Dumb Bolex Questions

[BrentPowers]

OK, among my 5 movie cameras I have two by Bolex. One is an H-8 converted to DS8. I'm just about ready to go on this one. Two problems. I bought three rolls of Fomapan R B/W reversal film. They are 2x33 ft. However, the camera has a spool which looks to be a 50 footer. Does that matter. I haven't opened up the Fomapan yet, haven't attempted to load the camera without first getting some advice.

Next, does one have to load the camera in total darkness, or can it be done in low light conditions without risk of fogging the whole roll?

Next, how does one attach the frikkin viewfinder to the camera. I cannot for the life of discover an intuitive way of going about this! It came with the camera unattached. It seems to go with the camera. I had an H-16 some 30 years ago with a similar viewfinder which I seem to rememver putting on and removing without difficulty. Or maybe I never took the thing off! WTF? Say, tell, share. I wanna get to shooting.

The other Bolex I have is a regular H-8, looks to be the same model. Same questions apply here, so no need to repeat them.

The third Bolex is a P1, for which I've already been helped here. Merely a manner of my acquiring the rocks to open the thing up and lubricate it. That can wait.

So. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

Brentofilm

[BAC]

Not dumb questions at all, the H series cameras are definitely more difficult to load than the pocket models. Using the 50 foot spool is ok, when you flip the reel to film the other half you will use the 25 foot reel that the film came on as a take-up and that is what you will send to the lab with the film. Ask the lab to return the reel and can with the film so you have an extra 25' reel. Write it on the order form. The labs I use never seems to have a problem doing that. I prefer to change the film in a changing bag to avoid the light at the ends of the film but you can do it in low light. It takes some practice to load an H8 in a bag, if you have an old roll it's a good idea to practice. Regardless, make sure you carefully study how to load it before you jump in with a good roll of film. Make sure the reel is wound snug and keep a hand on it to keep it that way until you're ready to close the door. If it un-spools or loosens you will risk exposing more film.

Is the view finder the eye level focus that mounts on the top or the one that mounts on the door. Some of the old door mount types also mounted on the top on the same mounts as the eye level focus. It should just slide into place but they can be a little snug. Some of the door mount types hook onto the front and have a lever that cinches it into place in the back. If it is the eye level focus you will also need to have a different lens that screws into the top of the camera. this replaces the one that you look down into with the eye cup. Otherwise everything will look way out of focus. I see these eye level focus attachments on sale on ebay all the time without the lens.

[BrentPowers]

The eye level focus has an eye cup. Can this be used like a reflex viewfinder? The camera has a turret mount and came with three lenses. I can see what the lens sees through the focus viewfinder. Why do I need the bloody side or top mount thingie which causes paralax? Dumb, see?

[BAC]

The viewfinders I was describing are for non-reflex models. The side mount viewfinders have an adjustment for Paralax. With the eye level focus you're looking through the lens in the top position of the turret, not the shooting position. You put the lens in the top position to focus, then turn it to the shooting position when you shoot the film. Unless you have a reflex model in which case the viewfinder on the top is not removable with out taking screws out. With the reflex model the eye level viewfinder looks through the lens that is in the shooting position. Even the reflex cameras had the option for a door mounted viewfinder. This is because the reflex viewfinder was very dim, especially if you are using a high f stop.

[BrentPowers]

Gotcha. Thanks a lot!