Cheap interval timer for mechanical movie cameras?

[Patrick]

Out of curiosity, would anyone know of any inexpensive interval timers that can be inserted into a camera's threaded socket that would normally accept standard mechanical cable releases?

[Andreas Wideroe]

Just guessing, but are you looking for an intervalometer for your K3? If so, the K3 isn't working to well with interval stills because light is leaking in if you have longer than max 3-4 second intervals.

I bought a TIV from k3camera.com, allthough I was happy with this device, my K3 was useless for intervalometer/timelapse shots because of light leaking.

Andreas

[Patrick]

Yea, youve actually already persuaded me from using the K3 for time lapse! I was thinking of buying a Bolex H16 or something similar for time lapse shooting. I have read about the TIVs many times but they do cost quite a few $$$. Surely, there must be something quite simple in design not too different from a kitchen timer that could be obtained inexpensively....

[Andreas Wideroe]

I'm sure there's something one could make from easily available parts. Perhaps an electronic store can help you?

If not, Clive Tobin is the man to talk to. He makes great intervalometers.

Good luck!
Andreas

[Herb Montes]

Outside of building your own you might be lucky enough to find the Stevens Intervalometer. It worked off the clockwork drive of the Bolex and even kept the spring wound up as it operated. The Tobins and Timeflow units are pricey if you're looking for cheap.

When I was looking for an animation motor the Stevens motor I found was far cheaper than current models.

[Patrick]

This Stevens interval timer sounds interesting. I have not heard of this product before. Although I was considering a Bolex for a long while, I am being tempted more and more to buy an Alpha 16. Not only can this Russian camera do single frame but it's also a very compact size which will come in handy in certain filming situations which I have planned.

The only weird thing about the Alpha 16 that I can't work out is that there is only space inside the camera for one spool, not two. So loading film with this camera is a real mystery.

[bakanosaru]

It loads coaxially. I.e. the two daylight reels sit beside each other.

[Herb Montes]

This Stevens interval timer sounds interesting. I have not heard of this product before. Although I was considering a Bolex for a long while, I am being tempted more and more to buy an Alpha 16. Not only can this Russian camera do single frame but it's also a very compact size which will come in handy in certain filming situations which I have planned.

The only weird thing about the Alpha 16 that I can't work out is that there is only space inside the camera for one spool, not two. So loading film with this camera is a real mystery.

There is more information on the Stevens timer in Andrew Alden's book "Time-Lapse and Stop-Motion Animation using the Bolex H16". It's a book well worth getting for the information on using the Bolex for animation. A chapter on building your own drives, intervalometers, and stop motion animation. I got mine on eBay but he sells them from his website as well.

http://www.bolex.co.uk/

As for the Alpha camera. I haven't yet heard how good the registration is on it. Considering it's aimed more at consumers than pros filmmakers.

[timdrage]

Someone on this board built one out of an electric air freshener! They used the mechanism that would usually press the aerosol can to push the plunger of an ordinary camera remote cable. Genius piece of lateral thinking!

[Patrick]

"It loads coaxially. I.e. the two daylight reels sit beside each other."

Interesting idea - sort of like a super 8 cartridge design. Out of curiosity, would that be the feed spool or the take up spool that can be seen at the top in the diagram?

"As for the Alpha camera. I haven't yet heard how good the registration is on it. Considering it's aimed more at consumers than pros filmmakers."

Olex the guru of russian movie cameras at Cinematography.com admits he has never used one but seems to think that from the design, the Alpha 16 should provide reasonable good registration. But of course that is just theory. Someone on this forum has bought an Alpha 16 off eBay so it will be interesting to hear about, or see, the results of the first films exposed by this camera. And remember, the Bolex was aimed at consumers / amateurs as well!

"Someone on this board built one out of an electric air freshener!"

Now that is a stroke of genious...

[Herb Montes]

"It loads coaxially. I.e. the two daylight reels sit beside each other."

