Adapting lens for Eclair NPR

Raymond Zrike · January 23, 2020

I’m soon going to buy an Eclair NPR, but I want to confirm first: can modern lens mounts be adapted to c-mount? There are a lot of adapters available (like this one: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/577757-REG/bower_va304_c_mount_for_nikon.html), but most forum threads I’ve seen insist on getting the cameflex mount changed to PL instead of adapting lenses to the c-mount. Is the c-mount too weak to hold non-16mm lenses? Does it not accommodate enough space for other mounts?

Gregg MacPherson · January 23, 2020

If you really want versatility with the type of lens mounts on a 16/S16 camera have a look at ACL. It's a strong, stiff, accurate system. Camera kits often came with a range of factory lens port adapters. Arri-S, B, CA-1, Nikon.

The "adapters" just screw onto the large diameter of the ACLs TS mount, which is in plane with the C mount in the centre.

Later people made PL. Less Bosher can make a mount for almost anything to fit the ACL.

Buying a kit with all the adapters you needed used to be the best way, but the market has slowed as prices and optimism has rebounded. So harder to find.

Dom Jaeger · January 24, 2020

2 hours ago, Raymond Zrike said:

I’m soon going to buy an Eclair NPR, but I want to confirm first: can modern lens mounts be adapted to c-mount? There are a lot of adapters available (like this one: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/577757-REG/bower_va304_c_mount_for_nikon.html), but most forum threads I’ve seen insist on getting the cameflex mount changed to PL instead of adapting lenses to the c-mount. Is the c-mount too weak to hold non-16mm lenses? Does it not accommodate enough space for other mounts?

As Greg mentioned, the intermediate mount on ACLs is much better suited to adapt to all manner of lens mounts. It was so sturdy and accurate that Chrosziel used it on their early lens test projectors to adapt to various mounts for lens technicians like myself to test lenses.

The problem with adapting to C mount is that as well as being a bit flimsy for heavy lenses, it has no locking mechanism, so a lens with a tight focus ring might unscrew from the mount when you try to focus. You would probably be OK with lightweight primes that are not overly stiff though.

Gregg MacPherson · January 24, 2020

Just while we were complaining that camera kits were getting more scarce, one poppd up on the forum. Good price if it has been serviced by Bernie O. Not sure what has happened to the formatting/coding on the forum, I just wanted to paste a link to another post, but the whole post was dropped here instead.

Raymond Zrike · January 24, 2020

Thanks for all the replies! Little late to respond since I can’t seem to get email notifications from this forum... I’ll figure it out eventually.

Since it appears NPRs are more plentiful than ACLs, I was hoping the mount of the former would be alright, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Luckily, as Gregg mentioned, somebody just posted about selling an ACL, hours after my original post; not sure if it’s fate or a conspiracy. Either way, hope it pans out.

Gregg MacPherson · January 24, 2020

If I follow a topic I get notified. Follow menue, look for the button to the right of the topic title. There's also a "notify me of replies" button at the bottom left of the field where you type replies.