Re: Eclair ACL Pre-purchase questions

[Mark <super16acl@aol.com>]

The page at my site  www.members.aol.com/Super16ACL/Acl1And2.htm   will 
answer a great many of your questions.

I have done over the years exactly what you are suggesting --- start basic 
and inexpensive and build. However in the long run that may not result in the 
most cost effective way to do it, (just like purchasing a car on a payment 
plan rather than buying it outright with cash --- less money at any given 
moment, but overtime you pay more).

The ACL body went virtually unchanged between models 1, 1.5 and II.  It was 
primarily the bells and whistle's that changed. In fact, there is virtually 
no way that I've found to even distinguish a 1 from a 1.5 body, and the only 
way I know of to tell a II by sight is by the addition of a mag release 
flip-cover (and removal of the sliding lock). 

To go from a 1 to a II (forgetting about the mag release), you'd need to add: 
the ACL II base, Heavy Duty motor with external speed setting, Kinoptik 
viewfinder (many times brighter than either of the Angeneux finders, and 
worth the cost of admision alone), an on-board battery holder, and the 
anatomic grip.  HOWEVER, finding these items as individual accessories is 
uncommon. They haven't been made in 20 years (that's went Eclair went 
belly-up), and usually only surface if an unreparable camera is being sold 
off piece by piece.

-I bought a Kinoptik finder a year ago on the web for $1100 ... a reasonable 
price. It's the only one I've ever noticed for sale on the web, although 
admittedly I haven't been looking lately.

-I also bought an ACL II anatomic handle on the web for about $300, but that 
was a really good price. They are rare to find, and will probably cost a lot 
more if you can even locate one.

I've personally never seen an ACL II motor for sale, (they are like Gold and 
highly sought after), although the ACL 1.5 motor is essentially the same if 
you can do without external sync. (George at Optical-Electro House will 
convert a 1.5 motor for external sync for $450). To take advantage of an 
external sync setting on the motor, you also need the ACL II Base. Frankly, I 
see no other real reason to have the larger ACL II base except for external 
sync (though it does set the camera down flat, and the RUN switch is recessed 
so that pressure from a Barney won't turn it on.).

It is also possible to replace any of the speed crystals in the 1.5 motor (or 
the 1 motor) with another of your choice --- for example, using the switch's 
setting for 25fps (or 32 fps etc.) to become 23.976 or 29.9.   

If you can't afford an ACL II all at once, and if you don't need the external 
sync of an ACL II, buying an ACL 1.5 would give you a great motor, and then 
you could sell off the Angeneux Orientable finder once (if) you locate a 
Kinoptik. 

I tried to market an on-board battery holder (see the 2nd splash screen on 
the: members.aol.com/Super16ACL   site) but could not shore up enough 
interest to make it economical. But Ray had the good idea of gutting an ACL 
pilot module and putting rechargables in there!

For hand held work, the ACL II anatomic handgrip is really worth it. The ACL 
does not balance on your shoulder quite as perfectly as an Aaton, and the 
grip was designed to give your arm maximum leverage by tilting the handle a 
little. I've adapted other handles --- even an Aaton type --- and they aren't 
as effective as the actual ACL II handle for shoulder holding.

As for Super 16, you'll have to call around and compare prices and features. 
The HD-144 kits range from $390 (Silver) to $750 (Gold), and one top Tech out 
there charges about $1300 to install --- I'm not sure if that price includes 
etching the ground glass to Super-16, or if any mag modification is included 
(I only recommend modification of the rollers ... not the mag pressure 
plate).  

To shop around, check out all the Techs at the Super 16 web site. And a 
number of Techs also offer their own in-house conversion, with each doing it 
a little differently. I've heard of prices ranging (in US $$$) from $1000 
(UK) to $1500 (Australia) to $2700 (USA) for an "in-house" conversion, 
depending on who is doing it and what you're getting. But compare carefully 
--- there are no "Eclair Conversion Guidelines," so it is likely that not all 
conversions are created equal. For example, the least expensive conversion 
may re-mark your ground glass in pencil rather than haveing it etched --- but 
that will work. Most conversions don't re-center the mirror --- but that's 
probably just a technicality to be 100% up to Super-16 specs, (though for 
some of us, doing it 100% to specs is a fanatasism). Some conversions may 
re-work your existing lens flange, some may replace it with a custom-made 
S-16 flange --- you can usually tell a "re-working" if the flange appears to 
be rotated. Most conversions re-machine the existing aperature plate and 
shutter. (While the HD-144 uses new, custom-made S-16 parts, re-machined old 
parts work fine). 

A good "guide" to use in asking questions is actually the HD-144 
"installation guide" itself, a free download from the Super-16 site. You can 
use it to compare features as you shop around, and it will give you a bit of 
an idea of what is involved so that you can ask informed questions. Good luck.

Mark.

==^================================================================
EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84xYK.a9svPI
Or send an email To: EclairACL-unsubscribe@topica.com
This email was sent to: elroro@propagandaindustries.org

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^================================================================