Crazy for Keystone 16mm cameras

[studiocarter]

I'm crazy for Keystone 16mm cameras.
I've learned how to take the guts out of the case, clean the shutter gear, oil obvious parts, and put it all back together. 2R is made into 1R easily, also.
This is a nice 16mm camera and sells very low.
I just bought a A 12 that has a two lens system instead of the usual one lens.
Then I bought another A-7 for parts and to take apart and oil just for practice. It was only 3.50 plus shipping, $18 total. And it DOES need to be oiled. No problem.
Now I'm thinking of trying to fit the guts of one into the case of another just to see if I can replace the motor.
Then, I'll file the gate larger. It is the side away from the gear and should be easy to do.
Please don't bid against me but I'm at it again for another two lens version. The last one was already oiled and runs smoothly for 1 min at 24fps or 1 1/2 min at 16 fps.
I love it!
Michael Carter

[clivetobin]

I'm crazy for Keystone 16mm cameras. ...

The ones I have owned have suffered from poor edge guiding, so the picture weaves. I think I cured it by putting a flat spring so it pushed against one edge.

As a lark I even built a crystal motor into one. This was sold long ago to someone, as a "funny-osity" as my late grandmother would have said.

[Actor]

One I had ran at 16fps, 32fps and higher. It did not have a 24fps position.

Nice little camera though. It was my first 16mm camera.

[StoneBuilder]

Yes, I've a Stewart Warner camera that is similar enough to the Keystone A-9 as to be able to use the manual. The 24fps position is marked as Talking Movies - and the motor is strong. Not tried it with film yet, though I have some.

[Chris-B]

There is a nice "Vintage 16mm Keystone Criterion Deluxe Video Camera!!!" on ebay now :lol:

[studiocarter]

As a lark I even built a crystal motor into one. This was sold long ago to someone, as a "funny-osity" as my late grandmother would have said.

That sounds like a Roger Evans / Workprinter type project or business, what with all the cheap Keystones around. Swap out the guts for a crystal motor and battery pack/cord along with the super16 gate. Neat

[David M. Leugers]

My first 100ft roll 16mm camera was a beautiful leather clad dual lens A-12. It took great pictures and the images were very steady. When I later purchased both a B+H 70 and Bolex... I never used the Keystone again so I sold it. Still, it is a neat camera for what it is and makes for some very inexpensive tinkering. I read in an old Moviemaker magazine where the yearly film contest had a large number of winners in the 16mm gauge that made their films on Keystones. I thought that was pretty surprising.


David M. Leugers

[studiocarter]

My single lens version was very handy in England. It was easy to carry around as it fit in my pants pocket, very baggy. Other lenses were in another pocket and a light meter around my neck. Most shooting was wide or normal. I just got closer. Telephoto was used while sitting under a tree and filming people from a distance with the camera supported on my knee or a fallen tree or park bench.
I must say that it raised more than a few eyebrows. Staff at local ruins were alerted to our arrival as "filmmakers" before we got there, how, I do not know. Filming old ruins with such a old camera was commented upon by a ticket vendor. It may be worth a magazine article. Old ruins filmed by period equipment!
Plus-x reversal is 2R with one roll orders ok and so is 500T color neg if you need it. Other films are 2R but require 18 roll orders.

Michael Carter, in the Keystone State (and in the Keystone state of mind)

[astro_tiki]

I pulled the shutter out of one of my A-7s…it’s really easy. I love how cheap Keystones are these days, making them great for experimentation. Also, just put some decent glass up front and you have a perfectly adequate 16mm MOS camera. I use my A-7s more than my Bolex because they’re so simple, light, and small.

[studiocarter]

These cameras come out of the case by removing four screws in the film compartment. However, often the screws have a nonstandard head. It has two bumps or indentations at 180 degrees, requiring a spanner. I made one from a normal screwdriver - a flat head. It was filed. The file was exactly the right width between the indents, 5mm. It works great.