few or no repairs. If it hasn't had service for over 20 years, it's overdue and the uncertainties will lower the value. Paul's CLA will remedy that. VP will have batteries/power supply so if you wanted to avoid that expense, it will make little difference to the new owner, little difference to the sale price if it has a fresh inspection and CLA from Paul. If you think a battery will make a difference, then you can organise something inexpensive. The Les B conversion with the improvised ground glass lowers the value compared to the VP conversion. The unusual motor housing with no inching knob lowers the value in my eyes. I like to be able to easily inch the camera by hand. It probably has mirror parking. You must remember from when you used it. That may be something that can be fixed. Ask Paul when you hand over the camera. After Paul's CLA and assessment one might make a guess on the value. The lack of Arri-S/B and PL mounts lower the value. Not having useful magazine sets lowers the value. Not having a set of onboard battery packs or a usable battery kit lowers the value, but my opinion is that it's not that important. Not having a video tap lowers the value. These increments lowering the value all sound negative, but after Paul's CLA and hopefully inching knob repair this camera could be a good beginning point for someone to build up a kit. Low mileage, late model camera and excellent view finder. Gregg

Aaron, Assuming that the equipment is OK...... It's a good idea to control the loop sizes, and the position of the perf in the film gate, and the position of the claw. The mirror parking will leave the claw always in the same place. The manual mirror motor, you will have a routine that leaves the mirror and claw almost the same. When loading, while setting the loops, shift a perf in the gate so it's just below the claw. The claw will catch it every time, quiet starts and you will keep your ideal loop sizes. Like Dom says, manual inching to engage the claw is best. Make it part of your protocol. Get some clean scrap film to practice loading. You can run the loop tests/scratch test with the door off. Adjust your loading protocols as above and check that your method works. Then you can pull mags as often as you need without any concern over the loops. If you have any doubt about your mag or method, after mounting a fresh mag on the camera just pull the door and run a few frames. Have fun.