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I can't seem to identify why or where theses straight lines are coming from. Theses lines are not on the entire rolls, they come and go. I've completely cleaned my bolex multiple times. Any ideas ?

I am selling a bolex 400ft Magazine and a serviced MM motor with cable. The magazine and MM motor are in excellent condition. I will also throw on the roller bearings for inside the camera at no extra cost. I am looking to part with both items for $300 USD + shipping via USPS priority. I can send photos of the mag and MM torque motor upon request. I am only shipping within the US and am only accepting PayPal. if interested, please send me a DM. best, Derick

A couple of adapters and a diopter away from testing. It’s not pretty but it should work. Not a flat base model, but the rails are as sturdy as I could wish for. You can literally swing the camera off them—I only did it once…

I thought I’d better start a new thread with this, as it’s tangential to the thread it was originally added to: I believe this is an MC-17b motor. I bought it without cables or other accessories in as-is condition. Getting it to run was not difficult, but it was showing signs of corrosion on the fixing bolts so I thought I’d have a peek inside. After dismantling and cleaning I set out to discover how it was meant to work—particularly the “friction drive” mechanism I’d seen mentioned in several related online texts. What I’d originally thought was a clutch/friction mechanism (photo centre) turned out to be something more like a shock absorber made up of several wavy washers and tensioner rings, all pinned to the main gear—which was initially seized onto the outer shaft by corrosion. I’ve studied the manual (which by the way states the motor runs on ball bearings—there are none), and I’m still no closer to understanding what constitutes the friction drive, and how it’s supposed to work. The manual describes mechanical operation: Pressing the motor lever fully home when the motor is not connected to the camera results in the motor running continuously with the drive shaft engaged. When connected to the camera this would mean the camera drive shaft would also be rotating continuously. Is this what’s meant to happen? With the drive motor attached and running, and the camera lever at the “O” position (motor disengaged), is the camera in effect “idling” until the front or side shutter release is engaged? Is this also why the manual advises the motor should not be left on in this state for more than 15minutes (wear on the camera mechanism)? Thank you for reading this far, I’m aware that my assumptions may all be incorrect, in which case I’m happy to be corrected.

Hi everyone! I recently shot on 16mm for the first time using a Bolex H16 SBM with a Vario Switar 16-100mm zoom lens. After getting the scans back I noticed that it was severely out of focus in a lot of the takes. It would often be sharp for the first couple of frames of the take and then shift focus considerably even though I was not shifting focus via the lens. I was wondering if this might be an issue with the pressure plate in the Bolex, where it might be slightly moving backwards as the film travels through it, affecting the focal plane. I’m certain I had the pressure plate locked into place correctly when shooting. I used a tape measure from the focal plane of the Bolex to measure the distance each time to the subject and then set the lens accordingly. Here are some examples of the film shifting in and out of focus. Footage Examples And here are some stills: Frame 1 of Clip 1 A few frames later from Clip 1 Frame 1 of Clip 2 A few frames later from Clip 2. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on what might cause this and if it is a pressure plate issue? I’ve also attached a videos showing the condition of the pressure plate and how the motor runs etc. Bolex Motor Running Here are is a photo of the pressure plate. I should also note that when the focal length of the zoom lens was set to 100mm it seemed as if the focus didn’t shift for whatever reason.

Hello, I am looking to buy a few C-mount RX lenses for a reflex Bolex. If anyone has any that they’re willing to part with please let me know. thank you!

I am a retired museum director and restorer of things and have just acquired a Bolex S-221 projector and urgently need a service manual for it, or contact with someone who has worked on these. The motor runs, but too slowly and without much power. The carbon brushes are fine and the commutator is clean. The bearings are free and lubricated. I think there may be a starting capacitor or two associated with the motor and can see a couple of potential candidates but cannot get at them to replace them. It seems to be impossible to remove the front cover plate - the cover behind the lens mounting plate - that contains the projection lamp, reflector and condenser lens. I have removed all screws that retain it and can move it out about half an inch, but something prevents it moving any further. There is an electronic circuit board visible, and a high power resistor associated with the motor circuit, but I can't get any further without removing this cover. I have the Instruction manual, that includes the amplifier schematic, but does not include anything to do with the motor circuit. Can anyone help please? David in Canada

hello everyone, The Bolex EBM can only be powered with 12V. If my V-lock plate isn’t regulated for 12v but my cable powering the Bolex from that plate is regulated 12v, would that be okay ? Or does both need to be 12v regulated. Additionally and most importantly, any tips on rigging a bolex EBM with power + a rec and stop button ? Looking at all the options, but can't find many. Thanks !

