[Frameworks] Bolex Lenses

[Chris Kennedy]

Unfortunately, some digital cameras are now able to take C-mount lenses,
which is starting to jack up the price of lenses (and camera kits for people
just buying them for the lenses).
C


On 2/1/11 1:01 PM, "frameworks-request at jonasmekasfilms.com"
<frameworks-request at jonasmekasfilms.com> wrote:

> Message: 9
> Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2011 11:24:50 -0500
> From: David Tetzlaff <djtet53 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Frameworks] Bolex Lenses
> To: keyfilmation at earthlink.net, Experimental Film Discussion List
> <frameworks at jonasmekasfilms.com>
> Message-ID: <218EF358-525F-4015-ABE2-3CD698BCF7D8 at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> 
> A 'real' camera store will charge a lot for a good lens. Buying lenses on eBay
> is not so bad (better than buying cameras). You can usually tell a lot from
> the physical condition in the photo, and the main things are whether:
> a. the aperture and focus rings turn smoothly
> b. the front element is nicked up
> c. there's bad gunk /fungus / separation on the interior elements.
> 
> If the seller has not noted these things, you can ask via the question form,
> since no real expertise is required to check them.
> 
> Refer to this page re: the difference between RX mount and C-Mount lenses:
> http://www.city-net.com/~fodder/bolex/truth.html
> Basically any lens that opens up past f 3.2 needs to be a RX lens to get
> proper focus through a Bolex RX camera prism.
> These were pretty much only made by Palliard under the Switar line - superb
> lenses but not cheap.
> 
> One thing: on eBay people selling individual lenses or lens sets generally
> know what they have and price it accordingly. On the other hand, you can find
> complete camera listings from sellers who've acquired stuff at estate sales
> and don't really know the potential value. They may not even say what the
> lenses are in the description, but you can tell in the picture. I have bought
> Bolexes on eBay just to get the lenses, with the whole kit being cheaper than
> the lens set alone would be on eBay, or a single lens would be from a dealer.
> Sometimes the lenses will be mismatched to the cameras: an RX lens will be on
> a standard camera, or an RX camera will have a c-mount std. or wide angle.
> Scour the Bolex listings diligently, and sooner or later you'll find some real
> bargains.