Digital Bolex D16 Lenses

I like where they are going with the lenses and turret. The Digital Bolex is appealing to me in general. If they can give an image in the ballpark of the image the Ikonoshop A-cam DII puts out, then I might not be able to resist.

I like the fact that the lenses will be affordable. The turret should be useful as well. I like it.
 
The theory is that if you use the sweet spot in the aperture [f4 for the lenses announced] for the majority of your shots, with some screw on filters and additional sets of f2 and f8 lenses, you could be covered for 90-95% of your needs. This also means that someone without a current lens inventory can consider specific lenses to add that help them the 5-10% of times they need something specific.

This is a low cost solution that will appeal to many who don't own any lenses.
 
Nektonic said:
I like where they are going with the lenses and turret. The Digital Bolex is appealing to me in general. If they can give an image in the ballpark of the image the Ikonoshop A-cam DII puts out, then I might not be able to resist.

I like the fact that the lenses will be affordable. The turret should be useful as well. I like it.
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Hell, I love the idea. Of course, it's all about what kind of pictures it makes, but as someone who tries to only use primes, it does get mighty dang boring switching them out all the time. Of course, it doesn't hurt that I used one of the film versions in college...

I certainly wish them luck.
 
The electronic focusing mount sounds very interesting, and could prove useful for vintage c-mounts that have different flange settings. looking forward to seeing working models of this camera come to light. Hipsters aside there is a place for a ccd based raw production camera.
 
All c mount lenses should be the same flange-it's a standard.
All I know is that Kish, beside being a great guy, knows a lot about lenses. This seems right up his alley...
 
I hate the fact that they're stuck on C-mount and that any lens you want to adapt will still be using screw-in adapters because of that. It's the big reason why I won't be buying one of these. C mount is for consumers. D Bolex, please release a version with a PL mount or Arri B-mount.
 
Doctor Wu said:
I hate the fact that they're stuck on C-mount and that any lens you want to adapt will still be using screw-in adapters because of that. It's the big reason why I won't be buying one of these. C mount is for consumers. D Bolex, please release a version with a PL mount or Arri B-mount.
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The D16 is supposed to have an interchangeable mount. The C-mount is just what the camera will ship with initially. I'm sure that a PL-mount will be available sooner or later.
 
Doctor Wu said:
I hate the fact that they're stuck on C-mount and that any lens you want to adapt will still be using screw-in adapters because of that. It's the big reason why I won't be buying one of these. C mount is for consumers. D Bolex, please release a version with a PL mount or Arri B-mount.
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I don't agree that C mount is for consumers. Access to vintage s16 glass is the main reason they chose to start with a c mount. Additionally they have partnered with Illya Friedman from Hot Rod Cameras to design and manufacture a PL mount. They are planning more mounts as well.
 
Personally -- I think it's pretty ridiculous. Fixed-focus, fixed-iris lenses? Having to use an ND filter for every variation in exposure? Zero DOF control? All to save a few pennies?

It's a terrible idea, and I think that anyone buying these will quickly figure out the limitations and they'll throw these things on ebay and buy some Rokinons or other, usable lenses.

I don't know how their improvised focus system will work as a practical matter, maybe it'll have some functionality, maybe it'll be kludgey, I don't know, but ... seriously -- no iris? You guys know how I and others flipped out when the FS100 didn't have an ND filter at all, can you imagine just how inconvenient it'll be to set ALL exposure by ND? What are you supposed to do, put some crappy Fader ND in front of every lens?

Plus, statements like this don't give me a lot of hope:
Along with this greater depth of field you also get greater spatial distortion, meaning things in the background look further away from the things in the foreground.
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That's just ill-informed wacky talk, from someone who doesn't understand optics and how lenses work.

Look, I wish the DB guys all the luck in the world, but -- they should kill this bad idea immediately, and instead work on making an actual, usable, functional camera. These lenses are a bad idea. It's like Red making a mattebox, when they weren't even able to get their cameras out. Focus on the important stuff, don't get distracted with side projects...
 
