8mm Forum: Chinon Made Bolex

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Topic: Chinon Made Bolex

Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted May 01, 2008 11:41 AM

Looking at the reprints available from Oldtimer Cameras I was surprised that our old favourite magazine "Movie Maker" did not review one Super 8 camera or projector made by Chinon. However "Amateur Photographer" did review a few.

Was there a stigma attached to this brand, or was it because they were sold by Dixons?

In "Movie Cameras" by Jurgen Lossau I read that in 1974 Bolex introduced two Super 8 cameras, models 525XL and 625XL which were made for them by Chinon. In addition all Bolex sound cameras were then made by Chinon.

We have always respected the Swiss products from Bolex. No doubt they were quite satisfied in selling cameras made for them by a Japanese company.

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Maurice

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David Kilderry
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 963
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Registered: Feb 2006

posted May 03, 2008 04:10 AM

Maurice,

Chinon were a strong middle ground player in my opinion, not up with Elmo or Eumig, but certainly they made solid products. They claimed to be the largest manufacturer of Super 8 products at one time as they manufactured under license for many others, Bolex included.

I had a 9500 projector years ago and it was very nice in all respects except it marked film. I gradully improved the path and offending rollers, but sold it soon after.

They were certainly well known here, perhaps they did not market their Chinon products as widely in the UK?

David

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted May 06, 2008 04:30 PM

Actually the only in-house Bolex Super-8 cameras were the 150, 155 and 160. After these (late 1960s) everything was outsourced.

I never knew about the Chinon connection, but many of the later Bolex Super-8 cameras and projectors were Eumigs.

I started out in Super-8 in 1979 with a brand new GAF ST-602, which was also a Chinon and actually a really great camera. It has a nice, solid metal body, a great lens and has some neat features. If somebody found ten of these brand new in a crate somewhere, I'd grab the lot(...and maybe sell about six to appease my wife)!

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted May 06, 2008 05:41 PM

I have always thought that the legendary Bolex quality and design ended when super 8 appeared on the scene. Look at the superb quality and construction of the Bolex C8, B8, standard 8mm cameras, and then compare them with the plasticky later Bolex super 8 cameras. NO comparison. Same thing with the projectors. The Bolex super 8 sound projectors were mostly re-badged Eumig's which, while solid performers, did not quite measure up to the quality of the earlier Standard 8mm M8 and 18-5 machines, which are truly beautiful engineering.

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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj

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Kevin Faulkner
Film God

Posts: 4071
From: Essex UK
Registered: Jun 2003

posted May 06, 2008 06:10 PM

I'm actually trying to find a service manual for a Chinon SS1200 or one of it's clones and it's proving extremely difficult to find one. Oldtimer Cameras dont seem to have service manuals for any of those projectors. [Frown]

Kev.

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GS1200 Xenon with Elmo 1.0...great combo along with a 16-CL Xenon for that super bright white light.

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Barry Attwood
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1411
From: Enfield, U.K.
Registered: Aug 2003

posted May 07, 2008 02:42 AM

Kevin,

Have you thought of asking Ian at Perry's if he has any ideas, as he brought a load of those machines into the country, and apparantly at one time he could also order spares, may be worth an email or a phone call.

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted May 07, 2008 05:56 AM

Steve

Eumig made Bolex before the latter went to Chinon for supply.

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Maurice

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