Hi i´m looking for a good R8 camera.
Which is for you the best R8 camera?
thanks
The best Regular 8 camera is...
Moderator: Andreas Wideroe
I just bought at Bolex P2. A very nice camera!
Variable shutter, films from 9fps to 48fps, backwind....
Although it has no rangefinder, so you will have to guess or measure the distance to focus. (or just set it a 10ft in normal conditions)
The p1 and p3 are the same but have a rangefinder and different lens.
I've heard that the k2s are good too.
The H8 is based on the 16mm H16 and has a three lens turret and takes 100ft loads rather than 25ft/33ft like most regular 8s. Someone posted a good site with details of most Bolex cameras, Bolex collector I think the site was called.
Other than Bolex, Beaulieu make a nice looking 8mm camera not used one but I believe it have the same rotating mirror system for reflex viewing as the 16mm and super models using ground glass.
All the above have clockwork motors I don’t know much about the battery powered ones, but you can add an electric motor to the Bolex H8.
I guess I all depends and what you want to use if for and which functions you want/need.
Which ever camera you choose the most important thing is to have fun shooting!
Chris.
Variable shutter, films from 9fps to 48fps, backwind....
Although it has no rangefinder, so you will have to guess or measure the distance to focus. (or just set it a 10ft in normal conditions)
The p1 and p3 are the same but have a rangefinder and different lens.
I've heard that the k2s are good too.
The H8 is based on the 16mm H16 and has a three lens turret and takes 100ft loads rather than 25ft/33ft like most regular 8s. Someone posted a good site with details of most Bolex cameras, Bolex collector I think the site was called.
Other than Bolex, Beaulieu make a nice looking 8mm camera not used one but I believe it have the same rotating mirror system for reflex viewing as the 16mm and super models using ground glass.
All the above have clockwork motors I don’t know much about the battery powered ones, but you can add an electric motor to the Bolex H8.
I guess I all depends and what you want to use if for and which functions you want/need.
Which ever camera you choose the most important thing is to have fun shooting!
Chris.
Re: The best Regular 8 camera is...
For me the best is the Bolex K2. I truly believe its got the best zoom lens ever made for R8, the Switar 8-36mm. Its got a slightly small but nice TTL viewfinder with ground glass focussing, 12-48 fps, variable shutter, TTL lightmeter (uses a 1.35v battery but you can use a modern 1.5v and compensate with the ASA dial), you can also select aperture manually. Its a bit large compared to other small R8 cameras but the large size actually helps you keep it more stable during hand held shooting.avr wrote:Hi i´m looking for a good R8 camera.
Which is for you the best R8 camera?
thanks
I've personally had some great results with other cameras like the Bolex B8LA, Bolex H8 and Canon 512. The H8 is the most versitale but also the most demanding to use.
Since I'm willing to put up with its bulk and weight, the last model of the Bolex H8 RX camera - comparable in almost every respect to the Bolex H16 RX4 - is my choice for best regular 8mm camera. It shares most of the accessories made for the H16 RX4, including matte boxes, motors, and a rod support system for long lenses, and it has a greater range of capabilities than any other regular 8mm camera of which I'm aware. It accepts 25-foot, 50-foot, and 100-foot loads, can be fitted with the Kern-Paillard Vario-Switar 8-36mm f/1.9 EE zoom lens for automatic exposure control, and has a nice complement of Kern-Paillard RX Switar prime lenses, including a 5.5mm f/1.6 wide angle. With the use of a simple adapter, 35mm SLR lenses can be mounted on the camera. With the addition of a Rexofader, the camera's variable shutter allows controlled in-camera fades and lap dissolves. Because of the pressure plate and claw design, the quality of the image produced approaches that of Super 8 despite its smaller size. The built-in spring motor drives the camera at rates between 12 and 64 frames/second. Single-frame, time exposure, and intervalometer operation is also possible.
Robust and relatively simple in its design, the Bolex H8 RX should be serviceable indefinitely. Literature, spares, and repairers aren't hard to find. If any regular 8mm camera can be called a classic, this is it in my view.
Robust and relatively simple in its design, the Bolex H8 RX should be serviceable indefinitely. Literature, spares, and repairers aren't hard to find. If any regular 8mm camera can be called a classic, this is it in my view.
I've no idea about the best. I'm sure the Bolex H-8 Rex 5 (or whatever the latest they made, I think that's it) is an awesome camera.
The little Beaulieu one is the MR-8. It's beautiful. If you try and find one on ebay, you'll be bidding against me. :twisted:
The only one I have is the Canon Zoom 8-3. I got it for $9 on ebay. It is small enough for backpack use for travelling, hiking, etc. Except for the light meter, it's completely mechanical and runs a long time on a full wind. The light meter on mine is dead solid perfect, checked against my Sekonic and by shooting several rolls w/o a missed exposure. I highly recommend it.
