Repair Bolex 160 Macrozoom ? -- How do I open it up?

[DTNethery]

I could use some advice from anyone familiar with opening up and repairing Bolex 160 or Bolex 155 cameras.

I'm not sure how to go about opening it up . I remember reading a previous post by Mitch Perkins describing his modification to turn the Bolex 160/155/150 into a manual exposure camera , but from Mitch's written description I can't figure out how to get the side plate off (I'm not seeing how to access the screws he describes ... )



Here's my situation:

I recently purchased a Bolex 160 Macrozoom, described by the seller as "in optically perfect condition . This is a working item , shutter firing correctly . This is in exc condition" .

It arrived today, and of course it isn't working ...

(from the wording of the description I expect many of you have already figured out that the dealer is R _ _ _ y Cameras in the UK . And yes, I've since discovered that I should have Googled for "R _ _ _ y Cameras" first and I would have found that this is a pretty common experience for his customers. Lesson learned too late. If he'll respond and refund my money I'll return it to him, but based on the reviews I've read I doubt I'll ever hear back from him. If he does respond , my apologies in advance ... and I'll post an update here if he responds. But I think I'm probably stuck with the thing, so I'm trying to figure out how to go about fixing it , if possible. )

The camera motor does run with the AA batteries inserted (but only at one speed , see point # 2.) below) and the lens looks ok as far as I can tell without testing it with film ... not sure if it's "optically perfect" , but it looks ok.

There are two big issues which make this camera non-working and not in "exc condition" :

1.) The previous owner left the PX13/PX625 batteries in the light meter battery chamber and they have leaked and corroded the battery chamber (see photo). I don't understand how R _ _ _ y Cameras could list an item as a "working item" and in "exc cosmetic condition" without even bothering to check the battery chamber first ? Battery chamber corrosion is one of the most common problems with old cine cameras, which as a camera dealer he would be well aware of .



2.) The camera motor does run when AA batteries are inserted (the AA battery chambers have not been corroded) , however , the camera is STUCK on the 36 frames-per-second slow-motion mode . The small 36 FPS button on the back handle of the camera is stuck in the pushed-in position , so the camera only runs continuously at 36 FPS , not at the two normal speeds of 18 FPS and 24 FPS .


I will try to clean the battery chamber corrosion , though I don't have much hope for the internal auto-light meter to ever function again , as the corrosion has probably seeped down into the wiring under the terminal . However , perhaps I will try Mitch Perkin's modification to make it a manual exposure camera , if I can ever figure out how to get inside of the thing.


But the 36 FPS slow-motion button being stuck in the pushed-in position is another matter. I will need to see if I can access it and somehow un-stick it.

Has anyone here ever had this issue with the slow-motion button on a Bolex 160 or Bolex 155 being stuck and do you know how to un-stick it ?

Thanks to anyone who has some advice to offer .


I have another Bolex 160 (eBay purchase -- only $9.00 !) that was working at first , but one of the AA battery holders was already CRACKED when I got it and after inserting and removing the batteries one time the top of it snapped off all the way. Attempted repair with plastic bond didn't fix it ... let it dry for 24 hours and it still cracked off again when I put batteries back in . The second time it shattered into several smaller pieces . (the AA battery chambers in the Bolex 160 are made of plastic, the only "cheap" feeling thing on the Bolex 160 , which otherwise feels like high-quality materials in all other aspects) .



I wonder if it would be possible to remove one of the the intact plastic AA battery chambers from my other Bolex 160 (the one with the corroded light meter battery chamber and stuck 36 FPS button ) and transplant it into the first Bolex 160 , which was otherwise functioning fine , except for the cracked plastic battery chamber .

Again, if anyone has ever done this I'd appreciate any advice you can offer .

Thanks.

[BAC]

If the only problem with your other camera is the broken battery holder I would swap them from your new camera. It's just 4 screws, a very easy fix. I remember finding a breakdown of the Bolex 155 online somewhere which is very similar but it's not easy getting in and fixing stuff in that camera.

