Heikki Repo

Another update on this thread: As Elokuvakonepaja is now selling old rental equipment for quite affordable prices, I was able to buy a Chrosziel swing away matte box. As I wrote earlier in this thread, it originally didn't seem to fit my setup. Fortunately the matte box allows one to place the rod support arm to the other side of the swing away mechanism, which already takes the MB quite much closer to the lens than before. The issue with the rods being too long and hitting the MB turned out to be quite easy to solve as well, as Les Bosher made and sent me half width rods to use with the bridge plate within one day of contacting him and ordering such rods. I'm also going to have the bridge horizontal bottom plate trimmed as Gregg suggested (only six years ago, haha!) and also to make some other modifications to it (have extra screw holes made to it in order to more securely join it with a cheese plate and also have a metal pin installed that'll keep the ACL base secured to its place).

Well that's weird. And I agree with Zack, I'd rather see cameras bought to be used. I guess in the future there there are going to be lots like this available occasionally: https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/bolex-pathe-beaulieu-elmo-zeiss-ika-agfa/1443336238-240-1377

Hi Javier, were you able to solve your problem? I forgot to mention in my first reply that even though it was Bernie who fixed the light leak, Les was always generous and helpful and compensated for the issue. (And really to be fair: if I had been using the ACL TS-mount and more "proper" cine lenses, the lens mount hole wouldn't have caused issues as it would have been blocked by the lens adapter.) Anyway, that's not really related to your issue - just wanted to say that I have nothing bad to say about my correspondence with him. Hopefully you were able to solve the issues with him.

How's the noise on your light? I have been contemplating getting one at some point, but according to some users the noise can be bad close to the light. There is now the silent, fanless Godox as well: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1559562-REG/godox_ul150_silent_led_video.html

Yes. Anyway, I think this should be done with the adapter in your hand. You can then twist them in different directions. You should be able to hear the adapter drop over the ridge when you first put it over the lens and turn it a bit back and forth, so that the wings on the lens go in to their place in the adapter.

Sorry, direction is clockwise when turning the adapter..

The direction is clockwise. If it just goes around there is definitely something wrong with either lens or the adapter...

I have similar adapter and an Angenieux 9.5-57mm I use with it. First, remove the adapter from the camera. Push the lens in to the adapter while holding it in your other hand. Then turn the lens and it should be locked. If it's not working, post a photo of the lens as well, of the mount and let's see where these two differ...

Please send some photos of the adapter. Also, is the adapter attached securely to the camera mount -- i.e., does the lens rotate within the adapter, or the adapter with the lens?

This is already totally OT, but if we are speaking about Europeans, we Finns are relatively direct but not that open. One can learn quite a bit about typical Finns by reading this online comic... https://m.facebook.com/finnishnightmares/

So, a while ago as I was once again looking for suitable lenses for my ACL on Ebay. Somewhat accidentally I stumbled upon those older Arri Standard Mount Zeiss lenses for 16mm Arriflex cameras -- you know, 8mm Distagon f2, 16mm Planar f2 and 25mm Planar f2. They were quite inexpensive and knowing that I own Arri S adapter for my ACL I felt quite lucky --- Buy Now! It wasn't until afterwards (while waiting for my lenses to arrive) that I decided to learn a bit more about the lenses I had bought. Surprisingly there didn't seem to be almost anything on the topic. Not only could I find only a couple of references on the 8mm Planar and none on the other two lenses in Youtube/Vimeo (which is surprising, since the original BMPCC and vintage glass craze was quite huge some years ago) but even sites such as this one and Cinematography.net/CML mailing list were really silent on the topic. Except, of course, on the issue of most of these lenses not fitting Arris since 16BL and there being problems with CP16R as well due to the lens rear element hitting the camera mirror. So, I felt quite anxious. I was somewhat relieved to read that Cooke Kinetals and some Schneiders that won't fit newer Arris would work with ACL. But again, nobody seemed to mention these Zeiss lenses. I guess if I has asked on this forum somebody would probably have known the answer. So, for all of those who might have searched for an answer like me for hours or even days on the Internet and not having found anything, I want to document the following tidbit of information I now know, having received the lenses today and tested them: At least these three older Zeiss lenses do fit ACL: 8mm Distagon f2, SN ~5000000 (steel mount) 16mm Planar f2, SN ~2000000 (black aluminium? mount) 25mm Planar f2, SN ~1000000 (black aluminium? mount) Please note the following issues, which have been mentioned to some extent on these forums before: 8mm distagon doesn't cover S16 (But it doesn't seem too bad, if this video (not mine!) is to be used as a reference https://vimeo.com/77872653 There are some mechanical quirks or issues, depends on how you look at them: If I tighten my adapter too tight, my 16mm or 25mm focus rings won't turn. Changing the focus direction might make the image jump The focus throw is quite short They are "only" T2.2/2.4 My plan is to next shoot some tests with these lenses on Vision3 50D or 200T and perhaps also test a ArriS to PL adapter. I'll post some scans here when I'm done. I do have some questions still, perhaps some tech on this board knows answers? I read somewhere that the stiffness of the focus can be changed by loosening the screws of the "focus ears" -- is this how it should be done or just an unintended consequence? Could I remove the focus ears and insert a focus gear ring?

And here I thought my decision to lug an Eclair ACL with a 400ft mag and a prime lens to shoot home movies in an amusement park was over the top 😁 It seems I still have some ground to cover 😉 Great stuff.

Does your camera have the original TS-mount or has the camera been modified to have an Aaton mount? If you only use Aaton-TS -adapter, you could buy another adapter, for example Arri S adapter. Those lenses don't seem to be too expensive... Other option is to use C-mount adapter and something like Contax Zeiss in Contax Yashica mount. The downside is that wide end 10mm/16mm isn't really available or costs the same as PL-mount primes.

Haha, now I know what I'll be doing with our Thule two-seater Chariot (if just my wife allows it!). Should have lots of space for an Eclair ACL 😉 Great idea!

Keep also in mind that old lights might have asbestos in them.