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Topic: Bolex M8 manual? And also a question.

Anton Juan-Jorge Caro
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From: Slovakia, Bratislava
Registered: Jan 2008

posted January 16, 2008 02:42 AM

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Hello to everyone,
I have got a new request.
If someone of you has the manual of the Bolex M8, could you send me a reprint of it on the e-mail?

And there is a strange sound when the mashine runs for a minute or two - as if something starts burning. And I switched it off and up to now I did not find courage to switch it on again.

Best wishes,
Anton

[ January 26, 2008, 12:36 PM: Message edited by: Anton Juan-Jorge Caro ]

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Knut Nordahl
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posted January 16, 2008 03:00 AM

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Welcome Anton.

Generally, slower speed gives you more time on each roll, faster speed gives you better rendition of moving objects on film.

16 fps used to be a standard for silent film, but was changed to 18 fps.
24 fps was/is standard for film with sound.

24 fps gives you a smoother picture but shorter shooting time than 18 which gives you a smoother picture but shorter shooting time than 16 fps.

Also if you have filmed at 16fps you need a projector to run at 16 fps to show natural movements.

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Anton Juan-Jorge Caro
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posted January 16, 2008 03:12 AM

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So, basically there is not a big difference in these two speeds? And what about transfer to DVD? maybe the 18 is better?
And also, I want to buy a projector.
two possibilities -
Bolex M8
Bolex 18-5
Which is better?
The older has 500W lamp, which is very good for big screen projections, but also will damage more the film, maybe, as far I understand.
And additionally maybe the lamp for the 18-5 is still in production and easier to find?
And what about quality?

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Joerg Polzfusz
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From: Berlin, Germany, Europe, Earth, Solar System
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posted January 16, 2008 04:47 AM

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Hi,

in most cases 16 and 18fps will be turned into 16 2/3 fps for PAL-video-transfers, 24 fps into 25fps.
(This is because PAL is 50hz-based: 16 2/3 * 3 = 50; 25 * 2 = 50)

Jörg

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Claus Harding
Phenomenal Film Handler

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posted January 16, 2008 03:18 PM

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Anton,

I can vouch for the Bolex M8 as being a very well-made (and good-looking) machine with an excellent Standard-8 picture. I have had no issues with film damage in the 6 months I have owned mine. I got spare 500W bulbs on EBay without too much trouble.

The M8 has variable speed. It will only let you run the film down to a certain slow speed (maybe 8-9fps or so; I'm guessing here) before it deliberately starts "hitching" the motor on and off, warning you that the film is running too slowly and the cooling is getting insufficient. So you won't be running it in 'critical' range without changing it quickly!

The M8 is unapologetically noisy; it sounds like a big hairdryer at 16 fps and up, but it is solid as a rock with a great lens on it, and it has one of the easiest, most open manual film paths you will ever see.

I don't have experience with the 18-5, but it has a newer (and very low wattage) lamp in it, by comparison. I'm sure someone who owns one can chime in here.

Best,
Claus.

--------------------
"Why are there shots of deserts in a scene that's supposed to take place in Belgium during the winter?" (Review of 'Battle of the Bulge'.)

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Paul Adsett
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posted January 16, 2008 05:45 PM

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Hi Anton,
I have a Bolex 18-5. It is the smoothest and quietest running machine I have ever heard (or should I say NOT heard!).
It is all highly polished metal construction except for high quality plastic film rollers, and is built to the same legendary Bolex quality as the M8. It is a beautiful looking machine. It is fitted with an 8 volt 50 watt CXR or CXL lamp, which are still available to buy new. These lamps have an elliptical reflector mounted inside the bulb envelope, and produce a nice bright picture, probably whiter than the old style 500 watt lamp in the M8, and it won't heat your whole room up when you run it!. The lens is a Bolx HI-FI F1.3 12.5-25mm zoom lens and the gate pressure pad is rear sprung, so you get extremely sharp edge-edge focus across the picture. The main switch is fitted with a light emitting material, so it glows in the dark!
I highly recommend this machine, it is very small and compact, beautifully made, very quiet, and very reliable. They are made in manual threading, and semi-automatic threading versions for both 8mm or super 8mm (separate machines not dual), and they will never scratch your films.

And you need to shoot your films at 18fps, not 16fps. 18 fps is now standard for silent film shooting, and it produces a smoother movement than the now obsolete 16 fps speed.

--------------------
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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Claus Harding
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posted January 16, 2008 06:41 PM

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Paul,

You think we have helped Anton or made it tougher for him? [Wink]

[Wink]

We both gave such glowing reviews of the two machines...

Claus.

--------------------
"Why are there shots of deserts in a scene that's supposed to take place in Belgium during the winter?" (Review of 'Battle of the Bulge'.)

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Anton Juan-Jorge Caro
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posted January 17, 2008 02:14 PM

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I thank you for your very helpful information. I bought today the M8. But next step will be to buy the 18-5. Because I see that both mashines are good. But I have only one H8 Rex...
And for sure I will film on 18 fps.

