removing Beaulieu "Reglomatic" from Optivaron 6/66.

[Benjamin Coppens]

Hello everybody,

 

I've just purchased a Beaulieu Schneider K. "Optivaron" 6/66 to use on my Fujica ZC1000.

Is it possible to remove the "Reglomatic"(servo-motor) from the lens?

I don't need it and also want to do it for aesthetic reasons!

 

I didn't received the lens yet so I'm not familiar with it's construction.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Benjamin.

[Joe Uman]

Just unscrew it.

[Benjamin Coppens]

Just unscrew it.

 

Thanks Joe,

 

Will the Reglomatic reveal a gap in the lens like with removing the Leicinamatic from the Leitz Optivaron?

 

 

Cheers!

 

Benjamin.

[chuck colburn]

Thanks Joe,

 

Will the Reglomatic reveal a gap in the lens like with removing the Leicinamatic from the Leitz Optivaron?

 

 

Cheers!

 

Benjamin.

 

Yes it will. A little opening where the gear drive meshes and a couple of screw holes. I'm pretty sure the Optivaron was made by Schneider.

[Joe Uman]

Thanks Joe,

 

Will the Reglomatic reveal a gap in the lens like with removing the Leicinamatic from the Leitz Optivaron?

 

 

Cheers!

 

Benjamin.

 

Yes, it's the same lens.

[andy oliver]

hi optivaron was made by schneider, read somewhere extra elements were added by leitz to perfect the already perfect lens.

As for the 6-66 on your zc1000, although the lens will fit, the images may lack sharpness, especially at the 6mm end of the zoom with an f1.8 iris. The 6-66 was set up for a beaulieu camera, not a fuji, the back focus will be different, my advice is to have the 6-66 lens correctly adjusted to your zc1000, something only a specialist can acheive....

[Benjamin Coppens]

hi optivaron was made by schneider, read somewhere extra elements were added by leitz to perfect the already perfect lens.

As for the 6-66 on your zc1000, although the lens will fit, the images may lack sharpness, especially at the 6mm end of the zoom with an f1.8 iris. The 6-66 was set up for a beaulieu camera, not a fuji, the back focus will be different, my advice is to have the 6-66 lens correctly adjusted to your zc1000, something only a specialist can acheive....

 

 

Thanks Andy,

 

I frequently use my Leitz Optivaron and Cinegon on the Fujica without sharpness problems...I hope it will be the same with the Beaulieu lens!

 

 

Regards,

Benjamin.

[chuck colburn]

Thanks Andy,

 

I frequently use my Leitz Optivaron and Cinegon on the Fujica without sharpness problems...I hope it will be the same with the Beaulieu lens!

 

 

Regards,

Benjamin.

 

If the Fuji camera is standard "C" mount (1" by 32 t.p.i. at .690" flange focale depth) then it should work fine. If you are near an optical repair shop or a motion picture equipment rental house, their lens tech can pop it on their autocollimator to confirm front and back focus.

[Jean-Louis Seguin]

Hello everybody,

 

I've just purchased a Beaulieu Schneider K. "Optivaron" 6/66 to use on my Fujica ZC1000.

Is it possible to remove the "Reglomatic"(servo-motor) from the lens?

I don't need it and also want to do it for aesthetic reasons!

 

I didn't received the lens yet so I'm not familiar with it's construction.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Benjamin.

 

 

 

Hi Benjamin,

 

The servo-motor assembly is attached to the lens via 4 screws located at the base of the servo-motor assembly, close to the lens mount. Loosen all the screws and the whole thing will just slide off.

 

As far as focusing is concerned, the lens will have been collimated to the Beaulieu flange focal depth which is a hair deeper than the true C-mount depth to account for the gelatin filter in the light path. So when you use the lens on your ZC1000, there might be a slight loss of sharpness on the wide end and at fully open aperture. if this is the case, a lens technician could recollimate the lens for you to improve performance.

 

Cheers,

Jean-Louis

[chuck colburn]

Actually behind the lens filter holders (when there is a gel in the holder) increase the flange focale depth "optically" by about 1/3 the thickness of the gelatin filter. This would be appx. .0015". The flange depth of the camera should be adjusted for proper "C" mount depth (.690") with a filter in place. After that a gel should always be used even if it's just a clear one. This is important with those extremly short focale lengths found on super eight zooms. .0015" is a huge back focus error at 6mm.

Edited April 30, 2008 by chuck colburn

[kevin jackman]

like he said, the beaulieu and fujica share the same backfocus distance since they are both c mount. assuming the lens is correctly collimated for c mount you will have no issues.

[Joe Uman]

like he said, the beaulieu and fujica share the same backfocus distance since they are both c mount. assuming the lens is correctly collimated for c mount you will have no issues.

