Chinon Bellami HD-1

L

lowlight

Active member
http://www.superheadz.com/bellami/detail.php

Rumours of this interesting little video camera have been appearing recently. May have D mount and C mount lens options. A bit more info has just surfaced. Anyone here speak Japanese and can translate this? Some characters not in Japanese so can read 10, 15 and 30p frame rates
 
Cute S8mm format camera. Japanese shooters are serious vintage lens enthusiasts. Doesn't seem to be any plan to distribute it outside Japan for now though.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if Chinon were monitoring reactions internationally (e.g this forum) to assess whether distributing it outside Japan would be worthwhile. I'm interested in seeing some examples of what this camera can do. The idea of attaching an old D mount lens is quite appealing. Can't see any mention of bitrates on the specs but unless I'm mistaken it's a 1/3" sensor.
 
Here's a Google translation from the website:

Including the D mount lens world by storm as an interchangeable lens of 8mm camera,
various lenses are available by mount change. Depiction tasteful Old lens is
like revives modern, the husband roll over if experience anyway.
Difference of decisive depiction of the lens of now! Hey no odd differences of the ecstasy.

:tongue:

Based on a currency converter, I think it's about $823 US dollars.
 
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I think this is cool as well. the thing that attracts me to this is the form factor along with all the vintage lenses that are floating around on ebay. I think the digital Bolex (especially after Philip blooms review) is an incredible camera. but this is the kinda thing i could see carrying with me wherever i go and in this case NOT shooting raw is a plus. I did a little digging and it looks like Kodak owns Chinon these days. i would love to see this sold in the states but if not i may see about one grey market.
 
While i shoot the vast majority of my stuff at 24p this sort of camera begs to be used in an unconventional way. Hell i'm about as likely to shoot at 15 fps than i am 30. If i wanted perfect sync with other footage or to make this look like something i already have then i think I'm missing the point.
 
lowlight said:
http://www.superheadz.com/bellami/

Same website, different page. Video shows camera and lens mount info. Possibilities here particularly if you already have a collection of cine lenses. I hope they will offer 24p/25p frame rates but doesn't look like it right now.
Click to expand...

This design is going to get people shot dead by a trigger happy armed response unit. Mobile phones and blocks of wood have got people killed in the past, so this? held like that? I'd like to be there with a normal camera to record what happens when someone uses this thing.
 
Hmmm, bright orange paint might be in order.

And also not pointing it quickly at a police officer while being pulled over.
 
Mattoid said:
This design is going to get people shot dead by a trigger happy armed response unit. Mobile phones and blocks of wood have got people killed in the past, so this? held like that? I'd like to be there with a normal camera to record what happens when someone uses this thing.
Click to expand...

What a lovely and creative wish - to be there so you can film your imagined tragedy.
 
Mattoid said:
This design is going to get people shot dead by a trigger happy armed response unit.
Click to expand...

Ha ha, yeah, I didn't think of that. Don't use this for your next documentary on U. S. gangs or Middle East riots.

slide_03.jpg

Seriously, as much as I love the Digital Bolex, I think we should chuck nostalgic designs, which were shaped by the rolls of film they had to hold, among other obsolete considerations. The best design in my book has been with us for some time now:

xa10.jpg

Electronics are ever shrinking. The only consideration left is what fits best in the hand, what fits the needed jacks and screen, what's easiest to pack.
 
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combatentropy said:
Ha ha, yeah, I didn't think of that. Don't use this for your next documentary on U. S. gangs or Middle East riots.

View attachment 83534

Seriously, as much as I love the Digital Bolex, I think we should chuck nostalgic designs, which were shaped by the rolls of film they had to hold, among other obsolete considerations. The best design in my book has been with us for some time now:

View attachment 83533

Electronics are ever shrinking. The only consideration left is what fits best in the hand, what fits the needed jacks and screen, what's easiest to pack.
Click to expand...

Ok, but then you have to put this on a rig, which defeats the whole purpose of making it small.

shoulder_rig_model1.jpg
 
combatentropy said:
Ha ha, yeah, I didn't think of that. Don't use this for your next documentary on U. S. gangs or Middle East riots.

View attachment 83534

Seriously, as much as I love the Digital Bolex, I think we should chuck nostalgic designs, which were shaped by the rolls of film they had to hold, among other obsolete considerations. The best design in my book has been with us for some time now:

View attachment 83533

Electronics are ever shrinking. The only consideration left is what fits best in the hand, what fits the needed jacks and screen, what's easiest to pack.
Click to expand...

Yeah, though those projects would benefit from a run and gun design, the Bellami takes that a little too litterally. Its the pistol grip that makes it look dodgey. I think you're right that companies should go back to the late 90s handycam design: you're arm is the rig and the built in viewfinder against your eye is the brace, With your other hand free to focus.
 
Gillvane said:
Ok, but then you have to put this on a rig, which defeats the whole purpose of making it small.
Click to expand...

No, you don't have to put it on a rig, and some people won't always want to.

All but the last two reasons I've seen for a rig have to do with compensating for needless deficiencies in the camera:

1. Codec. You attach an external recorder, to record something like 10-bit 4:2:2 ProRes, but if the camera itself records 10-bit 4:2:2 ProRes, you can do without the external recorder.

2. Battery. You attach an external battery, but if the videocamera's own battery lasts a couple hours or so, there's no need.

3. Screen. You attach an external screen or viewfinder, because the camera's built-in screen is too hard to focus with or see in sunlight. However, the 5" 1080p screen on my $600 phone tells me this is a needless encumberance. Even in bright sunlight, just put a hood on it. Make the flip-out LCD high-enough rez, with focus peaking. No external monitor needed --- unless you want tether a monitor elsewhere on the set for the crew.

4. Gigantic lens. The best efforts by Zeiss, Cooke, Angenieux, etc. show me that you can't make a cinema-quality zoom lens less than a foot long and weighing 10 pounds. For those that want to run around certain broadcast or cinema lenses, you need either a shoulder rig or a monopod (my preference). Still, I think the fixed-aperture photographic lenses, like the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM, are sufficient for most purposes, negating the need for a rig even when you want to run and gun with a zoom lens. In fact, for run and gun, the varifocal f/5.6-ish lenses, with their wider zoom ratio, might in fact be what you want, despite their smaller apertures, because if you're shooting S35 (which is what I was thinking) you may want the greater depth of field anyway.

5. Long-term hand-holding. Even without a monster lens, the aforementioned handicam leads to fatigue after several minutes of holding in one angle. The big shoulder rigs, ironically, are more comfortable to hold for long periods. But that's no reason to make the camera that big. If you want to shoulder it, rig it. Or just put it on a monopod. And in the age of miniaturization, what exactly are they putting in today's shoulder rigs to fill them out, bricks? Regardless, there's no need to forego making a camera small just because some people will rig it up for the shoulder. There will still be many more who will want to run around with a prime lens or small zoom or want to just use a monopod.
 
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