The little Beaulieu one is the MR-8. It's beautiful. If you try and find one on ebay, you'll be bidding against me. :twisted:
The only one I have is the Canon Zoom 8-3. I got it for $9 on ebay. It is small enough for backpack use for travelling, hiking, etc. Except for the light meter, it's completely mechanical and runs a long time on a full wind. The light meter on mine is dead solid perfect, checked against my Sekonic and by shooting several rolls w/o a missed exposure. I highly recommend it.
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ultramarine
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The Bolex H8 and the Zeiss Ikon Moviflex Super are considered the best R8 cameras.
Both are heavy though, almost over than 2 kgrs each.
The Zeiss is rather rare and was one of the most expensive R8 cameras ever build (costed around 1800 DM back in '65). The most expensive was of course the H8 (2000 DM). The Beaulieu was cheaper at around 1400-1500 DM. The Beaulieu is lighter but the clockwork motor allows less filming before the rewinds. The Zeiss is battery powered with build in lightmeter.
I have them all and I tend to use the beaulieu more frequently because of its portability, but both the bolex and the zeiss are better cameras with great lenses : switar primes or the kern vario-switar (should you need a zoom lens) for the bolex, zeiss vario sonnar for the zeiss. Not to mention the reliability of the swiss camera...this thing doesn't brake!
Both are heavy though, almost over than 2 kgrs each.
The Zeiss is rather rare and was one of the most expensive R8 cameras ever build (costed around 1800 DM back in '65). The most expensive was of course the H8 (2000 DM). The Beaulieu was cheaper at around 1400-1500 DM. The Beaulieu is lighter but the clockwork motor allows less filming before the rewinds. The Zeiss is battery powered with build in lightmeter.
I have them all and I tend to use the beaulieu more frequently because of its portability, but both the bolex and the zeiss are better cameras with great lenses : switar primes or the kern vario-switar (should you need a zoom lens) for the bolex, zeiss vario sonnar for the zeiss. Not to mention the reliability of the swiss camera...this thing doesn't brake!
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super8man
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Olympus Pen 8EEE - simply oustanding images...
Bolex K2 - Very nice camera but HEAVY...
Nikkorex - the original - small, lightweight, no light meter batteries needed but helpful if meter still works.
My vote? Nikkorex for travel and sharpness.
Bolex K2 - Very nice camera but HEAVY...
Nikkorex - the original - small, lightweight, no light meter batteries needed but helpful if meter still works.
My vote? Nikkorex for travel and sharpness.
My website - check it out...
http://super8man.filmshooting.com/
http://super8man.filmshooting.com/
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bakanosaru
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Bolex Collector
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Re: The best Regular 8 camera is...
Well, I'm partial to Bolex cameras, so in regards to those.. the H-8 reflex is the most versatile.avr wrote:Hi i´m looking for a good R8 camera.
Which is for you the best R8 camera?
thanks
If you want to spend less, but still get many of the features of an H-8, any non-reflex H model with a serial number higher than 97800 gives steady registration. (those have a registrator claw, while the older ones (below s/n 97800) had a single cam claw with somewhat less stable image).
If you're looking for more automated features, there's the zoom reflex and later "automatic" series.
The smaller pocket series (C-8, B-8, D-8L, etc) can use any d-mount lens, so if you're interested in a camera with interchangeable lenses, it's a much cheaper option than the H-8. These models are hard to find in perfect working condition though, so you may end up having to pay as much to get it serviced as it would be to invest in something of equal value. Sometimes they just need to be oiled though.
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Old Uncle Barry
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Whilst I agree and in fact do own H8RX & D8L cameras,I also have two fine Japanese items.
First up is the Elmo 8EE,powered by batteries,small but very heavy and gives good rsults.
Secondly,and by far the best,is the Canon 8-3.Good wide aperture capability and a lens that will blow your socks off! Pin sharp right through the zoom range,clockwork motor and quite a compact design.Rock steady images which make the D8L poor by comparison in my experience.
With the new 100D film stock available,these cameras (all of them) perform admirably.
First up is the Elmo 8EE,powered by batteries,small but very heavy and gives good rsults.
Secondly,and by far the best,is the Canon 8-3.Good wide aperture capability and a lens that will blow your socks off! Pin sharp right through the zoom range,clockwork motor and quite a compact design.Rock steady images which make the D8L poor by comparison in my experience.
With the new 100D film stock available,these cameras (all of them) perform admirably.
This is not as simple as it sounds. I am not aware of any adapters of the type that you mention for the H-8 Rex. The C-mount on the H-8 Rex has a different back setting distance from the H-16 Rex C-mount. Also, even if you create such an adapter, you lose sharpness since the SLR lenses are not RX lenses.sciolist wrote: With the use of a simple adapter [on the H-8 Rex], 35mm SLR lenses can be mounted on the camera.
These are actually quite excellent specially the one with the Angenieux zoom lens. It has a great battery-driven exposure system and quite portable.bakanosaru wrote:The R8 camera that I'm looking to buy right now is the (made in Liechtenstein) Carena Zoomex that comes with a range of lenses Angenieux 7.5-35mm, 6.5-52 and one with a Schneider Kreuznach lens.
Beautiful looking camera but it's probably not the best.