 

 

In my experience they don't, I have owned a 6008S and 7008PRO (without filters) and the c mount lenses I had collimated to them where not in collimation on my Fujica ZC1000. It just happens to be a quirk of beaulieu cameras that they are not exactly c mount standard. It's less notable on wide angle primes so most people don't always notice the softness as much and don't realise how sharp the image should be.

Edited April 30, 2008 by Joe Uman

[andy oliver]

In my experience they don't, I have owned a 6008S and 7008PRO (without filters) and the c mount lenses I had collimated to them where not in collimation on my Fujica ZC1000. It just happens to be a quirk of beaulieu cameras that they are not exactly c mount standard. It's less notable on wide angle primes so most people don't always notice the softness as much and don't realise how sharp the image should be.

 

 

totally agree, you may get lucky, but i too have always had issues regarding sharp images when using different c-mount lenses on the r16, 4008,6008,7008 cameras, each lens must be adjusted to the camera. My advice, get the 6-66 adjusted to the zc1000, otherwise your not benefitting from the great resolving power of the 6-66 lens. Understand that beaulieu cameras were manufactured, then lenses adjusted to the body, i've never successfully interchanged and obtained perfect back with lenses on a beaulieu, ie, swapping lenses over between bodies. Your leicina may be different, as the the leitz QC would have been a lot higher than beaulieus.

[Benjamin Coppens]

Thanks all for your answers and reactions!

 

I'll post my experiences with the lens and cam here for those who are interested...I should have it in a couple of days now.

Maybe I'll even let a technician check the Leitz's for perfect use with the Fuji since I'm not using the Leicina that much anymore. (I had multiple problems with steadyness and cassettes on set!? :blink: )

 

ALSO the Leica-m to C-mount convertor that I'm using on the Fuji is from Beaulieu!

So I guess the convertor was made for using M-lenses on a Beaulieu= not really C-mount. (Alltough I've never noticed sharpness problems with this config...)

 

Am I wright?

 

Greets,

Benjamin.

[chuck colburn]

Thanks all for your answers and reactions!

 

I'll post my experiences with the lens and cam here for those who are interested...I should have it in a couple of days now.

Maybe I'll even let a technician check the Leitz's for perfect use with the Fuji since I'm not using the Leicina that much anymore. (I had multiple problems with steadyness and cassettes on set!? :blink: )

 

ALSO the Leica-m to C-mount convertor that I'm using on the Fuji is from Beaulieu!

So I guess the convertor was made for using M-lenses on a Beaulieu= not really C-mount. (Alltough I've never noticed sharpness problems with this config...)

 

Am I wright?

 

Greets,

Benjamin.

 

Every still camera mount to "C" mount adapter I've seen or checked was assuming a standard .690" "C" mount flange focale depth. I doubt if the Leica to "C" mount adapter is otherwise. Since I would think that the manufacture would want it to work on any "C" mount beit Beaulieu, Eclair, Bell&Howell or whatever.

 

cheers,

 

Chuck

Edited May 1, 2008 by chuck colburn

[Benjamin Coppens]

OK

 

I tested the Beaulieu on my Fujica and it is indeed not calibrated to "normal" c-mount...

So I'll be using the Leitz 6/66...The only problem is the Leicinamatic (servo-motor) who is just in front of the ON button of the Fuji...The use of a cable release is impossible because of that. :(

I've read that removing the Leicinamatic is very tricky and not a good idea.

 

 

Cheers

[Joe Uman]

OK

 

I tested the Beaulieu on my Fujica and it is indeed not calibrated to "normal" c-mount...

So I'll be using the Leitz 6/66...The only problem is the Leicinamatic (servo-motor) who is just in front of the ON button of the Fuji...The use of a cable release is impossible because of that. :(

I've read that removing the Leicinamatic is very tricky and not a good idea.

 

 

Cheers

 

 

The servo-motors should be removed with no problems, it won't effect the mount.

[andy oliver]

Hi, why not have your newly aquired lens adjusted to the correct back focus. Bjorn in Sweden maybe able to help.

[Benjamin Coppens]

hello,

 

Too much trouble in comparison with using my already usable Leitz 6/66.

I just have to remove the Leicinamatic now, another problem...

 

 

Thanks all for your interest.

[Dan Hudgins]

I'm thinking of using a Schneider Optivaron 6-66mm f/1.8 on a KineRAW-S8 2.5K Digital Cinema Camera from http://www.kinefinity.com , it has a C mount with adjustable back focus, so the results should be sharp, but this is the "macro zoom" model Optivaron, so there is a lever that extends through the motor part that has a small plastic button cap on it.

 

Is it possable to remove the motor part on the macro zoom Optivaron 6/66 and still have the macro zoom part lock in place?