Interesting idea - sort of like a super 8 cartridge design. Out of curiosity, would that be the feed spool or the take up spool that can be seen at the top in the diagram?

"As for the Alpha camera. I haven't yet heard how good the registration is on it. Considering it's aimed more at consumers than pros filmmakers."

Olex the guru of russian movie cameras at Cinematography.com admits he has never used one but seems to think that from the design, the Alpha 16 should provide reasonable good registration. But of course that is just theory. Someone on this forum has bought an Alpha 16 off eBay so it will be interesting to hear about, or see, the results of the first films exposed by this camera. And remember, the Bolex was aimed at consumers / amateurs as well!

"Someone on this board built one out of an electric air freshener!"

Now that is a stroke of genious...

The Alpha loads film in the same way the Kiev-16 UE I have does. The feed roll goes first with the take-up on the outside. I was never too happy with the registration on the Kiev especially when single-framing.

The Bolex has a long history of improvements and it has moved out of the amateur range of 16mm cameras to almost be considered professional. It has certainly been a boon to the independent filmmaking movement. Now there are Russian 16mm cameras that can be seriously considered for professional use such as the Kinor. I just ordered one and plan on adapting it to animation. I'll certainly report on how well it works for that purpose.

[Patrick]

"The Alpha loads film in the same way the Kiev-16 UE I have does. The feed roll goes first with the take-up on the outside. I was never too happy with the registration on the Kiev especially when single-framing."

Drats! This is not sounding good. You're tempting me to go back to my original idea of using a Bolex for rock steady registration. Part of the Alpha 16's charm was it's compact size which would be great for filming from a boat - shooting subjects such as dolphins and rocky coastal cliffs. Of course I could use the K3 for that but it's bulky size would make it a bit clumsy for that application. Plus the lack of click stops on the standard Meteor zoom would make it very tricky when filming dolphins in particular - ie I would need to stop down to the appropriate f stop without taking me eye from the viewfinder.

[lastcoyote]

you are facing a problem (or maybe not) is the shutter is very hard and it needs very heavy force to depress the shutter, that makes you have less choice maybe only tobin's.

"Someone on this board built one out of an electric air freshener!"

Now that is a stroke of genious...

Yes... that is me.. , but facing the same problem like you do. K3 has a very heavy shutter to depress. my air fresher timer works on Bolex, not K-3.!

[Herb Montes]

"The Alpha loads film in the same way the Kiev-16 UE I have does. The feed roll goes first with the take-up on the outside. I was never too happy with the registration on the Kiev especially when single-framing."

Drats! This is not sounding good. You're tempting me to go back to my original idea of using a Bolex for rock steady registration. Part of the Alpha 16's charm was it's compact size which would be great for filming from a boat - shooting subjects such as dolphins and rocky coastal cliffs. Of course I could use the K3 for that but it's bulky size would make it a bit clumsy for that application. Plus the lack of click stops on the standard Meteor zoom would make it very tricky when filming dolphins in particular - ie I would need to stop down to the appropriate f stop without taking me eye from the viewfinder.

Quality on most consumer Russian cameras can vary. That is why you have happy and unhappy owners of K3s. The most compact 16mm camera with a 100 foot load is the Pathe. It has a lower profile than the Bolex. Even more compact you would have to go with a magazine load camera like the B&H 200E. But 50 foot magazines introduce their own set of problems. So you would have to balance with what you want to do with a camera that suits your overall needs. If you feel the Alpha might be right get one and try it out. They are relatively inexpensive right now on eBay. I've seen them for under $100 being sold by some reliable Russian dealers. If you need more information about the camera contact Olex at: olex@a-teleport.com

[Lunar07]

Out of curiosity, would anyone know of any inexpensive interval timers that can be inserted into a camera's threaded socket that would normally accept standard mechanical cable releases?

The Chinon intervalometer is what you are looking for, if you can find one on eBay. I got one on eBay long ago. It uses the release cable that is inserted to camera's threaded socket, and on the other end it uses an electric plunger.