Your other option is to open a case with Ebay or PayPal and state that the item was not as described and give an explanation. They seem to rubber stamp these claims in favor of the buyer, I don't think they even read the explanations. They will deduct the funds from the seller and give them to you when the item is returned.

[DTNethery]

If the only problem with your other camera is the broken battery holder I would swap them from your new camera. It's just 4 screws, a very easy fix.

Looking at it I see the 4 screws on the battery holder and have so far resisted the temptation to unscrew them ... is it really that easy ?

I was thinking that once I unscrew those 4 screws on the battery holder there must be wires connecting to the camera body that will need to be snipped and re-soldered when I swap in the new battery holder ... but maybe not ?

I recall seeing the Bolex 155/160 repair manual posted somewhere. I'll have to look for that .

[DTNethery]

And the answer is : YES , it is that easy ! Unscrew the cracked plastic battery holder, swap in the uncracked battery holder from the other Bolex 160 and the job's done. Simple.



I'm still interested to know if anyone has found a way to un-stick the 36 FPS button on the Bolex 160 if it gets stuck . I'm looking at the camera and I can't see a clear path of how to get at it. My guess is there's some sort of spring or rubber piece that is supposed to make the 36 FPS button pop back up after it's been released , but the spring or whatever it is has come loose or is deteriorated and needs to be replaced.


I looked up the post from Mitch Perkins regarding his mod for the Bolex 160 to turn it into a manual exposure camera. He writes as step 1 of his procedure to get to the inside of the Bolex 160 :

"remove speed lever, zoom and focus knobs"

But HOW exactly to do this ? This is what I can't see how to do without damaging the speed lever, zoom knob and focus knob. I don't want to force them off for fear of breaking them, and they don't seem to come up easily with just a bit of jiggling ...


.

[DTNethery]

For anyone else is having this issue (stuck Slow-Motion button) or has any other reason to get inside the Bolex 155/Bolex 160 , here's what I heard back from Mitch Perkins on how to get started:

There should be two "set screws" that you can loosen first to get the focus knob off. Look on the side of the knob.

The zoom wheel has a little silver thing in the middle with 4 ticks in it - get some tweezers or needle nose pliers in there, rotate counter-clockwise.

Once you remove the knobs and panel, you should be able to access the Slow-Motion button. It's likely just gunked up and stuck as you say.

I'll be trying this later .

[Joel Pierre]

Bolex 155 Spare parts and service instructions (89 pages, 72,6 Mo) :
http://dossierpublic.free.fr/Documents/ ... ctions.pdf

[nikonr10]

If the only problem with your other camera is the broken battery holder I would swap them from your new camera. It's just 4 screws, a very easy fix. I remember finding a breakdown of the Bolex 155 online somewhere which is very similar but it's not easy getting in and fixing stuff in that camera.

Your other option is to open a case with Ebay or PayPal and state that the item was not as described and give an explanation. They seem to rubber stamp these claims in favor of the buyer, I don't think they even read the explanations. They will deduct the funds from the seller and give them to you when the item is returned.

I would take it up with Ebay before messing around with the camera ?

[DTNethery]

The end result :

I was able to clean up the corroded light meter battery chamber (of this camera listed by the seller in "exc condition") with some vinegar and baking soda and a toothbrush , so the light meter is working now. Fortunately the corrosion had not worked it's way into the wiring .

A small dollop of lube applied with a syringe to the stuck slow-motion button loosened it up, so now the camera is not STUCK at 36fps as it was when the camera arrived (in "working order" according to Rocky ... NOT . Stuck at 36fps and camera won't run at normal 18fps and 24 fps is not "in working order" ) . After my own efforts at repairing it the camera now appears to be working again at normal 18fps and 24 fps .

I'm keeping the camera and won't open a case with PayPal, but will be wary of purchasing from Rocky Cameras again . Anyone considering purchasing an item from this seller should Google for "Rocky Cameras" .


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