Ostcam: A Konvas by any other name...

Matt's Zatcoff's Ostcam!

Matt [Zatcoff] and his group are young filmmakers based in Indianapolis, Indiana. While preparing to shoot a 35mm low-budget feature, he initially contacted me last fall to gather info about the Konvas and Kinor cameras. After seeing an ad for a Konvas for sale at Advaned Camera in L.A., (featured in In Sync magazine--a great resource), Matt bought their camera kit.

Little did he know that he was getting a modified Konvas manufactured by Ostcam in Moscow. The camera dates to 1993 and features the following:

  • Super 35 modification
  • Registration pin modification
  • Nikon lens mount
  • Three 400ft mags
  • Time lapse intervolometer, 1fps to 1 frame per hour
  • Crystal sync @ 24fps
  • Nikkor 24mm lens
  • Custom baseplate and lens support
  • matte box from an Arri "s"

Not bad for $2,500, huh?!

Matt was kind enough to bring the gear to my home in Dayton, where I helped him build some battery packs for the camera and took the opportunity to photograph it for this site.

Ostcam: Konvas
The Ostcam Motion Picture Camera: A Konvas Reborn

The Ostcam: Viewfinder
The Ostcam Motion Picture Camera: Viewfinder and 400 foot magazine

Two beauty shots...

Ostcam Disassembled
Ostcam Disassembled

A good overview photo of the components. As you can see, the handgrip style motor was dropped in favor of a motor more integrated into the body design. Note just how far the Nikon mount is recessed into the body. This makes controlling the f-stop of the lens difficult.

Ostcam Pin Registration and Gate
Ostcam Pin Registration and Gate

Ostcam side motor
Ostcam side motor and Konvas viewfinder

Shot of the Super 35 gate and registration pin, as well as the motor controls for the camera.

The top is a "thumbwheel". The middle controls are for frame rate and the button at the bottom is for a single frame test advance.

Ostcam Digital Readout
Ostcam Motion Picture Camera Digital Readout

Side view of the motor control system

Ostcam Control
Ostcam Controller

Overhead of the intervolometer with LCD frame readout.

Dials on the bottom control duration of exposure as well as number of frames.

Matt Zatcoff admires his Ostcam
Matt Zatcoff admiring his Ostcam Motion Picture Camera

Matt rightfully admires his camera.

Again, I wish to thank Matt and his gang for dropping by with this camera for me to drool on. Now go make your film, dammit! : )