Visual Products vs Whitehouse

February 22, 2006

I was wondering if any of you had any opinion on which company would be best to rebuild and upgrade my CP-16R to Super 16?

I've never had camera service work done anywhere (I'm a director but new to shooting) and wondered if anyone could comment on their experience with either company.

Thanks,

Ed

Tim Carroll · February 22, 2006

I was wondering if any of you had any opinion on which company would be best to rebuild and upgrade my CP-16R to Super 16?

I've never had camera service work done anywhere (I'm a director but new to shooting) and wondered if anyone could comment on their experience with either company.

Thanks,

Ed

I think they are both really good and doubt that you would have any problems with either of them converting your CP-16R. Have you talked with either or both of them? Have they given you prices? Have you discussed what is involved in the conversion and asked each why you should choose them over the other?

I do not know the CP-16R well, but I own an Arriflex 16SR and when I looked into having it converted to Super 16, I talked with everyone who did the conversions and was surprised how different each place approached the issue. Some changed the mount to PL while others left it Bayonet. Some used a 172 shutter, some modified the 180 shutter, some left the 180 shutter. Many different little things. I would recommend doing the same with your CP-16R conversion.

-Tim

Preston Herrick · February 22, 2006

I originally had Whitehouse overhaul my CP. Paul Hillman at Visual did my conversion. Whitehouse does not do S16 conversions. They're both good companies to deal with. Paul knows his stuff on the conversions (and overhauls for that matter).

Edited February 22, 2006 by PrestonHerrick

Mitch Gross · February 22, 2006

I originally had Whitehouse overhaul my CP. Paul Hillman at Visual did my conversion. Whitehouse does not do S16 conversions. They're both good companies to deal with. Paul knows his stuff on the conversions (and overhauls for that matter).

I don't know if that is still true. You should contact Whitehouse to see what services they do currently perform. I had been misinformed about this in the past and was contacted by the owner of Whitehouse to let me know that they are doing lots of work with the CP-16. Can't recall if conversions were in the mix.

Josh Hill · February 23, 2006

I had Paul Hillman at Visual Products overhaul my CP. He explained to me that he used to work at Whitehouse and is the reason they have the reputation they have with CPs. He also stuck with his estimate even though the work took a couple of more hours than he expected (which would have been a couple hundred more dollars).

I will without a doubt recommend Visual Products. They were great to work with and charged less than Whitehouse estimated. Paul Hillman knows exactly what he is doing (and he has people who special make some various parts for the CP like some gears, etc. to his specifications).

Also, I just shot my first footage with my CP and it was great. No smearing (butterfly shutter) or anything.