Nick Mulder

Any of them really - they all have 8:1 - best part is you could try to get a bolex J (old surveillance camera) - no motor, light weight and cheap - you can easily file the gate to super16 and recentre the lens mount, hardest part would be converting the deep thread c-mount to a standard mount by milling it flat, RX collimated wide lenses should be ok stopped down - *no reflex or even (easy) parallax viewing though* either that or a beater RX2/RX1 etc... parallax models are fine to if you dont need the prism. IIRC I think Top Gun was totally hand-cranked on an RX2 :lol:

Yip, especially in the 1:1 - annoying! ...but with it on 64fps on 1:1 you get some wild variance in speed/exposure if that is what you are after - 8:1 with the governor on 12fps and its quite smooth (hard work still) A longer armed version with a mount to stop it falling out could be built I suppose - just like a tobin motor but with a crank

Ok, yeh I can work with what you are saying (and I read the full post) - but can the sales people please tell us this, and if they do tell perhaps not in such a roundabout grumpy 'told you so' way. My suggestion that a little more friction be introduced to the system may account for the movement was met with no reply (like the adjustable springs/bearings well into my 16mm zoom) - this would be 'setting it up to its optimum' (assuming the servo can still drive the required friction to stop the creep) Referring here not to the vignetting but to the lens focal length creep issue.

Well, yeh - I didn't appreciate the attitude, but not wanting to cement the situation in stone as it could have just been perceptions at fault and maybe one or both of us was reading the other incorrectly so wont name names or places. I will also reiterate the other salesperson who was actually the one helping me was a great guy, really helpful (again, perceptions though ! heh)... I didn't notice any breathing but was not looking for it, so it may be apparent - the creep kinda took centre stage, I wish I didn't waste my time making it happen over and over, and could have tried to 'fix' it by pointing the camera down :rolleyes: - so I'm still not sure if the creep happens in the other direction... As I couldn't use the clip browser and playng the files directly off the SxS chips wouldn't work over USB1.1 (altho I'm hoping this might be possible with a faster connection making the software a little redundant) - well, anyway I had to just guess which clip I wanted, turns out it was just someone pointing the camera at some trees - ho-hum and not worth uploading but I'll endeavour to upload a still There are heaps of examples on the net, I have a couple here - cant remember where from, but a search will yield results ... Mostly from other forums.

All bolexes - even the EBM (ok, not the EL ;))

re. EX1 lens - quoting myself here from: http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/in...20&start=20

Had a play with one today. immediate impression coming from a 16mm film user was that it was pretty underwhelming - plasticky (where is the milled/lathed billet aluminium and faux leather;)) , lightweight (remember I'm coming from 40 year old film cameras) and dinky little buttons with the graphics already shop worn - buttons and plugs in odd places my hand didn't fit in the grip and loosening the strap didn't help ... When gripped the eyepiece is in an odd place for me, strain on the arm - holding it by the handle with the LCD wasn't too bad. Lens function/usability, ok (but see below). Transfer of files via my PowerPC G4 (way under spec) worked albeit at the much much slower rate of USB1.1 (almost real time transfer, but with no viewing) - the SxS card simply turned up as disks on the desktop, once the files were across though they worked fine ... This I'm happy with so if I do get an EX for an upcoming project I'm ok keeping my current laptop for transfer only Question >>why cant I just dump directly to any harddisk via firewire or USB2.0 ? - camera>cable>harddisk ... that would be great. Another website complained about the time it took to switch on and go between playback and record modes - talking about 25 seconds or something - no where near that for me - and it has a preview button that lets you see the last take in 1~2seconds - fine by me, recording once in mode is near instantaneous Image looked good, I haven't any experience with much HD to compare though. Now here comes an interesting part - The zoom in manual mode doesn't have enough friction integrated into it so much so that the zoom will creep when held in upright positions - i.e. set zoom to 5.8mm point it upwards watch it sink down by its own weight to around 10mm ... I pointed this out to the salesmen, one seemed interested the other I can only guess thought I was being picky, he said I could simply keep it in servo mode to work around the issue, therefore in his mind there was no issue ... I said for a $10,000 camera (NZ dollars) that I shouldn't expect this to happen, he asked me if I had any experience with $10,000 cameras, I said no to which he kind of snorted and sat back satisfied as if again 'problem solved' - I decided at the time that further discussion wasn't going to help ... (but thought later that I indeed did have experience with cameras worth more than $10,000 and what the hell has the price got to do with it anyway, hell my servo $1500 handicam doesn't have this issue nor do the manual fujinon's and 16mm servo/manual zooms I use) Was I being picky though ? I mean, well what if I wanted a wide shot (that stayed wide) in manual mode (for whatever reason) that pointed up then down ... Is there anything in the manual that says watch out for focal length creep? I'm guessing not as it was news to the salespeople, maybe I came across as a smartypants ... Still though - thinking seriously of getting one ;) Quick question sales couldn't answer without %100 authority >> when shooting 720 does it use less of the sensors thereby decreasing field of view (a crop) or does it use the full 1/2" sensor and do some sort of mathy thing with the data to achieve the 720 ?

