Eclair ACL Downloadable Instruction Book
IB-ACL-0772
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ECLAIR-DEBRIE OF ENGLAND
INSTRUCTION BOOK
FOR
THE 16mm ACL CAMERA
ECLAIR-DEBRIE (UK) LTD,
ORION PARK,
NORTHFIELD AVENUE,
LONDON, W13 9SW,
ENGLAND,
Telephone: 01-579 3831
Telex: 934032
LIST OF CONTENTS
SECTION TITLE PAGE
1 Design philosophy 4
2 Technical specifications 6
3 Description 7
3.1 The camera body 7
3.1.1 The bloop generator 11
3.1.2 Output signals 12
3.1.3 Synchronising the camera to the tape recorder 12
3.2 The magazine 13
3.3 The motor 14
3.4 The battery 14
3.5 The charger 15
3.6 Accessories 15
4 Operating instructions 18
4.1 Charging the battery 18
4.2 Dioptre adjustment of viewfinder 18
4.2.1 To align the image in the viewfinder vertically. 18
4.3 Gelatine filter slide 18
4.4 Mounting the lens 18
4.5 Removing magazine from camera body 19
4.6 Loading the magazine 19
4.6.1 Daylight spools 21
4.7 Mounting magazine to camera body 21
4.8 Fitting the handgrip 21
4.9 Starting the camera 21
5 Essential precautions 22
3
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE TITLE PAGE
1 Camera body front view (exploded) 5
2 Mechanism plate 7
3 Aperture plate 8
4 Embase unit circuit diagram 9
5 Interconnection diagram 10
6 Module interconnections 11
7 Magazine feed side 12
8 Magazine take up side 13
9 Camera and motor module detail 14
10 Charger with battery in position 15
11 Pilotone module 16
12 Handgrip mounted on pilotone module 17
13 Viewfinder format detail 18
14 Camera/magazine location 19
15 Checking size of film loop 19
16 Film paths feed side 20
17 Film path take up side 20
18 Unexposed film indicator 21
1. DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
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Low profile and portability not only gives the ECLAIR
ACL camera an elegant appearance, but it is a practical
feature which enables the cameraman to take pictures
while in a very confined space. The ACL rests low on the
shoulder; in fact wherever there is headroom there is
space for him to operate his camera.
Examples:- seated in a moving car next to or behind the
driver; in a cockpit; in a bunker; up a tree; or in any
confined space where a camera is called for. The ACL is
unobtrusive.
Total weight is important where there is plenty of action
and mobility is the key word. The ACL with its 60m (200 ft)
magazine, fully loaded, weighs 3.6 kg (8 lbs).
With all its ancillaries, this camera presents no problem
when climbing any structure or following any action. The
ACL is truly a professional camera.
A self-blimped quiet running camera permits candid
shots and unselfconscious action. The moving parts in the
ACL have been kept to a minimum; it’s wedge-shaped
claw slides quietly into the film perforation; it’s plane
shutter and oscillating mirror reduce the whir of rotating
mirror shutters; the overall noise level is better than 32 dB
at 1 m (3 ft).
A crystal controlled brushless motor has been specially
designed for the ACL. Incorporated in this motor are some
of the features developed for spaceflight - miniaturised
control, high efficiency, freedom from static etc. It is based
on The Hall Effect; runs silently, draws only 0.8 A from the
small rechargeable battery. No hash is added to the radio
microphone signals. The speed is accurately regulated to
24 or 25 frames per second by crystal control.
Snap-on magazines, made famous throughout their
range of cameras, afford the film maker the advantages of
a 3 second effective re-load time and the ability to change
quickly to different film stocks by pre-loading magazines.
The cameraman has the choice of 60m (200 ft) core
loads, standard 30m (100 ft) or 60m (200 ft) daylight
loading spools.
The viewfinder can be rotated through 3600 parallel to
the camera’s side and is one of the many practical features in the design of the ACL. For low angle shots and for
shooting over the shoulder, the fully adjustable viewfinder
enables the cameraman to position the eyepiece and
compose his picture without being a Contortionist. Normal
dioptre adjustment and exit pupil shutter for excluding
stray light are part, of the design.
Lens mounting is basically “C” mount surrounded by a
large threaded shoulder to which a TS adaptor for
Cameflex, Arriflex, Nikon, and other professional mounts
can be attached without affecting the back focal distance
and putting undue strain on the C mount threads.
Image steadiness: movement is less than one thousandth of the picture height.
The ground glass on the entry face of the prism is
engraved with 2 frames. The smaller has rounded corners
for TV format 8.41 x 6.30mm. The larger, academy frame,
for the motion picture format 10.2 x 7.4mm has square
corners. A cross indicates the centre position of these
frames. The area outside the academy format is a “safe”
area, thus minimizing the possibility of the intrusion of
microphones and other unwanted objects in the picture.
