Luigi Castellitto Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 Does anyone know the "Soviet Eyemo", the KS-50B (КС 50Б)? Or old KS-1, AKS-1 and similar models. If you find one for good price (less than Eyemo, otherwise it does not make sense), can them be good camera? Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Fischer Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 (edited) Ciao Luigi Inside it is the same camera, except the connection to the spring. The Russians made a little improvement, on the Russian Eyemo it is much easier to take out the mechanics in complete without taking the risk to get the spring out. It is very easy to clean and service inside. The parts inside are 90% identical to the US Eyemo. It looks like it was made in license by Bell & Howell. Both run the same way. The Russian one just counts in meters not in feet. I have a complete serviced one with new military paint on it. Converted to M42 Pentax Mount. Including 3 viewfinder lens. 25mm 50mm 75mm If you are interested, I would sell it for 375.00 euro plus shipping Im in Germany By the way, I have 10 years experience in service and repair Eyemo cameras. Well adjusted, checked for flange focal distance and speed, this nice little cameras run very nice Edited February 27, 2019 by Stefan Fischer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Will Montgomery Posted February 27, 2019 Premium Member Share Posted February 27, 2019 I have several Steve's Cine modified (motorized) Eyemos that are looking for some service love. Since Steve is retired (don't want to bother him) it would be nice to find someone who services them. Might be expensive to send to Deutschland though... One is in pieces and another may just need a fuse for all I know; just don't have the time to sit down with them unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Martin @ OH Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 it would be nice to find someone who services them. I've had two Eyemos CLA'd by Bernie at Super 16, Inc. Might want to give him a shout ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Fischer Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Sorry, I just can help with the classic spring motor driven ones. The SCS got a lot of complicated electric stuff inside. There is not much left in them of the original mechanics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Will Montgomery Posted February 28, 2019 Premium Member Share Posted February 28, 2019 I've had two Eyemos CLA'd by Bernie at Super 16, Inc. Might want to give him a shout ... Bernie & I go way back. I'll call him, thanks. Sorry, I just can help with the classic spring motor driven ones. The SCS got a lot of complicated electric stuff inside. There is not much left in them of the original mechanics Very true. But so nice not to have to constantly wind them. I do have a spring drive Eyemo that is as reliable as the day it was built. Also would work as an excellent bludgeoning weapon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luigi Castellitto Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 Thanks for the information and the proposal, Stefan. Unfortunately at the moment I don't have that amount, hopefully soon, if you still have the camera available. It's a good and honest price for a 35mm. Returning to its qualities: could it be even better than a Konvas, even if not motorized? It seems very stable, fits good lenses. Konvas, if not well supported, is a bit of an unknown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Will Montgomery Posted March 2, 2019 Premium Member Share Posted March 2, 2019 Returning to its qualities: could it be even better than a Konvas, even if not motorized? It seems very stable, fits good lenses. Konvas, if not well supported, is a bit of an unknown. You're not going to make a feature with an Eyemo...1 minute at a time... They are great for crash cams and something where you don't want to risk a real 35mm movie camera; and perhaps for home movies if you don't mind changing reels constantly. They are not particularly stable compared to any modern (in the last 40 years) camera but not un-stable either. They give a noticeably improved image over 16mm even with cheap lenses. Here's footage from a wind up Eyemo...1080p transfer. Outer edges are extremely soft due to the lens but the center shows more detail than you'd get from 16mm in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Fischer Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 You're not going to make a feature with an Eyemo...1 minute at a time... They are great for crash cams and something where you don't want to risk a real 35mm movie camera; and perhaps for home movies if you don't mind changing reels constantly. They are not particularly stable compared to any modern (in the last 40 years) camera but not un-stable either. They give a noticeably improved image over 16mm even with cheap lenses. Here's footage from a wind up Eyemo...1080p transfer. Outer edges are extremely soft due to the lens but the center shows more detail than you'd get from 16mm in my opinion. https://vimeo.com/16430701 Hi A good Eyemo that has been cleaned oiled and adjusted will make steady movies as good as an Arri 35IIc I have both cameras... very important is to really put the Eyemo in parts and clean each part and all gears of old grease and dirt. I have a few ones here that run super quiet. A speed check of the shutter with an old Strobotac 1531 shows how fantastic stable the speed of the camera is. Wind it after every shot. About film length, many Eyemo have a slot to attach a 200ft, 400ft or 1000ft mag and also electric drive. There are movies that have been filmed with an Eyemo as only camera, for example: Air Force (1943) About lenses: look for a good General Scientific Eyemo lens or just use a M42 adapter and put a nice Pentax lens on it, like a super takumar, you will be surprised how sharp it will look. In my opinion, to say that the Eyemo is only usable as stunt or crash camera does injustice to this nice camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanislav Schubert Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 (edited) Bell&Howell Eyemo (KS-50B) field tests and war review. Shot on Tasma AeroPhoto film stocks. 2019. Reel like World War II Edited March 6, 2019 by Stanislav Schubert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanislav Schubert Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 Bell&Howell Eyemo (KS-50B) field tests and war shoot review. Shot on Tasma AeroPhoto film stocks. Camera and image like World War II. February 2019. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Will Montgomery Posted March 7, 2019 Premium Member Share Posted March 7, 2019 Hi A good Eyemo that has been cleaned oiled and adjusted will make steady movies as good as an Arri 35IIc I have both cameras... very important is to really put the Eyemo in parts and clean each part and all gears of old grease and dirt. I have a few ones here that run super quiet. A speed check of the shutter with an old Strobotac 1531 shows how fantastic stable the speed of the camera is. Wind it after every shot. About film length, many Eyemo have a slot to attach a 200ft, 400ft or 1000ft mag and also electric drive. There are movies that have been filmed with an Eyemo as only camera, for example: Air Force (1943) About lenses: look for a good General Scientific Eyemo lens or just use a M42 adapter and put a nice Pentax lens on it, like a super takumar, you will be surprised how sharp it will look. In my opinion, to say that the Eyemo is only usable as stunt or crash camera does injustice to this nice camera. If you're a glutton for punishment you can make it work no doubt. Good luck with that. By the time you add everything on to it the cost and the cumbersome-ness would be crazy. Image can be more or less as steady as a 2c maybe, but not a 3 with registration pin. Not saying its a crappy camera (I have 5) just saying it's not what I would shoot a feature with. Would you really debate that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Fischer Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 If you're a glutton for punishment you can make it work no doubt. Good luck with that. By the time you add everything on to it the cost and the cumbersome-ness would be crazy. Image can be more or less as steady as a 2c maybe, but not a 3 with registration pin. Not saying its a crappy camera (I have 5) just saying it's not what I would shoot a feature with. Would you really debate that? Sorry Will I didnt want to offend you. Just wanted to show that it is possible to use it for more than as a crash cam. But yes, of course a pin registered camera will make much steadier movies. But if someone is looking for a nice 35mm camera to travel or film your kids and family on holidays, I think the very small Eyemo is the weapon of choice ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon O'Brien Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 (edited) Can I jump in here. Just how steady are these non pin-registered 35 mm cameras? If you were sitting in a theatre watching a movie shot on these cameras, you know, blown up to full, big city movie screen size, how much jitter would you see? I'm guessing it wouldn't be much, because the 2C has been used on major Hollywood films. I mean, Lucas shot the bantha in A New Hope with a 2C - that's a pretty static shot, from memory. Edited March 8, 2019 by Jon O'Brien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanislav Schubert Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 We shooting Russian Eyemo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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