8mm lenses

[Joshua Rodrigue]

Hey everyone. In a short time I have gathered a bit of a collection of D mount lenses. I have never shot 8mm before, but I'm getting ready to. If the camera has a view finder that is not connected to the actual lens, how do you frame a shot? Or how do you know the approximate focal length of these lenses? I'm leaning towards the Bausch 1.9 for general use. In photography cameras, I have a stock 50mm lens but for these, I'm not sure the equivalent. I think I should shoot a few seconds with each lens to figure it out.

Elgeet 1 1/2 inch f 1.8 cine tel
Elgeet 8.5mm f 1.8 magnaview
Bausch lomb 12.5mm f 1.9
Bausch lomb 12.7mm f 2.8
Tower 1 1/2 inch F: 3.2 Telephoto


Silly question, can you get lens caps for d mount lenses?

[Thomas Dafnides]

I believe 12.5mm is the equivalent to 50mm (normal) with 35mm camera. 8mm lenses with a viewfinder (non-reflex) camera will get you pretty accurate framing from about 5' to infinity. The lens cap would have to come with the lens but unnecessary if you keep the camera in a case/bag. I do not believe most 8mm cameras were sold with lens caps.

[Joerg Polzfusz]

Hi!

It‘s difficult to compare 8mm/S8 with 35mm-still-photography. That’s because the first results in a 4:3, while the other results in a 3:2 aspect ratio. And even for 35mm-still-photography, there’s a „range“ of what is supposed to be „normal view“ (having the same angle of view as the human eye). E.g. 40mm is usually also still referred as „normal“ in 35mm-s-p.

Nevertheless: For 8mm/S8 there’s a rule of thumb:
Everything between 10mm and 15mm is „normal“. All smaller numbers are „wide angle“. And all larger numbers are „tele“.

On non-reflex-cameras with exchangeable lenses, you have either got several markings in the viewfinder or a pair of lenses - one for the film and one for the viewfinder. (On some cameras, there are also attachments for the viewfinder.)

If I remember correctly, there’s a 3D-printable lens-cap on thingyverse. And Wittner and Van Eck usually have them in stock. You will also find them on Etsy or EBay once in a while. (Wasn’t it also possible to use the lid of a 35mm-s-p canister?)

[Joerg Polzfusz]

Whole viewfinder = wide angle
outer markings = normal
inner markings = tele

(of course, this is only working with the lenses provided by the camera’s manufacturer)

[Joerg Polzfusz]

This revere camera is using the „lens pairs“ method: The smaller lens is attached to the viewfinder, the larger is attached to the optical path that leads to the film.

[Joerg Polzfusz]

Rear lens caps on Thingiverse:

d-mount:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2389318
and
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5869453
and many more



c-mount/cs-mount:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:37711
and
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5415512
and many more

And there are also many front caps…

[Joerg Polzfusz]

Camera body caps:

d-mount:
Sorry, I have not found it. But there’s one.

c-mount:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1495215
(and others)

[Alan Paterson]

Save yourself an awful lot of grief and get a reflex camera. Considering the price of film and processing these days, it'll save you from a lot of disappointment and expense.

Best wishes
Alan

[Joshua Rodrigue]

Thanks for your input! Definitely clears things up. I'm going to try to with what I have first and if I'm unsatisfied, I'll look for a reflex 8mm.