Johnny Liu

That's really cool - great idea! I have made a few things with hobby servos before - but never thought of something movie camera related. I found this guy a few days ago. He is making a new animation motor for Bolex H16 and H8 models - and from what I can see - it can also maintain a steady 24 fps or 25fps too. So, you can shoot sync sound it looks like: His website is: http://filmcurl.com/

I meant to write: "that were hard to find elsewhere as well as hard to find on eBay..."

Have you tried this website? I have bought some filters from them before that were hard to find elsewhere and on eBay: https://filterfind.net/

OK, big mistake on my part. It turns out the screws were not screwing out or screwing back not because there was anything wrong with them, but rather, the screwdriver I have has this rubber sleeve/grip on the screwdriver handle shaft. I kept thinking I was turning the screwdriver, but the screws were on so tight, that all I was doing was turning the screwdriver handle within the rubber sleeve/grip. Thus, yes, the screws are on - and they are screwed down tight.

I also have another Bolex handheld (C8SL) that I have never used - I might take one of the front plate screws from that and see if it screws correctly/tightly with my B8. Thanks for the link to your webpage - it's great and I have looked at it many times in the past. I need to make the time one of these days to do my own servicing of my cameras! Thanks for being a great resource on this!

Oh wait, I think I misread what you had written. I didn't realize that on the inside of the camera, against the back wall of the camera, there is a little cover that (I think) is the footage counter cover. I will tape that up instead. Thanks

Thanks Dom for the idea. I will tape over the edges of the body on the inside where it meets the film door (is that what you are saying?). Maybe also just tape the outside edge of the film door with like painters tape as well. I noticed something strange today. I was thinking it might be related to the shutter so, I tried to unscrew the four screws on the front outside plate of the camera and the screws just kept turning, but didn't back themselves out. I then thought I should stop so I screwed the screws back in and they never seemed to stop turning (all four of the screws). Do you think these screws are stripped - and if so - wouldn't it be strange that all four screws happen to be stripped? I took my other camera - a B8LA that doesn't have the light blip issue and I turned one of the four screws on the front outside plate of the camera a few turns out and it didn't look like it backed out. I then screwed it back in several turns and it didn't seem to feel like it was getting tighter at all. I was hesitant to screw too much on this camera since it doesn't have any issues, so am a bit careful with it.

Yes, I measured mine and it looks (from my calipers at least) to be correctly made. I a list of flange focal distance figures to use from this chart: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flange_focal_distance

Please see the below video I uploaded to YouTube. My Bolex B8 has an issue where sometimes, every 10 or so seconds a horizontal blip of bright light appears in the frame. I don't think it has to do with the video transfer, because I use the same company to video transfer movies filmed using my other camera (Bolex B8LA) and don't get that problem with the transfers for that other camera. I have had the film for my Bolex B8 developed by two different companies and the results are both the same - still these blips of bright light. Thus, I don't think it is the film developer that is the issue. I have tried other lenses in the past with my Bolex B8 and I also still get the issue with the other lenses, so don't think the issue is the lens. The blips of bright light happen at these time marks in the video: 0:01 0:12 0:15 0:24 Does anyone have any ideas what is causing this?

I just bought the same adapter off of eBay a few weeks ago. I will try to post an update once I have taken some footage using it on my Bolex B8 handheld.

Yeah, I think I will start with some small electronics projects first. I do some 3D printing currently and you are right - it is pretty rewarding!

That's really interesting - I think I will start reading up on electronics this year and try to make some simple projects

Thanks for the rough estimates. I think it is amazing all the work you put into this - as well as another one of your crystal sync products that I had read about before for the CP-16. The valuable insights and pictures in your posts as your build these products is simply not available anywhere else online for some of the cameras you work with. I wish I knew more about electronics to be able to do what you are doing. Camera electronics has been one aspect of cameras that, unless you have some experience with, you feel completely helpless about and have to rely on others for help. How did you learn electronics?

Oh yes, you are right. I had not considered how automatic exposure would not be possible if lenses were truly interchangeable!

Thanks - will keep that in mind if I decide to do things with the Leicina 8s. I was just reading through all your posts and it's too bad that the economics of the project prevented you from completing it (especially people expecting you to spend the money to perform 8mm footage tests all at your expense). Did you mention that you had two finished kits for sale? Are they still for sale? I don't need the automatic metering to work as I always do manual metering whenever possible when shouting with 8mm

Thanks for the info. Yeah, that's what I was afraid of from what I could read online about it - coupled with your close up pics. That is, it seemed like it had some kind of fixed lens that only took proprietary lens attachments/converters. I wonder why they chose to go that route instead of making it "truly" interchangeable. I think it is still a really interesting camera. Though, any project I would use it for, I think I would try to modify it by taking out the fixed lens and installing a lens mount so that it could take a wide variety of lenses. Thanks for letting me know that you have a collection of them - I will keep that in mind!

Thanks for your insights into this. Didn't think that focus might be affected by stacked adapters. I just thought that if someone made an adapter, they probably measured/manufactured it correctly, but I guess that would be an assumption! I was thinking about getting an H8 to run the test with, but I already have a serviced/CLA'd B8 on hand, so just though of using the B8 for my test instead of spending the time and money to buy an H8 and get it CLA'd.

Thanks for your thoughts on this!

I had this idea to try a test with a Bolex handheld 8mm camera such as a C8/B8/D8LA. These all take D mount lenses and I thought of using a C to D mount adapter - and then stack it with something like an EF to C mount adapter or a PL to C mount adapter.and then rent a modern cinema lens like a Zeiss CP.3 prime lens -- and then use a good film stock like Vision 3 50D - to run a film test. I would also use a base plate, support rails, and a lens support to support the weight of this modern cinema lens. I'm mainly interested to see how far one could push the sharpness of 8 mm film. Any ideas, thoughts, or comments you have about this test plan - please let me know!

Hi, and thanks a lot for all the work and information about your crystal sync project for the Leicina 8S. I would like to ask you about this camera. I understand that you can change the lens on it, but I haven't been able to find any information on the internet about what type mount lenses it uses. Does it use D mount lenses?

Oh wow - thanks! I will am checking it out now...

Thanks a lot for the links and the background information on this seller! Seeing that he has sold several items on eBay before, I feel like it is more legit

Once again, thanks for the great advice. One more thing I need to consider. I had never thought about mold being an issue, so thanks for letting me know!

Thanks a lot for the info! I see the camera on that website. Do you know much about this website - do you know anyone who has bought from them / are they reliable? Now, have to do some research about the Eclair NPR - looks promising

Thanks a lot for your thoughts on this. Yes, am keeping my eyes open for an Eclair as well