HI Simple question (I think): I have a Bolex REX 4. I have a Sekonic L-398A light metre. I use the Cine numbers on the light metre for the reading. But I'm still unsure as to what exposure compensation I should be making from the light reading to the aperture on the camera. Half a stop open? A stop? Thanks for any guidance Jack

Hi all, I wanted to share what I've done with my Bolex EBM regarding the battery and maybe help any other people out there. I've done a lot of searching online, but I realised I would love to power it from a V lock type battery, for ease of use. I purchased a SmallRig battery plate (SmallRig Battery Adapter Plate 3204). I went for this one as it wasn't too expensive and after sending them an email, confirmed that the outputs on the plate are regulated (as the Bolex EBM requires 12V). Another benefit of this plate is that it has a power button, meaning the you don't need to get a cable with a switch to power on/off the camera. The button makes it much cleaner too. The plate was screwed on the back of the camera. This required a bit of modding and making the existing holes on the back of the camera a bit bigger (took me 3 minutes to do this). I made a custom cable, using a simple 5.5mm x 2.5mm DC barrel plug, and a Amphenol Tuchel connector (T 3475 005). Pin 3 is +12V and pin 4 is ground. This connector is really well made and fits perfectly with the camera, worth it in my opinion. Once the cable was made, I simply plugged it into the 12V output on the plate, and the camera works perfectly. Currently I'm planning on adding a small monitor and a small video assist as well, which will both be powered from the 12V outputs on the battery itself with a Dtap cable. The only drawback with this method is that you in reality need to use a video tap, as the viewfinder is blocked by the battery/plate. With a smaller plate and battery, it could have probably been avoided. So far I'm quite happy with this setup!

Hello all, I've got a dour situation on my hands with my new Bolex H16. Not sure which model exactly - it's an eBay find - but it has a variable shutter so I think it's an Rx2. It was running fine this evening as I was putting my first roll through. I wanted to try to do a double exposure and rewound the camera a few feet. Then when I re-engaged the motor I heard an unnatural noise. Suffice to say, that motor isn't running any more. I've removed the film - there didn't seem to be any jams. I've tried single frame and slow-speed continuous running but neither have engaged the motor. The crank is tight, like it has a full wind, but won't move in either direction when engaged. And the rewind works... in both directions. Does this sound like a spring problem? Any other ideas? This is my first Bolex and I might have gotten to antsy to try out its special effects...

I recently purchased a Kern Switar 10mm f1.4 lens, which appears to be in good condition, for use on my Bolex EBM with a c mount adapter. However, when mounting this lens I encountered a strange problem where it would only focus at extremely close distances and leaves the rest out of focus. Seems like this lens is not in such great shape after all but wondering if anyone knows a fix? Thanks for any help!

Hi fellow cinematographers, I'm looking for the (somewhat hard to find) 26mm Kern Switar Preset lens in the final black version with multicoated glass. I need the optics to be in a good shape but body doesn't matter that much. I desperately need to complete my lens set. I'm looking for anyone that has this lens but I'd prefer to buy from someone in Europe/EU (that would be perfect!) or the UK. But I'm open to discussing importing it from US as well. Please message me here on the forums so we can eventually discuss the sale in more detail. Thank you very much for any leads on this! Marek

Hello, I recently found my grandpa's old Bolex 480 macrozoom super 8 camera, which I want to test out to see if it works, however it seems like the battery holder was lost. I am trying to look for a spare but I am finding it really hard to find any spare battery compartments of this specific camera, so I was wondering if I could use battery compartments from similar models? Any advice on how to find a new batter compartment is greatly appreciated!

FOR SALE: I am am hoping to sell this all as a kit and am hoping to get $3500 USD. I am selling the following: -Bolex H16 Rex 5 w/ 10x viewfinder. The camera was just CLA’d by Abdul at Cinerepair and has a brand new govenor. It runs like a top with a very strong spring. It is in excellent condition. -Kern Vario Switar 16-100 POE f/1.9 C Mount Lens. glass is very clean. Zoom, aperture, and focus are all smooth -SOM Berthiot 10mm Cinor f/1.9 for Bolex RX -Bolex 400ft magazine with torque motor and roller bearings -Sekonic Studio Deluxe 2 analog incident meter If interested, please send me a DM. I can provide pictures and video. I can piece out items if needed. Because of the cost, I am only shipping this kit in the US. I am only accepting PayPal at the moment.

