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Anamorphic on Eclair.


Carl Nenzen Loven

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I have already brought this up in the 16mm group, but I need guidance from us Eclair pros.

First.

What are the issues with using Nikon-lenses on the ACL?

Two.

Les Bosher does not speak to me anymore at all, so is there anyone that knows where I could get one, or that could offer to contact him to buy one for me?

Three.

I am going to use the lenses with a Panasonic AG-LA7200 adapter, to get the wider anamorphic look of the footage. I know flares will not be the same but I want the width more. I have seen it being used with Nikon lenses on the BlackMagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera, and that has the exact same sensor size as Super 16 film. But despite this, what could be some of my problems? (

- Video shot with this combination)

//C
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  • 2 weeks later...

I've actually got a Nikon to ACL adapter, so they did make them.

 

I'd keep an eye on ebay, a decent looking ACL kit just sold today for like $550.

 

If the sensor sizes are the same, you should get very similar results, so if it works on the BMPCC, I can't think of a reason it wouldn't on a super16 ACL, other than lens mounting or possibly backfocus issues.

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  • 3 months later...

Carl, it's been a while since you got the ACL. What have you been shooting? It looks like a lot of your time with it is spent problem-solving, do you regret your purchase?

 

I'm interested in shooting anamorphic on the NPR. Did you figure out how to do it on the ACL?

Never. I love the camera. Maybe I wish it run a bit quieter to be sound sync. But it has performed well. I've only shoot 1800 ft since I got it though. But planning to shoot a larger think in a few weeks.

 

 

And to answer you, yes. I finally got hold on the adapter, and the seller is shipping it next week. If it works out I'll have some amazing anamorphic footage to show.

 

C

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  • 1 month later...

Never. I love the camera. Maybe I wish it run a bit quieter to be sound sync. But it has performed well. I've only shoot 1800 ft since I got it though. But planning to shoot a larger think in a few weeks.

 

 

And to answer you, yes. I finally got hold on the adapter, and the seller is shipping it next week. If it works out I'll have some amazing anamorphic footage to show.

 

C

 

How'd it go?

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The film waffles between the gate and the pressure plate causing momentary softness of image. No I don't know why that happens. There's examples on Youtube if I remember correctly.

I don't mean to be a stickler for terms but breathe isn't that just referred to the lens?

 

The other is just known as a faulty, or bad pressure plate?

 

And to answer your question, no. Never. However my camera has been taken care of Bernie O'Dohorety so it is happy as one can be. I imagine this is only happening to english mags.

 

Throw and email away to Super16inc and see what he says. I have never heard of it.

 

C

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I've never heard of this "breathing" thing. Is there some evidence or an opinion trail that one can look at....?

Secondly, what is this negative slight against English mags that keeps coming up. They are very well designed and built. I don't think the standard there is any less than the French ones. The only qualification one could legitimately make is that the design sophistication resulted in more parts, more complexity. But those extra things were very well designed and built. The current draw with an English 400' mag is very low, under 1A at 24fps.

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The film waffles between the gate and the pressure plate causing momentary softness of image. No I don't know why that happens. There's examples on Youtube if I remember correctly.

 

Is there any evidence of this at all, or a reference to someone observing it or having an opinion about it. I've never heard of it and my guess is that this is fiction.

 

So, I guess, moving on from "breathing" and now considering flicker problems....The flicker problem in the video you reference is particular to a camera of Heiki's that was converted to S16, with a machining error that made a hole that gave an intermittent light leak.

 

The problem refered to in that article with the early motors on the ACL causing flicker due to hunting between poles, I never observed over several years of regular use. Previously, when peoples were discussing flicker problems, forum member Dirk DeJonghe recollected that an old or worn rubber drive coupling could somehow cause a "flicker" effect. That puzzled me actually, trying to figure out how, but you have to respect what seem to be simple factual things...

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I followed the videos and it ultimately led to this. https://eclaircameras.wordpress.com/acl-flicker-problem/

 

Edited to add: Hey I see you in the comments, Gregg.

 

I have never heard of this breathing you speak of. And not seen it on any of the eclairs I have operated.

 

 

Is there any evidence of this at all, or a reference to someone observing it or having an opinion about it. I've never heard of it and my guess is that this is fiction.

