[Konvas] First TIME i see this height speed RUSSIAN Camera build 1984

[Peter Haas]

On Feb 17, 2010, at 10:42 AM, Pierre Samuel Rioux wrote:

> http://cgi.ebay.com/3KSR-SPEED-MOVIE-CAMERA-w-THREE-MAGAZINES- 
> MORE_W0QQitemZ230404636623QQcmdZViewItemQQptZFilm_Cameras? 
> hash=item35a52fbfcf
>
> I do not see any motor ?

The motor is in the camera head.

It is mounted transversally in the very bottom of the head.

This camera is pin-registered and has a number of special features.

Although the aperture plate is instantly removable, it is fixed at  
Academy width as that area which would otherwise be reserved for a  
sound track is, instead, used for an Aaton-like timecode, possibly a  
Russian equivalent of a KeyKode.

The plate could be expanded, vertically, for 'Scope, but there are  
obvious issues with the viewfinder system.

The plate cannot be expanded, horizontally, for Super-35 or for Full/ 
Silent, as the LEDs for the Russian KeyKode system are in the way.

Now, as to the motor itself, it is of generous size, but it is belt  
driven, using a timing belt through a set of right-angle guides which  
are very tiny ball bearings.

The timing belt firstly drives the shutter/film movement gearbox and  
secondly drives a gear which engages with a mating gear on each film  
magazine for film take-up.

The motor's tachometer has a very high number of counts per  
revolution, for very precise crystal control.

The crystal control unit, and, indeed, the camera control unit, is  
contained in a separate box, and the camera is useless without this  
control unit.

It is a quite innovative design, but as with most Soviet designs it  
is not built to last, unlike a Mitchell or a Panavision. Or, an ARRI.

I believe the camera was designed for 25 fps, with 24 fps being an  
alternate, but I doubt it was intended for more than 32 or 36 fps.