Bolex AR vs. RX Lenses

[Don Cole]

So I recently bought my first Bolex off ebay and it just arrived. The person who sold me the camera also sold 3 Kern-Paillard lenses at the exact same time, so I assumed they were from the camera but they separated them so that they could make more by selling them individually, so I bought two of them. One arrived today along with the camera, a Switar 1:1.4 25mm lens. What I didn't realize until after I bought it, though, is that it is an AR lens, while my camera is a reflex. Still, I didn't think it would be a big problem. However, while it is a C-mount lens, the end part is too long and so the lens won't screw fully into the camera. So is there some kind of adapter to fix this? Or is my only option to sell this lens and get another?

[Simon Wyss]

You cannot use this lens on your camera. You’d need a negative-space adapter which doesn’t exist. ?

Two options: 1. Sell lens and find RX ones for the camera. 2. Sell camera and stay with the many regular C-mount optics. Non-reflex Paillard-Bolex H cameras offer almost the same number of mechanical features* and possibilities as the reflex models together with a critical focuser that you only have to get used to. It works even better than the reflex system because it makes use of 100 percent of the light compared to about 20 percent with the RX prisms system. I’d recommend a late H-16 with big base and 1-1 drive shaft. It accepts the Electric Synchronous Motor ESM with crystal control.

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*Difference is the fixed shutter.

 

 

[simon drescher]

On 10/16/2019 at 8:22 AM, Simon Wyss said:

You cannot use this lens on your camera. You’d need a negative-space adapter which doesn’t exist. ?

Two options: 1. Sell lens and find RX ones for the camera. 2. Sell camera and stay with the many regular C-mount optics. Non-reflex Paillard-Bolex H cameras offer almost the same number of mechanical features* and possibilities as the reflex models together with a critical focuser that you only have to get used to. It works even better than the reflex system because it makes use of 100 percent of the light compared to about 20 percent with the RX prisms system. I’d recommend a late H-16 with big base and 1-1 drive shaft. It accepts the Electric Synchronous Motor ESM with crystal control.

_______________________________

*Difference is the fixed shutter.

 

 

I made the same mistake - bought a Bolex H16 reflex with 3 lenses which turned out to be non reflex lenses.
But I´m confused, because the lenses can be screwed all the way in easily. So maybe I am able to use them? 
Also I found this article saying that using AT-lenses on a reflex camera is not a big problem: http://bolexh16user.net/H16Lenses.htm 
I just want to double-check before selling the camera again - actually I want to keep it and start shooting.

thanks a lot in advance, best regards

simon