An automatic marker light is mounted adjacent to the
camera aperture. It is controlled by a switch located in the
base of the camera. Automatic operation causes the
clapper bulb to glow for 0.3 secs. thereby fogging approx.
the first 8 frames (24 f.p.s.) of each scene when the
camera is started. The last maximum fogged frame
becomes the visual cue mark, being the point where the
motor has attained its nominal running speed. For crystal
controlled operation this facility can be switched off as a
clapperboard is normally employed in this application. An
8v pulse duration 0.3 secs. simultaneous with the glow of
the clapper bulb provides the receiving “BLOOP” signal for
the tape recorder oscillator which triggers the audio cue.
A pilotone module incorporated with a lateral handle
mount and switch is an optional extra for the ACL. This
module provides a pilotone signal at 50Hz for 25 f.p.s., at
60Hz for 24 f.p.s. and also at 10OHz for 25 f.p.s. The
pilotone signal can either be cut out for the duration of the
bloop or be present at the same time as the bloop, according to client’s requirement.
The rechargeable battery supplied for use with the ACL
is a SAFT type VR1. It consists of cadmium nickel cells
enclosed in a plastic flatpack. The battery has a shoulder
strap and is small enough to fit into a jacket pocket. A fully
charged battery will supply power for running 720m
(2400ft) of film.
The fast recharger enables a flat battery to be fully
charged within 30 minutes. It operates on 220/240 volts
50Hz or 127V 60Hz mains supply. Indication of full charge
is provided.
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2. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
ACCESSORIES: handgrip, lateral handgrip bracket, pilotone module, filter wallet,
selection of TS lens mounts, transport case, crystals, soft protective
cover, tripod, range of lenses.
ASPECT RATIO: 1.33 to 1.
BATTERY: 12 volt.
Capacity : 1 Amp-hour equivalent to 12 magazines, i.e. approximately
720m (2400 ft).
CAMERA DIMENSIONS: 275 x 175 x 150mm (111/2 x 7 x 6in) including magazine but
without lens.
CHARGER: approximately 35 minutes fast charge with automatic cut out.
CRYSTAL: 983,040 Hz or 1,024,000 Hz.
EXPOSURE: 1/48 sec. at 24 f.p.s.
1/52 sec. at 25 f.p.s.
FI LM: 16mm
double perforation.
single perforation A winding emulsion out.
B winding emulsion in.
50mm (2 inch) core 60m (200 ft) only
daylight loading 30 or 60m (100 or 200 ft).
GELATINE HOLDER: Sandwich Type.
HANDLE FIXING : Three positions - top, bottom and side.
IMAGE STABILITY: vertical unsteadiness better than 1/1000th of frame height.
LENS MOUNTS: ‘C’ and ‘CA’. Arri, Nikon, etc. available as accessories.
MAGAZINE: coaxial snap-on pattern, core or spool loads.
MARKER: automatic or manual by selector switch.
MOTOR: brushless, crystal controlled. 25 f.p.s. and 24 f.p.s. versions availab’le.
MOVEMENT: single claw intermittent.
NOISE LEVEL: better than 32dB at 1 metre.
OPERATING TEMP: -50C to +600C (-230F to +1400F) normal.
-200C after special winterising treatment.
POWER CONSUMPTION: less than 0.8A at 12V at 200C (680F)
SHUTTER: plane type, fixed 1750 opening.
TRIPOD FIXING: standard 3/81n Whitworth tapped hole in base.
VIEWFINDER: rotatable through 360 with eyepiece shutter, adjustable through 3
dioptres. Magnification x 8.
VIEWING: reflex via oscillating mirror.
WEIGHTS CAMERA 1.56kg (3 lb 7 oz)
MAGAZINE 1.84kg (4 lb 1 oz)
FILM 60m (200ft) 0.23kg approximately (8 oz)
BATTERY 0.60kg, (1 lb 5 oz)
CHARGER 1.98kg (4 lb 6 oz)
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3. DESCRIPTION
The camera consists of four main units
1. Camera body
2. Motor
3. Viewfinder
4. Magazine
3.1. THE CAMERA BODY
This comprises the mechanism plate (fig 2) on
which is mounted the claw mechanism, the
oscillating mirror, the plane shutter, the magazine drive shaft, and the prism/ground glass.
The body also supports the lens mounts, the
gelatine holder, the viewfinder, the magazine
lock and safety catch and the embase unit which
contains the camera’s electronics.
GROUND GLASS
PRISM
OSCILLATING
MIRROR
175˚ PLANE
SHUTTER
CLAW
MAGAZINE
AND MIRROR
DRIVE SHAFT
FIG. 2. MECHANISM PLATE
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