5x7 is perfect - get yourself an 8x10 paper safe (cheap as chips) and convert it into a tray developer (hose in and out) - then you only need a room that is dark (as opposed to a darkroom) to load it - everything else can be done in light ... I regularly print in Platinum with just the blinds pulled at midday. HC110 is pretty cheap, as is PMK pyro perhaps try the Czech Arista films - Ziatype uses strictly Palladium, about half the price if not less of Pt salts. Ziatype works very well on the Weston Diploma Parchment paper, which is a lot chaper than say COT320 or Platine ... As you are probably aware once you've got a spot meter it's a great hobby for any cinematographer to learn the chemical effects of film on contrast - push/pull - and general zone-system-esque approches to lighting, stock choice etc...

Another Pt/Pd printer here ? cool! I shoot 8x10 - many films, usually soup in PMK Pyro, been doing some ziatype recently but my new NA2 chems are really shining too (PotOx dev) ... Whats your process ?

The guy here at Panavision Auckland said it was branded with the Cinealta logo in part due to the fact it was built in the same factory as the rest of the higher end range, I think he inferred it was also designed by the same people.

Th biggest price is the Tank and its the spiral in particular that would be hard to fabricate yourself ... bulk amounts of B+W chems can brings costs down a lot (i.e. avoid chem sets and soup up your own instead) - secondhand glass and labware can be found on auction sites for near on free as many people are going digital and dropping their darkroom gear like there's no tomorrow ... film dryer - well, depending on your location this could be free - I have 100' drying on the washing line out back as I type, this way I get the least physical contact as possible, and I put the pegs (soft edged ones) on bits of the film where there was an in-camera cut - its also 8:19PM and still dry and hot enough for it ;) I'm lucky also in that there is not much crud in the air around here ... You also have a splicer ? a winder ? split reels ? bunch of cores ? splicer aint too necessary unless you want to project longer than the amount you can process continuously, winder pretty much essential - split reels and cores essential or you'll be running out of reels very fast

Yes in most cases for the first question but first which Bolex do you have > ? You might try searching for 'crystal sync bolex' here or in google in the meantime Post stretching and compressing audio - yuck! An Electric motor will generally stay constant over a take so you might get ok results with just a timestretch and move but a wind up will often be faster by up to 2fps at the beginning of a wind compared to the end, so any 20sec or longer takes and you're screwed fiddling in post with ramping stretches etc... Its been done though. How do you plan to keep the Bolex quiet enough ?

search the archives ... You'll find plenty of info here and the usual suspects discussing them - reversal aint as hard as some make out, I've never found the lamp to be an issue, in fact have left film out in the sun for days before the 2nd dev ... I think its just a minimum illumination, not a critical one - kinda redundant if you use sodium sulphide as the redeveloper as then the exposure isn't even required - easy! (yet reversal in general is poisonous) Have fun - Lomo tanks are the best by far, if you shoot 16mm try to get the rare 100' tank which turns up on ebay around twice a year - the 2x50' is a goody too for super8/16mm

Assuming you are after cine lengths... I do know Ilford take yearly requests for ULF (large format) film in weirdo sizes 7x17", 8x20" etc... with that in mind 35mm uncut and in bulk might be quite easy for them to do as a special order as its a standard size, not sure about sprockets though - I'd contact them directly.

