Nick Brown

I guess I'm not really clear on the differences between Lomo-branded lenses and Lenkinap. Apparently some of the Lenkinap lenses have brass focusing rings and focus in the same direction as Nikkor lenses? How do you like your set? Any reason you went the Lenkinap route instead of Lomo? How do you feel about their usability? Beautiful film! Between the camera and the lens, there's so much soul and character in that image. The reason I'm considering Lomos is because I'm interested in pairing them with my Red One MX too. I'd love to see any kind of visual reference. I'm still learning the differences but it seems that a silver finish doesn't necessarily mean that it's an older lens necessarily. I think the oldest lenses were the RO/PO prefixed lenses, but they also came with a black finish. And some have serial numbers that indicate they were made in the 1960s as well. That applies to the rest of the Lomo lenses as well, with earlier version numbers appearing with later serial numbers too.

Thanks for the info. It's not surprising to hear that the coatings are much more basic on these 1950s models. Can I assume that they aren't as sharp wide open as the 1970s/80s lenses? Curious what to know how the flares differ. Do you have any footage or stills from these lenses online?

I don't think I've ever seen or heard any discussion about these older, silver-finish Lomo lenses. Here's a picture of one from Olex's site: Anyone know if they are worthwhile?

For CCD enthusiasts, the Panasonic FZ47 is a real sleeper. It has a 1/2.3" single chip CCD sensor (!), records in 1080P, offers a mirrorless camera form factor (great for me stealth shooting), has full manual control in video, and comes with a 600mm stabilized zoom. It's not a serious cinema camera by any means -- 29.97fps only, lots of compression artifacts, no mic input or headphone jack, and the HDMI jack only works in playback mode. But it sure is fun to shoot with, for those looking for a toe-dip into CCD cameras.

I'm also thinking about picking up one of these cameras, just for something that looks a little different for those rare projects that need it. Luka mentioned the F900R above. How would that compare to the Varicam H (or the Varicam 2700/3700 for that matter)?

I bought two of these from PRG about five years ago. I replaced the fans and the twist-locks with Edison plugs, added baby pin adapters to the yokes, and bought two new Koto 575w bulbs. They each came with barn doors but I also invested in complete lens sets for each light, as well as a speed ring and softbox for one of the lights. At the end of this modding and accessorizing, I think they came out to around $450 each. Other than a Joker 800 and a some 1200w Desistis, I didn't have much HMI experience before buying these. I can't really comment on how they compare with dedicated cinema HMIs. However, these things have been workhorses and up until very recently, unchallenged by the newer, lower-end LED tech. I do have a few gripes with them: I find that the Koto bulbs have a magenta tint, which I correct with a 1/8 plusgreen on each light. Even with the new fans, they are not the quietest fans in the world, but it hasn't been an issue when shooting interviews. I really wish there was a lens somewhere between the NSP and the MFL. I think that would be the sweet spot for this output and smaller productions. The head cannot to oriented straight up as the yoke doesn't offer enough clearance. They head/ballast/yoke combination is around 20lb so they require c-stands. For the price, it's a lot of light. I've found that even with the MFL lens, I get about 2/3 stop more light than an Aputure 300d ii with the reflector dish. With the NSP or VNSP, the output goes up significantly.

I had my Vinten Vision 100 serviced by Keith Takenaka at TriVision in CA about a year ago. I emailed Vinten with a servicing question and they forwarded my question to him. After we discussed my issue, I shipped the head down to him and I thought he did a good job. I found his pricing to be very reasonable. Definitely worth the peace of mind. Here's his website: https://kt-triv.com/

Yes, I noticed that it was quite small. I can't imagine that this was done as a form of cost-cutting for consumer models, but perhaps to differentiate the higher end models? Do you know which of the other wind up models have a 180 degree shutter? I'm sure the Bolex cameras must. This particular camera isn't in very good shape. If I have a cleaner copy, it will be a better candidate for a professional CLA.

I haven't solved the problem yet, but here are some pictures of the disassembly so far in case they are useful to someone else: https://ibb.co/album/1YDgWw Fascinating machine!

I purchased a Bell & Howell 240 from eBay with a lot of unknowns. It turned up today and sure enough, it doesn't move film. I turned the crank a few times when I got it and then held down the shutter button -- nothing. Between my cranking and the previous owner's, the indicator suggests that the spring is mostly wound and I know that these cameras are not meant to be stored when the spring is under tension. So even though the sewing machine oil doesn't arrive until next week, I decided to start taking it apart and see what I could see. I've been following Garrett's excellent notes and disassembly was simple enough, but it was only when went beyond his guidance and loosened these two screws to remove the next layer that the motor suddenly sprang to life. Rather than pressing onward, I quit while I was ahead and re-tightened these screws. But that caused the motor to cease to work. I'm finding that only if they are slightly loose will the camera operate. Are these screws actually supposed to control the spring movement, or is something else going on? Any other pointers? I didn't pay much for this camera but if I can save it from becoming a bookend, I'd like to!

If you have one that you are looking to sell, please DM me.

Hi Brendan, I'm interested in the Scoopics. What are you asking for each of them? Thank you.

I have come into possession of a Pan Cinor 17-85 f2 (non-dogleg version; there is no opening for any kind of a viewfinder). It seems to be in great condition and is (thankfully) free of any visible fungus. However, I would like to open it up and clean some haze off of the elements, as well as re-lubricate the helicoid, aperture, and zoom mechanism (if I can figure it out). I have a little experience with manual lens disassembly and maintenance, but thought I would ask here if anyone had any pointers before I start unscrewing things (I haven't been able to find any documentation online). Has anyone had any experience with this?