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Will mag stripe film ruin my bolex?


Dennis Goble

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Hi Brian

Thanks for the reply.

So you don't think that the mag stripe would be too abrasive?

 

I've had the pressure plate out and looked it over. It really looks nice considering the

age of the camera. 60's I think. Not sure of the metal in the plate. Wonder if it's anodized

aluminum or steel?

 

Well since mag stripe was discontinued quite a while ago I should think that most of this film

is probably fairly old. This is a VNF1 film so it's probably newer than some.

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The mag striped film shouldn't cause any damage to your camera. It was used on a range of 16mm film cameras including the Arri 16 BL.

 

Hm, interesting. My Bolex tech, Roger Sharland, said that my old pressure plate was worn badly and he assumed because they had run lots of mag strip through that camera. So we're not really speaking of damage here, only increased wear.

 

Cheers, Dave

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Thanks Dave. Yes I would suspect it would accelerate the wear. After seeing what audio tape can do to audio heads.

What's wrong with hypothetical's. Isn't everyone here to learn?

 

 

Definitely, the mag stripe will wear down the pressure plate which is made of anodized aluminum. I've seen this countless times. It does not scratch the pressure plate but polishes the anodizing off. I've seen some plates where the anodizing was worn down to the bare aluminum in the area of the stripe.

 

If there are no scratches on your footage and focus looks good across the frame, I'd leave it.

 

Jean-Louis

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Thanks Jean-Louis

 

Can you get new pressure plates? If so how much do they cost?

 

Are there other areas in the camera that will have increased wear because of mag stripe?

 

 

 

Last time I ordered new plates (back in 2002) they were 120 CHF (approx. 105 USD)

For current prices, contact Bolex.

 

The mag stripe will not cause problems anywhere else.

 

Jean-Louis

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Thanks Jean-Louis

 

Can you get new pressure plates? If so how much do they cost?

 

Are there other areas in the camera that will have increased wear because of mag stripe?

 

Having used mag stripe film stock in a Bolex and an Arri 16 ST many years ago, unless you're planning to shoot large quantities, I shouldn't worry that much.

 

That VNF mag stripe stock must be twenty years old because news crews went over to ENG by the mid 1980s and they were the only people using the stuff. Unless you're shooting a test for amusement or to see the effect I'd tend to dump the mag stripe stock.

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Definitely, the mag stripe will wear down the pressure plate which is made of anodized aluminum. I've seen this countless times.

 

 

Ditto.

 

I have one here but no digicam to show you - about 10,000' of Plus X has been past it

 

The cost of a new pressure plate is the cost of a secondhand Bolex J which is usually less than $100US - everyone I have bought thus far has had a pristine plate ...

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Wow, 10,000 feet? And that was all mag stripe?

Can you put the pressure plate on a scanner? I would love to see it.

Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

Ditto.

 

I have one here but no digicam to show you - about 10,000' of Plus X has been past it

 

The cost of a new pressure plate is the cost of a secondhand Bolex J which is usually less than $100US - everyone I have bought thus far has had a pristine plate ...

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  • 2 weeks later...
Wow, 10,000 feet? And that was all mag stripe?

Can you put the pressure plate on a scanner? I would love to see it.

Thanks

 

Yeh, I've got heaps of it - anther beer fridge filled with the stuff ;)

 

Um, no scanner here sorry - just the black has worn off a little revealing the metal within - its still smooth to the touch, I don't use it for my super16 Bolexes tho

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