My moviecamera collection


 
 

It all started with this Bolex 551 Sound Macro-Zoom (super 8). I bought it in the middle of the 80´s to film my children. With it I got a projector and a pornomovie. This Bolex-model was manufactured 1976-77 and has a macro-zoom lens (1:1,8 / 8 - 40 mm). It is heavy (1,7 kg) and has every feature a that a professional 16 mm camera has, except the speed (it runs only at 1 or 18 frames per second). You can use direct sound when shooting with super 8 film that has a magnetic strip. But it is a ugly camera and all plastic.

THE REAL BOLEXES

 Bolex-Paillard - double 8. These are my favorites: Clockwork-cameras, orginally developed by Jacques Bogopolsky from Ucraine. Manufactured in Schweiz between 1947 - 58. All cameras on the pictures are still working. You can use 16 mm-film in 25 feet-spools and when you shoot you first expose half of the filmstrip and then the other half, so actually your shooting material is 50 feet. During processing the film is sliced down the middle and both halves spliced together end to end. Bolex-Paillard double 8-cameras work exactly as their big brother Bolex 16 mm, the only difference is that everything is smaller on the double 8:s.
The cameras on the pictures here are (from left to right):
Bolex-Paillard L8 (1947-54) Lense: Yvar 1:2,8   12,5 mm  Speeds: 12-16-24-32 frames/s
Bolex-Paillard C8 (1953-58) Lense: Yvar 1:2,5  12,5 mm speed: 1-8-12-16-24-32-47-64
Bolex-Paillard B8 (1953-58) Winchester,  lens: Yvar 1:1,9  13 mm, speed: 1-12-16-24-32-48-64

 THE RUSSIANS
 

 Reflex Quarz 2x8 Super-3. It is a heavy (1,5 kg) double super 8 camera made in the begining of 70´. It use a film that no-one seems to have heard about: 16 mm with super 8 perforation on both side of the strip. This Quarz has a Meteor zoom lens (9-38 mm, F1.8), fix speeds at 12,16,24 and 32 frames/s. Also single shot-feuture and works with clock spring mechanism. 
 In my opion this model could easily be modified to a real 16 mm-camera. Do anybody know if this has been done? 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 "Strong as T-72 tank and precise as the MIR space station"
 That opionin I read somewhere about this nice 16 mm clockworkcamera KRASNAGORSK 3 (to the right). In former USSR moviecameras where cheap and 16 mm was a usual amateurformat. The Krasnagorsk camera became also very popular in West and where often used by filmschoolstudents. Spike Lee made his first movie with a Krasnagorsk and still today there are dealers in USA that sell these cameras and parts of them. See for example www.k3camera.com. 
 Krasnagorsk 3 has a zoom lens (17-69 mm, F1.9), the framespeed is variable from 6 - 50 frames/s. Although it works mechanicly it needs a battery for the lightmeter and thats the big problem: They do not make such batteries anymore 


SOME OTHER CAMERAS FROM MY COLLECTION

 
 


 
 


 

 

 MEORTA ADMIRA A8 II
This is a double 8 camera, manufactured in Checkoslovakia 1957. A very popular clockworkcamera that slightly reminds you of the Bolex H-series. It has a winchester with two lenses (F2.8/12,5 mm and F3.5 35 mm) and the framespeeds are 1-10-16-24-48-64. 
 
 

EUMIG C3 (SCHNEIDER)
A nice clockwork camera from 1955. Two changeble lenses: Xenoplan F1.9 13 mm and Eumacro 2x. framespeed 1-8-16-32. Why these Eumigs not have 24 frames/s as a standard is a mystery for me. 
 
 
 

CINÉ-KODAK 8 MODEL 20
This is the oldest camera in my collection. A 8 mm Kodak-model that was manufactered in Great Britaint between 1932-46. It has a Anastigmat lens (F1.9 / 13 mm) and speed fixed at 16 frames/s. 
 

 

 
 


 

 REVERE B 61 MAGAZINE 
This is one of the first 8 mm cameras (manufactured between 1950-57 in USA) that use a magazine where the film is. It was an invention by the Russian immigrant Samuel Briskin. I is also a very small piece (59 x 111 x 104 mm). Cine Raptar fixed lens F2.5 13 mm. Variable framespeed that works with a clockwork: 1-12-16-24-32-48 frames/s. 
 

EUMIG SERVOMATIC
This is one of the uggliest cameras I know and one of the first double 8:s that worked with batteries. The lightmeter works with a big solarlens in the front.It was made in 1958 and has a Xenonplan fixed lens F1.8 13 mm. Only one speed: 16 frames/s. 
 
 
 

KODAK BROWNIE 
The Kodak Brownie 8 series is one the worlds most sold amateurmoviecameras. It was cheap when it came out on the market and only in USA sold in several millions items. 
 This piece was made between 1051-56, has a Kodaklens F2.7 13 mm and a fix speed at 16 frames/s.

klas@cinemedia.fi