Shucks - well, um - a super16 Bolex can shoot reg16 also if its conversion has been done correctly so go with the super16 so you have both choices - a super16 Bolex will generally be a later model also ... Really need more details on the cameras in question and what you plan to shoot. You realize that Bolexes are MOS cameras ? They are noisy mofo's that mess with with your sync audio recording big time. The Arri BL for instance is BLimped (quietened down considerably) to allow for sound sync recording, something that may or may not be a deal breaker ... There are people here who know heaps about both the Arri ST and BL - get ready for some discussion! - In the meantime and in lieu of more info get yourself a super16 Arri BL :rolleyes: ~Nick

Hang on, we gotta orient ourselves correctly before we can talk left or right ... Ok, so if you want to talk battery connector its like this: Looking at the connector so you can actually see the 4 holes (you're 'in front' of it kinda) - now orient it so the slotted section is at the bottom - the two on the left are ground and the two on the right are 12v. I think it might be in the manual, near the end ... Get the damn thing working! shoot! shoot! :D

We are correct - they are wrong. 1/80th is close enough, which is to say 'correct' for 30fps - THEN you adjust for the prism loss, which to take Andy's advice and keep things simple and open up a third of a stop - nothing to so with the lens - the lens is a lens ;)

I've seen a Bolex Super16 mod and footage from the same cam - they dont appear to have been replaced or machined + the footage is good ... That being said >> YMMV, good luck ;)

Thats a sweet camera to have inherited ... Dont use the 400' mags until you've had some fun/good results from the camera or you'll learn to hate it really fast ... CLA/super16 for the EL ? - I'd do my own, or send it to the Bolex tech down the Rd, not so helpful for you as I am in New Zealand. Heres a link to the EL manual: http://www.apecity.com/manuals/bolex_h16_el.pdf As for the battery, anything goes, keep in mind the EL draws about 700~850 mA depending on the speed and closer to 900mA~1A with the 400' motor, hopefully less if you get it all cleaned up nice and sweet - get out your handy Amp Hr calculator and away you go! - My NiCd 1.2Ah battery has never run out on a full days shooting (on most shoots cameras are usually idle most of the time) ... The connector is relatively expensive, I forget the type/part Amphenol something - search here and you'll find it or order direct from Bolex for the plastic molded type - personally I'd use the one you have, dont worry if the screw is missing as there is often enough friction in the pins to hold it on anyway, if not then hmmm, it'll be a metric thread - hang on ... well, its smaller than a 0.5 pitch which is the smallest my gauge goes down to, with a 2.5mm diameter - swiss bastards and their odd sizes ;) Connections are two left pins on camera body (looking at it sideways) are positive and the other two common earth, i.e. the two lefts are connected and the two rights are connected in the battery... ~Nick

none ;) - well, some ... but unless you were shooting critical high-contrast scenes in reversal (reasons etc...) you really aren't going to gain anything by shooting it all over again

Sinar P 8x10 - Schnieder 360mm lens Search for Platinum/Palladium or Pt/Pd for lots of info on the process (yes I am making them) cheers!

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&saf...amp;btnG=Search http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/in...hlite=bolex+pro :ph34r:

bugger - ran out of time to edit the post ... Should also add that occasionally my mates and I have impromptu Team Bolex meetings (my shoot meets his shoot meets his shoot) and we end up with what looks like some sort of Bolex timeslice rig. Aside from the pre RX4 cams and the Bolex converted EL, the others can swap pressure plates willy nilly - Although we each claim to 'own' this and that pressure plate I'm pretty sure there has been some swappage in some of the more hectic shoots - no idea whose is whats etc... We are probably lucky that way, I can imagine that due to wear/damage cameras could get finicky especially in a film school as you mention. (I doubt its due to sloppy manufacturing tolerances on Bolex's part ;) )

Yep - did that ;)

This is how I converted mine also - but I chose the 1:66 frame I milled/filed the gate and the pressure plate worked fine on the EL - on the SB I had to make a little washer/shim thingy that would raise the plate ever so slightly on its mount so that it would rest on the new much thinner edge of the gate (moving it camera left)... If I didn't the film would be pushed 'in' on an angle and not be parallel to the image - bad!