Bolex 155 or Quarz 8C-2

[Dominic3]

I have the chance to purchase either a new Quarz 8C-2 or a mint ( 30 years old) Bolex 155 macro zoom, can anyone tell me which of the two cameras has the better lens and overall performance?

[pineapplefilms]

I have a Quartz and it is a good camera the optics aren't bad at all. besides with that camera almost all you'll ever need for it is film because batteries aren't needed.( Of course you'll need to clean the film gate etc.) on the other hand if you normally shoot @ 24fps the Bolex 155 is incapable of doing so it films@ 18fps and 36fps.

[Dominic3]

Pinapple

Thanks for your comments - Have you filmed in B/W & filters with the Quarz?

How did you get on with the close up lenses? The Bolex has Macro which I am told is excellent, so I would be interested to hear your experience.

[Dominic3]

I would still like to hear any comments on the Elmo 108.....perhaps I should just forget the Quarz and Bolex 155 and buy this as my secondary camera to my Nizo?

[ekoe]

i have the 160 super macrozoom. same as the 155 but will run @ 24fps as well as 18 and 32fps. i think that's the only difference. anyway, i love it.
i don't know anything about the quarz 8c, but i believe it's spring wound, correct?
whereas, the 155 is motor driven.
the bolex has the paillard-kern lens.
the quarz will have a russian lens which may be inferior. once again, i don't know enough about the quarz.
-ekoe.

[Dominic3]

Ekoe

Thanks for your response - my query is for a second camera( to my Nizo 156), I want reliabilty for travel thats why I looked at the Quarz 8 C-2 - I am nervous about the Bolex because of its age and battery system - but I know you are probably right about the lens superiority.

I am also looking at an Elmo 108 mint kit - do you have any knowledge of this?

[pineapplefilms]

B&W looks great shot by the quartz. The filters work as they should, but I haven't had the need to use the close-ups. It's one of a bunch of super 8mm and 16mm cameras that I own (I got it for a great price on EBAY, used, so I couldn't pass it by) so I use it as a second camera or if I'm at a location that power(batteries) might be an issue. But for the money, the ability to control exposures it's a pretty damn good camera. I would definitely reccomend it.

[Dominic3]

Pineapple

Thanks.Your comments are noted...

Im swayed toward the Quarz - (I may also buy the Elmo 108 in addition to my Nizo.....)

Out of interest do you process your own B/W film shot by the Quarz?

[[email protected]]

I don't process my own. I use a couple of labs in NYC. I like PAC labs because they are friendly, they do good work and I can walk to the lab from either my office or home. If you go with the kino/quartz I'm sure you'll like it.

[MovieStuff]

Don't underestimate the Russian lenses. In addition to my film work, my wife and I also are photographers. We've bought a couple of wide angle Russian lenses that are stunning in their sharpness; certainly on par with our Nikon lenses. I was told (who knows?) that a couple of aerospace companies went belly up when the Soviet system collapsed and started producing consumer lenses to stay alive. I suppose recon grade lenses for spy satellites won't be a waste on my cameras!

At any rate, I haven't seen any Russian glass that wasn't sharp. However, they are a bit uneven in terms of quality control. We have two identical lenses for our Kiev medium format cameras and the diaphragm pin is chromed on one and rusted pot metal on the other. But the glass is sharp!

Roger