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Rob Watson
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posted January 18, 2008 11:16 AM

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I've got both. The M8 is big and very noisy. It also runs very hot, at least in Europe where the 240v mains supply is dropped to 110v for the projector by a huge coiled wire resistor. When the projector is running you can see the resistor glowing like the element in an electric fire.

The 18-5 is as different as it could be. Its half the size of the M8, its almost silent and it has a cool low voltage lamp running off a transformer (nice and bright too). It also has a remarkable 5fps option. It somehow swaps a different shutter into the light path which gives completely smooth slow motion without any flicker.

What the two projectors do have in common is a rock solid picture and great lenses.

Rob

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Anton Juan-Jorge Caro
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posted January 18, 2008 02:26 PM

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I am not afraid of noise and heat. I hope that the projector I bought will function properly as the ownser has stated...
Could you tell me if LostInLight is good to have your films transfered to DVD? It is stated to be free of charge. What would you recommend me for transfer on DVD?

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Paul Adsett
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posted January 18, 2008 02:39 PM

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Whatever you do Anton, keep your original films after you have transferred them to DVD. Remember the archival life of 8mm Kodachrome is known to be well in excess of 75 years, probably more than 100 or 150 years. In comparison, writeable DVD's are not expected to last more than 10 or 15 years, and DVD players may not be around 20 years from now, whereas 8mm projectors will last forever.

--------------------
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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Anton Juan-Jorge Caro
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From: Slovakia, Bratislava
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posted January 19, 2008 03:28 AM

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Of course I will!!!!
But the film I can afford for the Bolex H8 is only the b/w Foma R 100 on 30.5m rolls. And I think that b/w will last more than any colour film.
I have also a Canon 814. I plan to buy for it the E64T soon. Is this the best reversal stock or maybe I have to use the Fuji?

And once again the new question - do you know the diameter of the filter I should use with my Switar for Blex H8?

[ January 20, 2008, 01:18 PM: Message edited by: Anton Juan-Jorge Caro ]

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Andy Oliver
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posted January 20, 2008 03:01 PM

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Hi, finding filters for your H8 is a real pain. Pretty sure they're series V, they have no thread, but are dropped in between the lens and lens shade. I found one series v 85 filter at www.bolex.co.uk in the end, i purchased a couple of cokin resin filters and cut then to size on a band saw and sander, being extremely carefull not to scratch the surface. The problem with series v filters, is they're now pretty old and possibly optically not the best.

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Anton Juan-Jorge Caro
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posted January 20, 2008 03:33 PM

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Many thanks.
I never dreamt it could be possible to find a site with so many things for my Bolex!
But as a beginner I would like to buy the most important filter, without which filming is impossible, since the emulsion is 100 ASA. The ND one.
[Smile]

[Smile]

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Andy Oliver
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posted January 20, 2008 03:36 PM

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Hi, theres some series v on ebay at the moment, but not ND filters, if you really struggle, i'll make one up for you, it wont be pretty or perfectly round, but it will do the job. Assume we are talking, the bolex H8 rx, with c-mount not d-mount lenses????

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Anton Juan-Jorge Caro
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posted January 20, 2008 04:02 PM

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Yes, I found - H8 RX on the lense
but about the c-mount or d-mount, I have no idea.
Andy, do you have an idea if a normal commercial filter could be usable if by chance someone tells me the diameter of the Switar? [Confused]

[Confused]

Hmmm. But also it is a small diameter... and I hope that with these new and small digital cameras there could be some sort of a solution. Because otherwise I do not think a film camera has such narrow aperture...

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Andy Oliver
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posted January 20, 2008 05:17 PM

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Hi, well i've had my H8rx for approx 2 years, in all that time, i've never found a screw mount filter, and believe me i've tried. What lenses are on your camera? 5.5, 12.5 and 36mm ?. If this site would allow me, i'd post a photo, but it keeps throwing me off saying my password is wrong?? Your camera, allows you to look thru the view finder and taking lens, if thats so, then your camera is an H8 rx, with c-mount lenses. Be warned, no other c-mount lenses are compatable with your camera only the three i mentioned plus an adjusted 75mm yvar lens, which should have rx markings on the rear, sorry to go off topic a bit. Have your lenses black lens hoods on them?? Just emailed you.

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Anton Juan-Jorge Caro
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posted January 20, 2008 06:04 PM

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I have checked my camera at bolexcollector.com site. It is H8 Reflex with manufacturing number 211786. It is the Rex-3. There is one thing that I do not know what is that is missing on the older momdel. [Smile]

[Smile]

And I will be grateful if someone of you sends me a copy of his manual of the Bolex M8.

[ January 26, 2008, 12:24 PM: Message edited by: Anton Juan-Jorge Caro ]

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Anton Juan-Jorge Caro
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posted January 27, 2008 04:26 AM

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If someone of you has a manual for the Bolex M8 in computer format, could you send it to me?

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