Big Bad Blog : film and photography.

Not too long ago, I acquired a 1952 Bolex to use as a crash camera or a “B” camera on music video shoots. The older non-relflex, non-sync sound cameras of this type are perfect for this because they are cheap, and generally extremely rugged. If they’ve been well taken care of, you can get a good amount of utility out of them, for a fairly low price.

There are a bunch of pitfalls, however, that should make you nervous, especially when purchasing one of this cameras online. I bought mine from Ebay, but only after doing my research, and waiting several months for the right camera to come along. The key things to look for to avoid fraud or a non-functional camera are:

• Verify the seller’s description by checking it against the camera’s serial number on a site like http://www.bolexcollector.com.
• Verify that the camera is in the seller’s possession by asking for pictures of the serial number on the camera body with some object or phrase you specify. This might be a bit paranoid, and not necessary if you have other reason to trust the seller, but could prevent you from getting burned.
• Ask if film has been run through the camera recently and if you can see the footage.
• Be skeptical of sellers that claim to know nothing about the camera and are selling it “as-is”. You can get good deals this way, but you have to be careful, or you can wind up with a $200 to $1000+ doorstop.
• Ask about the condition of the lenses. Many of these cameras are 30+ years old and haven’t always been stored properly. Fungus can result, and normal wear and tear on parts (focus rings etc.) can take it’s toll even (and maybe especially) from amateur use.

Generally, if you are careful, and make a thorough investigation of both the camera and the seller you will get a highly useful camera with a unique look. Because these cameras are generally spring wound — you can take them places without electricity for extended periods of time. If I was ever to shoot an indie documentary in a remote location having a Bolex around as a B camera would be a great asset.