A while back I mentioned picking up a used Bolex EL 16mm movie
camera (http://www.bolex.ch/NEW/?p=2). I had Jaakko Kurhi at JK Camera
modify one of his Canon to Bolex bayonet mount adapters
(http://www.jkcamera.com/accessories.htm) to accept OM lenses by using
part of an Olympus 35mm to 4/3 adapter. Now I can mount all the OM film
macro lenses (OK, all the OM lenses, for that matter) on my Bolex EL.
First try was shooting some small butterflies in the Namekagon Barrens
in NW Wisconsin, using the OM 135/4.5 macro lens (thanks, Bill Barber!),
65-116 OM auto extension tube, and the Bolex EL camera. I got the film
(two rolls of Kodak Ektachrome 100D) back from developing at Dwayne's
Photo in Parsons, KS, on Friday and ran it through my Elmo 16 CL
projector, picked up for $10 at an F-Stop Swap Meet a couple years ago.
Wow! I like to think that macro shots of butterflies with my OM 4T,
OM or Tamron macro lenses, and Kodak E100VS slide film can be nice. Now
the butterflies are moving! Colors with the Ektachrome 100D are
beautiful, the Bolex EL's built-in light meter was spot on, film
registration was rock-solid; I'm one happy camper.
Not that it's easy. We're all used to that bright,
through-the-wide-open-lens viewfinder of the OM camera. Not so with the
Bolex EL. Its prism directs 20% of the incoming light to the
viewfinder, and one is viewing stopped down. With ASA 100 film in
daylight, correct exposure at 24 fps with the 135/4.5 is f8 or f11, so
there's not much light in the viewfinder to find, focus, and follow a
moving butterfly. Tackling a jumping spider or small insect with this
baby will be a challenge, but I'm hoping to try the 38/2.8 OM macro lens
on the Bolex EL on something tiny and hairy (and 6 or 8 legged) soon.
So far, so good, at least.
Dean
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