Made a reel out of all the concert footage I shot in 2023. The super 8 footage was shot on a Beaulieu 4008 ZMII and the 16mm was shot on a Bolex H16. https://youtu.be/WgHjehnVAkA?si=BnNhBzU_E0mt8ZBW

Hello Everyone, Well last year I was selling a bunch of gear before moving to South America. Some of it never sold and I'm back in the States for a short visit and still need to go ahead and try to get rid of it instead of letting it sit in my storage unit. I need to have all this sold before May 12th. I've tried to price them as low as I can to get rid of them quickly. There is some wiggle room for some of the more expensive items. Reasonable deals can be made if buying several items. There are no shipping costs for local pickup in Valrico, Florida. Arriflex 16SR + Accessories - $800 + $50 shipping It works fine and it works great with the blimp below. I bought this used from a dealer. The viewfinder is clear with no yellowing. The camera runs smoothly. 1 - Arriflex 16SR 16mm motion picture camera 1 - Eyepiece with eye cup 2 - 400' cartridges 1 - Battery Adapter 1 - Power cable 1 - Power adapter for plugging the camera into an outlet, NO LENSES ARE INCLUDED. ARRI BAYONET MOUNT. THIS IS NOT A SUPER 16 CAMERA. Arri Talbot SR Sound Blimp - $400 + $50 shipping 1 - Arri Talbot SR Sound Blimp with connector cables inside I'm selling a very unique Arri Talbot Sound Blimp for the Arriflex 16SR camera. It reduces the noise level to absolute ZERO! When the camera is inside, you plug in the wires and you are able to completely control the camera from the buttons on the outside of the blimp. The blimp also has rails on the front. I've never seen one of these anywhere else. It's extremely heavy so you'll have to use it on a heavy duty tripod. If you want to buy the Arriflex SR16 and the Sound Blimp together - $1000 + $100 shipping https://www.etsy.com/listing/195118392/arriflex-16mm-film-camera-sale-arri I also have some items for the Bolex Rex5 & Rex4: Bolex Rex 5 Film Magazines - $250 + $40 for shipping You can own two film magazines for your Bolex Rex 5 including a leather sound cover and vintage carrying case today! These film magazines allow you to use 400' rolls of 16mm film with your Bolex Rex 5. They are in good condition and work great. *Note the grey & color cards and scrims in the pictures are not included. https://www.etsy.com/listing/287265553/bolex-film-magazines-sale-16mm-film Sound Blimp for a Bolex Rex 4 - $200 + $40 shipping You can own a custom made sound blimp for your Bolex Rex 4 today! It reduces the noise made by the Rex 4 to near zero. There is a non-crystal sync motor inside that works. Only a Bolex Rex 4 will fit inside this housing. A replacement rubber collar is needed for the power cable to seal it in the opening. Front glass is cracked (not shown in the photos) and will need to be replaced. https://www.etsy.com/listing/273635904/bolex-sound-blimp-sale-custom-16mm-film Shipping costs listed are for buyers in the lower 48 states. I know many of you may be in other countries and as long as we can work out shipping costs, I will ship to most counties if using Etsy to pay. You must cover the full cost of shipping. If in doubt, please ask. Thanks. Shipping for heavy items will be done via Amtrak: Amtrak is a great, safe way to ship heavy items. You can pay by credit card or Paypal through Etsy. If you don't want to pay through Etsy, and you want the item(s) shipped to one of the lower 48 states, I can accept payments via Stripe as well. Billing and shipping addresses must be the same. Please feel free to ask me if you have any questions about any of these items and I will answer as best I can.

Greetings everyone! My name is Derick and I'm new to the forums. I'm a filmmaker based in Philly and I work primarily with super 8 and 16mm film. I recently acquired an Angenieux 12-120mm Type C with the C Mount to use on my Bolex rex 4. Now from my understanding, the type c is made to be RX compatible, which is great. My only question/concern is, all of the images i've seen of this lens online shows the lens with the silver cupped mount with the engraved 'BOLEX RX" or something along those lines. The thing is, mine doesnt have the so called "silver cup" with that engraving. It just seems to be a normal c mount that screws right onto my camera. My question is, is my lens still properly calibrated for the reflex prism although it doesnt have this engraved mount? Were there different variations of the TYPE C lens that were made throughout the years, making mine different but the same as far as collimation? Sorry if this question has been asked before, I just can't seem to find the answer and I dont want to eat up a bunch of film and find out all of the images are soft. Thanks in advance, Derick

Hey guys! I was hoping if any of you kind souls are willing to assist me on this! There's a huge lack of support over here in Singapore so I'm venturing out into the unknown! So I'm currently building a set of 16mm Kern Switars! I have my own set of Bolex H16 Rex 4. From what I understand, I am able to convert the sensor for the H16 Rex 4 from a 16mm sensor size to a Super 16mm sensor size. I'd love to do that! However, may I check if anyone knows this? Will these lenses cover the Super 16mm format? KERN SWITAR RX Primes 10mm H16RX F1.6 KERN SWITAR RX Primes 16mm H16RX F1.8 KERN MACRO-SWITAR RX Primes 26mm H16RX F1.1 KERN MACRO-SWITAR RX Primes 50mm H16RX F1.4 KERN MACRO-SWITAR RX Primes 75mm H16RX F1.9 I'm also on the hunt for a Kern Macro 50mm F1.4 H16RX. So please reach out to me if you're keen on selling ? Really do appreciate it!

