Tobin TXM-20Ba and Beaulieu 4008 ZM II

Post by **sonyrelic** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 4:42 pm

Here are some photos of the motor attached to the camera.

These are somewhat small, but you can view them in the Small Gauge Film forum pictures gallery, and they're on the last page.

Post by **Nigel** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 6:02 pm

It looks a lot more cumbersome than the TFG crystal. And it is only 50 bucks less and looks like the hassle alone is worth that price.

Good Luck

Post by **sonyrelic** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 7:47 pm

It's actually comfortable to hold and the motor doesn't throw it off balance too much. It gives you something to hold onto if you don't have a shoulder mount.

I realize not everyone would choose this route, I just thought I'd let people know it's possible.

Post by **Nigel** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 7:53 pm

I guess comfort is in the hands of the holder...

I just don't see that from the pictures. Adding more weight and weight that seems like it would throw the camera off balance--That would make it more comfortable??

As for making things possible--I am sure S8Booster knows a guy that put a turbine engine into a Yugo. Anything is within the realm of possibility.

Good Luck

Post by **sonyrelic** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 7:56 pm

That's right.

Post by **r.sk8s** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 9:31 pm

Great news for Beaulieu owners. Cheaper than the Film Group unit. No more battery issues. It accepts the tobin milliframe control. What's not to like.

Robert Skates

Post by **sonyrelic** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 9:40 pm

Well it's not actually cheaper. You still have to purchase the battery pack designed for the motor which runs about $225 if you go with the recommended charger, but the nice thing is that it's interchangeable between cameras.

Post by **clivetobin** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:05 am

Nigel wrote:It looks a lot more cumbersome than the TFG crystal. And it is only 50 bucks less and looks like the hassle alone is worth that price.
Good Luck

The TXM-20Ba has 5 or 6 crystal speeds from 12 to 48 or 60 FPS and is a motor not just a control box. It is made to drive the Bolex 16mm cameras primarily. It was never designed with a super-8 camera in mind.

As a high-caliber piece of equipment, the speed is checked and corrected 25 times per frame instead of just once as in most super-8 stuff, also with an integrator circuit that keeps the phase constant. Coarse speed correction with a simple exclusive-or logic gate tends to give sloppy phasing that floats around from the low sample rate, the phase drifting also according to loading changes, causing fluctuation in the exposure. This should count for something.

Post by **francis** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 1:02 am

hey clive, what do you think the feasability etc is with this conversion?

Post by **clivetobin** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:41 am

francis wrote:hey clive, what do you think the feasability etc is with this conversion?

I'm not sure I understand the question. The setup does look a bit awkward. Perhaps if someone else wants to come up with a more compact adaptation that would have a chance of commercial success, we could furnish motors to them at dealer prices. We are too busy to work on any new motor designs at this time.

This motor was a special version with a manual advance knob added to the motor shaft. We could do more units like this, at no extra cost, if the motors are ordered before the manufacturing run is finished.

Post by **francis** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 4:07 am

what i meant was what you thought of the longevity, feasability, and technical aspects of this thing working well. i have the 10a..wonder if it can be used. and now im wondering if i could make it work with a clockwork pathe ds8......

Post by **clivetobin** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:20 pm

francis wrote:what i meant was what you thought of the longevity, feasability, and technical aspects of this thing working well. i have the 10a..wonder if it can be used. and now im wondering if i could make it work with a clockwork pathe ds8......

I don't know about the reliability of this setup, it depends on how accurately the shaft is aligned etc.

Do you mean you have a TXM10-B? This is made to drive the 8-frame shaft of an H-16, with an internal worm and worm gear 20:1 pair. You would have to replace these with a pair of helical gears with 2.5:1 reduction to get the speeds to come out right with a 1:1 drive shaft in the camera. This would be a major project. However if your Pathe has an 8:1 shaft it might work directly as is, with some mounting adaptations. (The Bolex H-8 has a 16:1 shaft, perhaps the Pathe gearing is similar?)

Post by **Nigel** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:26 pm

Clive--

I have no doubt that you make great stuff. I was going to buy one of your speed controls for my Aaton until I found a ML one for a smokin' price.

My comments were directed more towards how cumbersome this whole set up seems to be as well as it not really being all that great of a price compared to TFG's Super8 set-up.

That is all.

Good Luck