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Came out of grandpa\'s drawer. No idea if it works or not but everything seems to be in great shape. It has the original instruction manual and leather , carrying case with bolex embossed. Owned by a meticulous college professor.
The Bolex Paillard C8 is a classic, precision-engineered 8mm spring-wound motion picture camera produced in St. Croix, Switzerland, by Paillard S.A. Introduced in the 1950s, the C8 was designed as a compact, durable option for serious home filmmakers and amateur documentarians.
Key Features & Technical Specifications
Film Format: Uses 25ft Daylight Loading Spools of Double 8mm (also known as Standard 8 or Twin 8). The film is run through the camera twice—exposing half the width on each pass—and is split during processing to yield 50 feet of projected film.
Lens Mount: Standard D-Mount for single interchangeable lenses (such as Kern-Paillard Switar or Yvar prime lenses).
Drive Mechanism: Hand-cranked, governor-controlled mechanical spring motor. It features a fold-down winding key integrated directly into the side of the body.
Frame Rates: Offers variable filming speeds ranging from 8 to 64 frames per second (fps), allowing for both fast-motion and high-quality slow-motion filming.
Viewfinder: Optical viewfinder with an adjustable internal dial to correct the field of view for different focal lengths (typically 12.5mm, 25mm, and 36mm lenses).
Single Frame & Continuous Shooting: Features a socket for a standard mechanical cable release to shoot single-frame exposures (ideal for stop-motion or time-lapse) alongside a continuous-run lock lever on the main shutter release.
Construction: Die-cast duraluminium body wrapped in genuine black leather with chrome-finished metal accents.
Legacy & Modern Use
The C-series (including the single-lens C8, twin-turret B8, and triple-turret D8) is widely praised for its Swiss mechanical precision and tactile operation. Because it operates entirely without batteries or electronic components, properly maintained C8 bodies remain fully functional today and are popular among film enthusiasts shooting Standard 8mm motion picture film.
