I am anxiously awaiting delivery of a just purchased Bolex D8L. It has 3 lenses, 5.5 wide angle, a 13 and a 36 telephoto. The owner of it sez it has been freshly serviced and is ready to go. I would love any words of wisdom from anyone with these cameras. I am not going to ask "How do I shoot with this" as I will buy some film and go !!! I am hoping to use some 100D. I am wanting to do some filming at night with some fill lighting. I am sure I will prolly want to go with a higher ASA film but I will see what happens.
I would love to hear from any Bolex 8mm folks and would love to know who I can ask some advice from and hopefully soon share some footage with. I am going to do some music videos and some Low-Budget Horror shorts with it.... I know, I know, I can hear "go 16mm stupid" from some already, but I am gonna learn this tool then maybe move on.
Last edited by Lurid Cinema on Thu Oct 26, 2006 7:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
You might want to pick up a copy of the BOLEX 8 GUIDE authored by G. R. Sharp and published by The Focal Press. Although the last edition of this book is long out of print, it was apparently issued in vast quantities and isn't hard to find secondhand. It contains a wealth of information about your camera and the rest of the 'amateur' series of Bolex cameras.
You have a great tool to learn the basics on, and to enjoy R-8mm film making. Spend the time to learn how to use the camera and to get the most out of the images it takes. Everything you learn will transpose to shooting 16mm which is not so much the case if you start out shooting S-8mm auto-exposure cameras. Best advice to start out is to take your time and to double check everything before you press the trigger. I.E. make sure you have the Fstop set to the right value and the focus set on each lense and to make sure the viewfinder is set for the lense you are shooting with. Also don't forget to wind the camera between shots. 8)
Thank you for your kind replies. I am an experienced photographer in Digital stills, DV video and 35mm stills. I will just have to learn the sweet spots of the camera and which settings to use for different conditions. I have heard good things about the camera. I understand the end results are more a matter of the artist's mastering the tool than the tool itself.
I have a love for the older, less technical means myself. I do not care so much if I lose out on some efficiency as long as I get to play with such a wonderful instrument.
I will see if I can hunt down the Bolex 8 Guide. Thanks !
That's a sweet little camera!I dug one out of my uncle's closet and claimed it back when I first discovered the joys of 8mm.I had been used to shooting super 8 with my Kodak XL55 and had gotten bored with it's limitations.I shot my first trip to Disney World and Busch Gardens back in 1974 with it.
I was really tickled with the first slow motion shots I took.Also fades and single frame kept me amused.You could pick up a roll of Kodachrome 25 for $3.15 US back then.It was $1.25 to process at the local Pic N' Save and took 3 to 5 days.
