BOLEX PAILLARD B8L MOVIE CAMERA 8mm

[Silvius]

Hi,

i want to ask if bolex b8 can also accept single 8mm or super 8 film?
Only double 8 ?


Regards

 

[Dan Fromm]

No and no. Single 8 and Super 8 have the same perforations and width, come in different cartridges. Reel-to-reel and coaxial reels, respectively. Regular 8, also called 8/8 has different perforation spacing and runs reel-to-reel. Also, the B8L won't accept Single 8 or Super 8 cartridges.

 

[ic-racer]

Only double-8. I don't know that 'single-8' ever existed in the un-processed form.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Only double-8. I don't know that 'single-8' ever existed in the un-processed form.

Huh? I used to have a Single 8 camera, ZC-1000. I ran un-processed film through the camera, exposing is as it went, then sent it out for processing. Once processed it was no longer sensitive to light. What were you thinking?

 

[AgX]

I assume with "unprocessed" he means 8mm wide Standard-8mm film unexposed.

The Bolex B8 in any case only accepts Standard-8 film on spools (that is 16mm wide film with Standard-8 perforations on both sides).

 

[Silvius]

Is there a movie camera with spring motor and twin lens that accept super 8 format film ?

 

[Kino]

You are limited to 25 foot spools of Regular 8mm film.

Wasn't there a Russian Super 8mm spring wound camera?

Bolex made a Double Super 8mm camera based on the H body, but finding film is very difficult and quite expensive...

 

[Kino]

Yes! It doesn't have a twin lens mount, only a zoom but this Quartz camera is spring wound: http://zenitquarzcameras.blogspot.com/2007/07/submit-your-quarz-made-super-8-films.html

 

[AgX]

KMZ made two kinds of Super-8 cameras with hand-cranking:

-) models that took Double-Super-8 film on spool (thus 16mm wide)
-) models that took Super-8 cassettes (type Kodak)

 

[Dan Fromm]

Is there a movie camera with spring motor and twin lens that accept super 8 format film ?

Zoom lens, not interchangeable. Canon DS-8. See https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/cine276.html

 

[Kino]

Zoom lens, not interchangeable. Canon DS-8. See https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/cine276.html

DS-8 is based on the Scoopic 16mm and is electric motor driven, not spring wound.

 

[Dan Fromm]

The OP can't have everything.

 

[Kino]

The OP can't have everything.

Nope! Not so far!

 

[AgX]

Is there a movie camera with spring motor and twin lens that accept super 8 format film ?

The idea of Super-8 is related to single lens (typically even zoom) and cassette and electrical transport. That KMZ offered a spring driven S-8 cassette model already is very peculiar.

 

[ic-racer]

Is there a movie camera with spring motor and twin lens that accept super 8 format film ?

I don't recall Bolex ever making a Double Super-8, from what I recall, they were all conversions.

I believe there is a Zenit with spring drive that takes super-8 cartridges as in the picture here:

 

[AgX]

It is that Quarz-series camera from KMZ referred to above.
Actually Zenits are still cameras. But strange enough at some time KMZ put "Zenit" under their logo and put that on that very camera, added by the actual Quarz designation.

 

[BAC1967]

Is there a movie camera with spring motor and twin lens that accept super 8 format film ?

The Bell and Howell Autoload models are spring motor Super 8 cameras but not twin lens, fixed lens only.

https://www.filmkorn.org/super8data/database/cameras_list/cameras_bell/cameras_bell.htm

There are Bolex H8 and Bolex H8 reflex cameras that were converted to Double Super 8, that’s a 3 lens turret.

https://www.filmkorn.org/super8data/database/cameras_list/cameras_bolex/bolex_h8_rx.htm

 

[btaylor]

Just shoot double 8 in the Bolex? Why make it more complicated. The H8 DS8 conversions were certainly interesting in their day, but the additional costs started to negate the economy of S8 vs 16mm. Not to mention image quality or converting to a common distribution format.

 

[AgX]

The Bell and Howell Autoload models are spring motor Super 8 cameras but not twin lens, fixed lens only.
https://www.filmkorn.org/super8data/database/cameras_list/cameras_bell/cameras_bell.htm

Wrong link, the listed camera is electrically driven, more so as it is a sound-camera which is especially critical on transport speed.

There are various B&H "Autoload" models, the majority electrically drtiven. However, there are 3 models which are spring driven.

-) Using standard Super-8 cassette (Kodak):
https://www.filmkorn.org/super8data/database/cameras_list/cameras_bell/cameras_bell.htm

-) Using propriatery B&H Super-8 cassettes
https://www.depop.com/products/ohseherish-bell-howell-autoload-super-2/
https://www.fk-secondhand.com/wp/produkt/bell-howell-autoload-super-8-filmkamera/

 

[wiltw]

The Bolex B8 description from the Bolex Collector:

"FILM CAPACITY: 25ft daylight loading spools of double run 8mm film. When a roll runs through the camera, only half the width of film is exposed. The spool is then reversed and run through again, exposing the other half. When processed, film is split and spliced together giving 50' for projection. Projection time at 16 fps for 25' roll is 4 minutes."​

 

[ic-racer]

Ok, I see the Zenit and KMZ are the same or similar.

I don't think the wide Bolex lenses will cover double super 8 anyway. My 5mm with the 2.5mm adapter vignettes just a little at the corners of a standard 8mm frame.

 

[gorbas]

Yes, USSR Quartz made 2x Super 8mm camera before that fancy Super8 cartridges model. I personally used Quartz DS8 with normal lens built in camera body and 2 auxiliary lenses, wide and tele, that qrazy 60's short lived optical concept.
I posted pictures of 2x8mm film and 2xSuper 8 on my Flickr

 

[AgX]

Ok, I see the Zenit and KMZ are the same or similar.

KMZ is the manufacturer, Zenit the name of their most popular still-SLR range. (With the exception of one a movie camera out of their Quarz range.)

Back to the topic: I find that spring driven KMZ Quartz with standard S-8 cassette already peculiar, but not that surprising. But that Bell&Howell offered a similar camera really surprised me.
So, if the OP skips the 2-lens feature, he got two cameras to chose from.

 

[BAC1967]

Wrong link, the listed camera is electrically driven, more so as it is a sound-camera which is especially critical on transport speed.

There are various B&H "Autoload" models, the majority electrically drtiven. However, there are 3 models which are spring driven.

-) Using standard Super-8 cassette (Kodak):
https://www.filmkorn.org/super8data/database/cameras_list/cameras_bell/cameras_bell.htm

-) Using propriatery B&H Super-8 cassettes
https://www.depop.com/products/ohseherish-bell-howell-autoload-super-2/
https://www.fk-secondhand.com/wp/produkt/bell-howell-autoload-super-8-filmkamera/

That was supposed to link to the 306 model, I think it defaults to that other camera. I had one of these wind up B&H super 8 cameras but the light meter didn't work. It's pretty much dead without the light meter.

 

[gorbas]

It's pretty much dead without the light meter.

Recently I got very nice Super 8 Bolex camera without mechanical link to iris, only thru TTL meter. What on earth those engineers were thinking? Sooooo stupid solution!