 

So, I guess, moving on from "breathing" and now considering flicker problems....The flicker problem in the video you reference is particular to a camera of Heiki's that was converted to S16, with a machining error that made a hole that gave an intermittent light leak.

 

The problem refered to in that article with the early motors on the ACL causing flicker due to hunting between poles, I never observed over several years of regular use. Previously, when peoples were discussing flicker problems, forum member Dirk DeJonghe recollected that an old or worn rubber drive coupling could somehow cause a "flicker" effect. That puzzled me actually, trying to figure out how, but you have to respect what seem to be simple factual things...

This was a result of conversions done by Les Bosher mainly. He is not really reliable when it comes to Eclairs at least, despite being the only repairman in europe.

 

The light leak was a temporary issue with the ones he had converted, otherwise, not an issue at at. The flicker come sometimes occur when the 144 degree shutter was not installed either, or timed correctly.

 

As for english mags, I have never used them. But I have only heard that the few repairmen around will not touch english mags because they are so....unreliable?

 

C

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Is there any evidence of this at all, or a reference to someone observing it or having an opinion about it. I've never heard of it and my guess is that this is fiction.

 

I suppose I could hunt down the trails, yes, just not now as I'm off to sleep. But ironically it was a man named Martin Hill who first told me about this, and in fact why I chose the NPR over the ACL back in '89. He was a collector, I guess you could say. He also had an odd theory about fruit flies but that's another story. Anyway, ever since that meeting with Mr. Hill I started observing films shot on the ACL to see if it appeared and every now and then it would get commented on the internet. That and some flicker issues.

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I have never heard of this breathing you speak of. And not seen it on any of the eclairs I have operated.

 

This was a result of conversions done by Les Bosher mainly. He is not really reliable when it comes to Eclairs at least, despite being the only repairman in europe.

 

The light leak was a temporary issue with the ones he had converted, otherwise, not an issue at at. The flicker come sometimes occur when the 144 degree shutter was not installed either, or timed correctly.

 

As for english mags, I have never used them. But I have only heard that the few repairmen around will not touch english mags because they are so....unreliable?

 

C

 

Carl,

 

Would you mind elaborating on what went on between you and Mr. Bosher? My understanding is that he will no longer speak to you. I was going to get him to service a camera, but I'm most curious to hear your experience before I go forward.

 

I'm happy to hear yours is worked on by Bernie, that amazingly kind Irishman. Blessed be, him.

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Carl,

 

Would you mind elaborating on what went on between you and Mr. Bosher? My understanding is that he will no longer speak to you. I was going to get him to service a camera, but I'm most curious to hear your experience before I go forward.

 

I'm happy to hear yours is worked on by Bernie, that amazingly kind Irishman. Blessed be, him.

 

Well, it isn't really that complicated.

 

He converted a ACL 1.5 to a Super 16 a couple of years ago, but forgot to adjust the shutter. Now the guy I bought the camera from, a man named Volker in Germany, was a very nice man. He even agreed sending it in to Les for another service before I he sent it to me.

 

But when the camera arrived from Bosher, no CLA had been done, nor had he corrected the timing of the camera, or fixed the shutter (Volker did not know of the shutter issue since he screened prints just, never did telecine where the flickering is very obvious unlike prints)

 

I was trying to figuring out was wrong, while using whatever small resources that still existed online. When I eventually found out the “mistake” Mr.Bosher had done, I asked that the seller contacted him as well as me. But he ignored both me and him (he had replied to earlier emails in my troubleshooting stages). Ever since I have at least not recommended him to anyone else.

 

Bernie might have charged me for the repairs that Bosher didn't do, but now my camera works perfectly fine, and all mags run smooth as they should. Mr. Bosher does not seem to care about reputation, nor customer contact/service. So that was it for me.

 

C

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I have seen the mentioned "breathing" issue only in some of my super-8 films, never on anything I have shot with my ACL.

 

As for flicker, I had a hole in my lens mount. It was fixed by Bernie. I occasionally do still get flicker when strong light comes in from a certain direction and then apparently gets reflected inside the camera. This is a flaw related to the mirror design, one that I'm ready to live with since the same design allows one to use C-mount lenses on this camera.

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.... Les Bosher ...... the only repairman in europe.

 

 

Carl, I think there are one or two real experts in servicing ACL, in Europe (Switzerland..?). When these people are identified we need to hang on to the contact data and share it.....We should have a rummage and see what we all come up with...

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