 

The Angenieux f/1.2 6-80mm also has "macro" but not with as close focus, but it lacks that macro lever in the back so its motor part somes off easier, so that might be another option.

 

Also I was wondering if the back focus on the Fujica f/1.8 5.5mm for the ZC1000 is the same as the Schneider Optivaron, or if I would need two of the quick change mount rings for the KineRAW-S8 in order to adjust the back-focus (flange to focal distance) for each lens to optimize the sharpness?

 

BTW, does anyone know how the sharpness of the Fujica f/1.8 7.5-75mm for the ZC1000 compaires to the Schneider Optivaron 6-66mm f/1.8, they have the same f/ stop, but the Fujica is electron beam coated, so is its T/ stop faster or something?

[Dan Hudgins]

I posted on my Vimeo page one shot using the Optivaron 6-66mm f/1.8 in one of my previous KineRAW-S8p videos, I just shot a new video using the Angenieux f/1.2 (T/1.4) 6-80mm to compare it with, I must say its simpler to take the zoom and iris motors off the Angenieux lens because on the Optivaron 6-66mm f/1.8 Macro Zoom, the macro lever goes through the support part of its zoom motor attachment, is there a trick for getting the Schneider's motors off without removing the macro lever, and is there a light leak issue after the motor sleave is pulled off? Are there any photos on the internet shoting the steps one by one?

 

The links to the lens test videos are on this post,

 

http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=53059&page=4

 

Its my video market #S1 for the Angenieux test, the Optivaron 6-66mm f/1.8 seems a little sharper dead center but less so more off center, but I need to do some more tests and to compare the Optivaron 6-70 f/1.4 which is not macro like the 6-66mm is.

 

BTW, I was using the sunshade off the Optivaron 6-66mm f/1.8 on the Angenieux 6-80mm f/1.2 because its deaper than the one that came on the Angenieux to reduce flare, you can see that in my profile image. Both of those lenses are 62mm filter thread, but the Angenieux is not macro enough for the Schneider Ultra-Wide III to be focused as far as I can tell so far.

Edited August 23, 2013 by Dan Hudgins

[Dan Hudgins]

The above should say that the Optivaron 6-70mm f/1.4 is not macro at all focal lengths like the Optivaron 6-66mm f/1.8 is, it does do macro at 6mm only for use with the Schneider Ultra-Wide III and wide angle close shots.

[Bengt Freden]

Yes, Dan,

If you remove the Reglomatic control motor housing from the Schneider Macro Optivaron 1.8/6-66mm lens (just unscrew the four little screws, tape them to their respective holes, and very carefully yank the whole thing off backwards). Put it aside in a plastic bag and mark it with the lens serial number. You will then find a small black lever with a rectangular plastic top that is used to engage or disengage the 'Macro' close-focus function. You can turn it sideways by hand. On this particular lens (and also later versions of the 1.9/8-64mm Angénieux zoom lens), you can use any focal length for macro shooting. However, on the 1.4/ 6-70mm Optivaron (which isn't as good as the 6-66), you can only focus in the 'Macro' region at the 6mm wide angle setting.

I have taken off the Reglomatic motors on all my Beaulieu zoom lenses and when I use the big aspherical wide angle attachment lens (which renders the wide angle 6mm to a 4mm), this lever is used for critical focusing at 1 meter - when this is done, the depth of focus reaches almost from the front lens to infinity. This is very close to the normal infinity focus, so it's a bit tricky, because there is a sort of infinity locking groove inside the lens.

Best regards, Bengt F

[Tom Chabbat]

Hello,

I just wanted to add my contribution, I've been in a similar situation, trying to fit an Optivaron on a Fujica, as it is believed to be the best 8mm zoom lens. From what I've seen, re-collimating the lens would not be of any use because the problem does not come from here. The Fujica and the Beaulieu have exactly the same flange depth, and proof is when you exchange Angénieux or Fujinon lenses on both camera there's absolutely no trouble. The Optivaron can't fit because its rear element protrude too far in the mount, and not just by a hair, but by one millimeter. In fact, the Beaulieu have a small recess in its mount to accommodate this lens, where the Fujica have just a straight plan. So I think it's physically impossible to fit the Optivaron, either in C or M mount, because the Fujica wasn't designed to allow it.

 

Best Regards,

Tom

[Jean-Louis Seguin]

Reading back my own reply, I agree that it is wrong. A case of brain fog, I'm afraid.

 

What I should have said is this:

On Beaulieus with the zoom lens, often the lens back focus is a little off to start with, even before removing the gel filters. So once they are removed and the camera's flange focal distance has been reset correctly, many times the lens still needs some tweaking of the back focus.

 

Jean-Louis