Bolex cameras have been a staple of classic cinema for almost 100 years, the most famous of which is the H16, invented in 1935. Thanks to it's simple design, precision and range of features, it played a crucial role in the careers of many avant-garde filmmakers throughout the 21st Century and remains an iconic piece of film history.
The H16 camera was used as a starting point for the careers of many reknowned Hollywood directors, and is often a popular choice for film schools.
As a film industry professional and lover of cinema myself, I came up with an idea to commemorate an icon of my favourite past-time, as well as that of many others.
This model is a faithful recreation, featuring an inner working mechanism that allows the user to operate the camera as if they were shooting their very own film:
The front mounted lenses can be rotated around, allowing to swap between multiple sizes on the fly.
The side panel can be removed in order to access the mechanism, a film strip can be loaded into the camera around the sprockets.
Turn the crank on the other side of the camera to engage the gear mechanism and let the film roll through the camera.
The side of the model features several working buttons and dials which are all accurate to the real camera.
The film canister, also included in the set, serves as a way to store the film reel.
I hope you enjoy the idea and all your support is greatly appreciated!