Brand: BOLEX
Category: Camera
Document Type: Manual
Language: EN
Manual for H 16 SB/SBM
Uploaded: Aug. 10, 2025, 12:37 a.m.
Winding the Motor:
Move the side release to STOP and the motor disengaging lever to MOT. Lift the winding handle and turn anti-clockwise to fully wind the spring motor. Lower the handle and secure it. Fully wound, the motor provides approximately 28 seconds of filming time at 24 f.p.s. It is recommended to rewind the motor after each take.Filming Speeds:
The camera offers seven filming speeds: 12, 16, 18, 24, 32, 48, and 64 frames per second. Select the desired speed by turning the control knob until the corresponding figure aligns with the red dot. Adjust the diaphragm setting when changing filming speeds to maintain correct exposure.Release Selector:
The side release controls normal, continuous, or single-frame filming. Push to 'M' for continuous filming and 'P' for single-frame. 'I' is for instantaneous shots, and 'T' is for time exposures.Variable Shutter:
The shutter aperture can be varied while filming or when stopped. This allows for exposure reduction without changing filming speed, useful in bright conditions. Positions are marked 1/2 and 1, indicating diaphragm adjustments.Troubleshooting and error codes
| Faulty Film Cause | Possible Cause |
|---|---|
| Film all black | Variable shutter left closed. |
| Film under-exposed, pictures reversed, general orange tint | Film incorrectly loaded with dark side facing towards the lens. |
| Pictures too dark and flat | Under-exposure (too small a diaphragm opening for the filming speed, film sensitivity and shutter aperture). |
| Pictures too clear and washed-out | Over-exposure (too wide a diaphragm opening for the filming speed, film sensitivity and shutter aperture). |
| Blurred pictures | Inaccurate distance setting. |
| "Jumpy" pictures | Camera unsteadiness or panning too rapidly. |
| Unnatural colouring | Using filters designed for black-and-white film when shooting in colour. Too long a delay between exposure and development. Films poorly stored before or after exposure. |
| Dominant red-orange tint | Filming too early in the morning or too late in the evening. Using tungsten lamps with a daylight type film or an under-powered lamp with "artificial light" film. |
| Dominant blue tint | Filming distant subjects at high altitudes or on water without the appropriate filter. Water scenes with strong reflections, filmed without polarizing filter. |
| Partly obscured pictures | An object, such as a finger or a long telephoto lens, in front of the taking lens. |
| Parallel scratches on the edge of the film | Dust or particles of emulsion in the film gate. Camera badly loaded. |
| Fogged film | Direct light entering through the reflex viewfinder. |
| Film fogged at edges | Careless loading or unloading of the camera so that sensitive film was accidently exposed to light. The filter-mount left out of its slot. |
| Out-of-focus or distorted picture | Pressure pad incorrectly locked. |