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Modern day S16mm camera design (K-3)


Cale Boys

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There's been multiple topics about designing a modern day S16mm camera and the cost/efforts. Tyler made a point that there shouldn't be a completely knew one but rather modify already existed versions out there. 

I don' t know this person and I assume they're not on this group either,  but this film maker/engineer in Russia is taking the K-3 and completely making it into a modern day run and gun S16mm camera. There's talks a motor is coming soon to the design. You can check his instagram out and see the video assit in action 

All images can be found here: https://imgur.com/a/LXjFUl1

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forum member Max Ivanov has presented some K3 modifications and ideas. I don't know if he is the same person you are talking about but there definitely is some interest in modified K3 cameras among hobbyists. For example this guy seems to sell pretty much everything he has time to modify (33 cameras sold already)  https://www.ebay.com/itm/16-9-vignette-SUPER-16-CONVERTED-Krasnogorsk-3-K-3-US-Movie-k3super16m-CLA-EXC/154009278529?hash=item23dbab1841:g:MogAAOSwuwdfea~N  

 

The challenge with Krasnogorsk cameras is that they are really not meant to be run with electric motors and the internal gears are pretty noisy. Making completely new internal drive system would be way too much work and expense (lots of custom gears and axles and bearings and fittings would need to be done. Not worth it by my opinion) .  One can definitely make them run in Crystal Sync but they are impractical for most uses the crystal sync is needed for and the shutter angle would still be a pain even for MOS uses (still getting flicker even if the motor would be in sync) . Additionally the bearings of the camera are not that high quality and one would need to lubricate it very often if shooting a feature film with it I think. 

Everything can be done no problem but because of the limitations of the original K3 design there is only limited amount of uses for the camera in the end which also limits its sales price. And that limits what can be done to it because one would purchase a better camera if the perfectly modified K3 would be too expensive. I think the system limits itself to somewhere between 550 and 800 USD even if it had every and all possible updates and features one could dream about. Going over 1K and no one would buy it. 

 

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