Hello Bolex community, I just bought a Bolex H16 Rex 1 camera on Ebay. The seller said it had been last serviced 15 years ago by Super16Inc and last used 12 years ago. The camera looks to be in good condition and the seller said it runs well without film. It came with a pair of Switar lenses: 16mm non RX and 25mm RX. Both appear to be in good condition. I've been researching maintenance and understand that I should have the camera professionally checked out, cleaned,and lubricated after this much time. Being the current caretaker of this fine camera, I want to make sure it's well maintained. I have not attempted to use the camera, but I did finish unwinding the motor and disengaged it. I've read forum posts from many years ago about CLA recommendations, but several repair people have since retired. Can someone please suggest a good place to send my camera these days? David

After years of B&W still photography I wandered into the "movies" two years ago and am loving the new craft of regular 8mm and DS8 exclusively shooting fomapan r-100. I am well aware of the extraordinary reputation of the Bolex H16 and am hoping to learn if everything that makes the H16 a great series of cameras (build, registration, reliability, longevity) are built into the H8 series as well. I don't need a reflex. I don't need sound. I currently shoot with Quarz DS8's (2x8s 1M and ds8-3) and don't mind the smaller format of regular 8. I like the Meteor lenses but am really looking forward to using the dedicated Bolex lenses. Thanks in advance and apologies if I haven't found an existing thread.https://vimeo.com/770504716

Hello all! A few weeks ago, I put my first test roll through my new Bolex EBM camera. Unfortunately, it turned out the shutter and claw system were completely out of sync. I took it upon myself to do the repair as I couldn't not afford to send it for a general overhaul and fix abroad. I've spent many weeks going through the repair manual and reading plenty of helpful posts on this forum, to understand how the system operates before I even try to disassemble it. I got the right tools and after some time, I think I've managed to perfect it. Here are links to some slow mo footage of film passing through the system: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1zNsxUi_lp0 (the first second when the film is passing through the gate, you can see the film move as the shutter is open, but that's only as the film is not yet engaged with the sprockets and claws, once it engages, it seems to properly stabilise). https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jiuQj3iaar8 I was wondering does this now seem to be properly in sync? Obviously I'll have to have another test roll shot and developed before any conclusions but I was wondering what's your opinion just by looking at the footage above. Many Thanks!

Hi folks, Probably a dumb question, but thought I'd ask... Is it normal for the H16 shutter to stop in a slightly open position? The camera runs and advances film smoothly, but it always stops with the shutter slightly open (see pic). This is an older H16 Reflex, without the variable shutter. I suspect it has been mistimed by a previous owner, but I'm new to Bolex. Appreciate any insight from experienced users. Tom

Hello everyone, i recently acquired a bolex H16 rex-5 that is in need of some servicing. I reached out to Jean- Louis Segin in hopes he could do it but unfortunately is no longer taking on new clients. He did however refer me to another technician in Ontario. Has anyone had any work done by TJ Ediger?

I really haven't seen much 16mm Ektachrome footage out in the world so I wanted to share this film I shot earlier this year. Filmed in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in the Summer of 2022. Shot on a Bolex Rex 5 with turret mounted 10mm, 25mm, and 75mm Kern-Switar lenses. I lugged around a 15lb pelican case in on the week-long ~25mi canoe trip in the deep backwoods of northern MN so some of the shots are less planned out (and shakier) than others. I need to figure out a lightweight tripod system in the future. Full disclosure I've only shot reversal a handful of times so the exposure was not as tight as it could have been. I shot 5 rolls of fresh Ektachrome 100D (ordered directly from kodak). I metered with my Sekonic L-308B which limited me to incident metering. In the future I'd like to upgrade to a spot meter so I can more accurately meter landscapes. I received a flat raw 6K scan from thenegative.space and did final color in Davinci Resolve. It was an HDR scan (which comes standard now) which gave more dynamic range in the shadows/highlights which is especially useful for reversal. That said, I still probably pushed the film in color a bit more than I would have liked which is why you'll notice more noise on some shots than others. I also lost a bit of resolution in my 4:3 crop to reduce the edge framing. It's all a learning experience! Each new project is an opportunity to learn and grow as an artist.