Archive notice: This article was originally published on July 14, 2015. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Does anyone still remember the Bolex, the 8 mm or 16 mm camera from Switzerland that was a genuine powerhouse in the small-format film class for decades? It is now returning, digitally, under the name D16. Bolex International, S.A. in Yverdon and the American Cinemeridian Inc. have revived the classic and presented it publicly for the first time at NAB Las Vegas.
The features, according to the manufacturer:
- image detail with high accuracy
- organic colours, similar to classic 16 mm film
- ergonomic body based on the design of its predecessor
- global shutter that eliminates the rolling-shutter effect
- recording in uncompressed CinemaDNG at 12-bit and up to 2K
- dynamic range of 12 stops in the colour version and 13 stops in the monochrome version
- audio recording through two built-in XLR inputs at 24-bit/96kHz
- Enterprise Class SSD
- dual CF card slots and SB 3.0 interface
- adapters for additional lenses from Canon, Nikon or Sony
We will of course have to test how accurate all this is – and will do so as soon as we receive a test device.
