Eclair ACL mags, loads, winds, etc.

Darren F · September 24, 2005

Ok so I've read what I could find searching through the site about all these ACL issues.

I'm a Bolex Rx5 owner and the recent purchaser of an Eclair ACL. It has a 400 ft. English mag and a 200 ft. French mag. I've shot and tested with the 400 ft. mag and all is well. Steady registration, no scratches, the camera runs quiet, etc. I'm using my prime lenses I know and trust from the Bolex.

Obviously it would be a great help to have two working mags. So I've engaged in the experiments so colorfully discussed in previous threads. Basically, I bought a couple of the A-Minima loads, popped off the flanges and loaded them into my 200 ft. mag. I shot the film and the camera operates smoothly, quietly, leaves no dust or any other evidence of a problem. I haven't developed the film yet, but so far everything looks good.

I'm not sure what the controversy is at this point, but I think the previous threads have perhaps scared off some people from trying this.

I'm also interested in the issue of the ACL being able to use film of either wind. Obviously, since the 400 ft mag accepts b-wind and it's easy to get, no problems there. The issue is with the 200 ft. mag and the a-wind film. So far it's working to use the A-minima loads, but what about a b-wind 100 ft. load. For flexiblity, that would help me. I think I saw a picture in a ACL manual that had a clockwise spinning load in the feed side of the 200 ft. French mag. (is that clear? diagrams would help.)

Looking at the 200 ft. mag the feed side spindle rotates easily in both directions. Since the drive seems to engage from the take up side, it looks like the b-wind film should rotate off the spindle without any difficulty. The film path looks a bit awkward to me though, with the film bending back at a fairly sharp angle. Has anyone tried this?

The b-wind film, threaded through the French 200 ft. mag, looks as though it would take up emulsion out, and therefore be wound against it's original curve. Other than informing the lab that the film is on a 100 ft. spool emulsion out, are there any problems with this?

I look forward to your responses.

Darren

Dimitrios Koukas · September 24, 2005

Ok so I've read what I could find searching through the site about all these ACL issues.

I'm a Bolex Rx5 owner and the recent purchaser of an Eclair ACL. It has a 400 ft. English mag and a 200 ft. French mag. I've shot and tested with the 400 ft. mag and all is well. Steady registration, no scratches, the camera runs quiet, etc. I'm using my prime lenses I know and trust from the Bolex.

Obviously it would be a great help to have two working mags. So I've engaged in the experiments so colorfully discussed in previous threads. Basically, I bought a couple of the A-Minima loads, popped off the flanges and loaded them into my 200 ft. mag. I shot the film and the camera operates smoothly, quietly, leaves no dust or any other evidence of a problem. I haven't developed the film yet, but so far everything looks good.

I'm not sure what the controversy is at this point, but I think the previous threads have perhaps scared off some people from trying this.

I'm also interested in the issue of the ACL being able to use film of either wind. Obviously, since the 400 ft mag accepts b-wind and it's easy to get, no problems there. The issue is with the 200 ft. mag and the a-wind film. So far it's working to use the A-minima loads, but what about a b-wind 100 ft. load. For flexiblity, that would help me. I think I saw a picture in a ACL manual that had a clockwise spinning load in the feed side of the 200 ft. French mag. (is that clear? diagrams would help.)

Looking at the 200 ft. mag the feed side spindle rotates easily in both directions. Since the drive seems to engage from the take up side, it looks like the b-wind film should rotate off the spindle without any difficulty. The film path looks a bit awkward to me though, with the film bending back at a fairly sharp angle. Has anyone tried this?

The b-wind film, threaded through the French 200 ft. mag, looks as though it would take up emulsion out, and therefore be wound against it's original curve. Other than informing the lab that the film is on a 100 ft. spool emulsion out, are there any problems with this?

I look forward to your responses.

Darren

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Darren,

A-wind is intended for making contact prints in the laboratory and is not for camera use.B-wind is intended for use as camera stock, and also for making optical prints in the laboratory.

With the emulsion facing the camera aperture,only B-wind film will fit single-pulldown-claw cameras.

Do u have any thoughts of using A-wind film for shooting and why?

Dimitrios Koukas

Darren F · September 25, 2005

Darren,
A-wind is intended for making contact prints in the laboratory and is not for camera use.B-wind is intended for use as camera stock, and also for making optical prints in the laboratory.

With the emulsion facing the camera aperture,only B-wind film will fit single-pulldown-claw cameras.

Do u have any thoughts of using A-wind film for shooting and why?

Dimitrios Koukas

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dimitrios,

Thanks for the reply,

Maybe I have my terminology wrong. I have heard A-wind and B-wind used simply to refer to emulsion out (A-wind) and emulsion in (B-wind). Most of the film I have ever shot in my life has been emulsion in. I am only interested in emulsion out film stock because my 200 ft. French ACL mag seems to be designed for it. Am I correct to refer to the A-Minima emulsion out loads as A-wind?

Darren

Dimitrios Koukas · September 25, 2005

Dimitrios,
Thanks for the reply,

Maybe I have my terminology wrong. I have heard A-wind and B-wind used simply to refer to emulsion out (A-wind) and emulsion in (B-wind). Most of the film I have ever shot in my life has been emulsion in. I am only interested in emulsion out film stock because my 200 ft. French ACL mag seems to be designed for it. Am I correct to refer to the A-Minima emulsion out loads as A-wind?

Darren

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

All film stocks are emulsion in.

It's the way u do the threading that will make your emulsion pass thru the pressure plate facing out.

The take up side takes emulsion out.

Feeding side is by the operators side.Take up side is on the opposite direction, right side as u look the camera.(From operators view!!)

Dimitrios Koukas