I agree, just doesn't sound right (In my world it'd be like a fixed volume mic pre amp with ONLY the use of compressors to keep the signal from running hot) I thought maybe I was just out of my mind when I read the latest about these lenses on the DBolex forum...nice to have some frame of reference from someone who knows....phew! I'm not insane!
 
I think these lenses are a refreshingly different option. You get the optical quality of the finest S16mm primes for 1/10th the price by eliminating the most costly elements of lens construction, an adjustable iris, and adjustable focus which greatly increases optical complexity and cost. Focus adjustment can be handled by the electronic focusing mount option, but the idea is that the lenses are optimized for master shots, wide/ deep dof, medium shots, closer camera position and moderately shallow dof, and closeups with shallow dof working within a narrow range of camera to subject distances. F4 for general indoor set use under controlled lighting and for optimum sharpness. They are not meant to be universal lenses suitable for everything. There will also eventually be F8 versions for outdoor use and maybe F2 versions for low light/shallow dof. A complete set of all 3 focal lengths in all 3 apertures would still cost less than one Zeiss ultra-prime.
You have 100,200,400 ISO speed options on the camera without loss of DR on either end of the scale due to controlling analog gain between the sensor and AD conversion, an advantage of CCD over most CMOS designs. So there will be some exposure flexibility even without external filters and the camera will have enough DR to give a couple of stops latitude either way for post adjustment if necessary.
 
Doctor Wu said:
I hate the fact that they're stuck on C-mount and that any lens you want to adapt will still be using screw-in adapters because of that. It's the big reason why I won't be buying one of these. C mount is for consumers. D Bolex, please release a version with a PL mount or Arri B-mount.
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You will hopefully never need an adapter. The whole front end of the camera comes off. The PL mount was announced last week: http://www.digitalbolex.com/hot-rodding-d16/
 
I find it hysterical to imagine a camera op on set walking back and forth to hit focus:) Then no sooner does he find focus, he realizes he's under a tree and now can't get exposure. All the while winding that little side crank like a manic. Frech beret and all.:) Ok a bit over the top, but I think this could make for a pretty funny parody.
 
maranfilms said:
I find it hysterical to imagine a camera op on set walking back and forth to hit focus:) Then no sooner does he find focus, he realizes he's under a tree and now can't get exposure. All the while winding that little side crank like a manic. Frech beret and all.:) Ok a bit over the top, but I think this could make for a pretty funny parody.
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You mean like every DSLR shooter in low light when the autofocus doesn't work?

Fixed center of focus distance is marked on the lens. Pull a tape, set the tripod, done.

Here is a list of lenses and their focus settings:
10mm: focus range: 3.3′ (1 meter) to infinity
18mm: focus range: 3.7′ (1.12 meters) to 6.5′ (1.98 meters)
38mm: 5.6′ (1.7 meters) to 6.5′ (1.98 meters)
 
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David ... come on. Seriously? Do you think the market will accept a lens that is fixed focus from 1 meter to infinity, and two others that can't focus past six and a half feet? At all?

There's only one word for this whole scheme: ridiculous.

Every ounce of effort they expend on this project, is a wasted ounce that could have rather been spent to make the DBolex a viable design. Every penny they torch on this project, is a wasted penny that could have been used to make the DBolex a better camera. And if they actually release these lenses and actual customers receive them -- the complaints will bury the company under a mountain of ill will that no company will be able to survive.

Ask yourself -- who's going to buy a $200 lens? Is this really going to go to Roger Deakins, who might have some idea of how to employ it? Or is it going to IndyFilmPhreak2013, who can't afford anything else, and then they're going to find that they've got a lens that they can neither focus with or expose with?

This is a terrible idea. Terrible.

They should kill this idea, before it kills them.
 
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