THREE-LENS TURRET CONVERSION
November 09, 2006 -- Michael Tisdale
Here's something I found recently while looking through a stack of old camera
dealer ephemera. It's dated May 27, 1959 and comes from LACO Photo Import
of Los Angeles, CA.
It's a turret conversion for B and C cameras. Unfortunately it blocks the release button a bit, so you couldn't use a Declic trigger grip.
It's interesting that the letter mentions the turret piece was manufactured in Switzerland. The three-lens D-8L model was introduced later in the same year; the turret was round and the release button was relocated to the side.
If you'd like to read the full text, but your eyesight is as bad as mine, here's what it says:
"Dear sir,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding our BOLEX conversion to a 3 - LENS TURRET.We can inform you that this conversion is possible on all BOLEX models, such as B-8, B-8VS, B-8L and also on the C-8.
The turrets are being manufactured in Switzerland and installation is made in our Los Angeles workshop by a Swiss technician with factory training, who has been servicing BOLEX cameras for a great many years.
The cost for this conversion, including installation, is as follows:
For the model B-8 and B-8VS $29.95
For the model B-8L $33.50
For the model C-8 $45.50
(add 4% tax if in California)Technically this 3-Lens Turret has proven to work to the utmost perfection and we guarantee performance. As you can see from the pictures, the back of the 3rd lens is covered by a special steel plate, so that no light or dust gets to the back of the lens.
This 3-Lens Turret has the same D mount as the original BOLEX turret and will accommodate your present lenses, such as KERN-PAILLARD and others. The only work done is removing the original turret and mounting the convenient 3-Lens Turret. No other alteration is made and the original Bolex turret is being returned with your converted camera. The general handling qualities remain the same. A Declic trigger grip cannot be used. The focal plane distance will be exactly as before the conversion.
Send us your camera together with your money order or check. We will ship prepaid if advance payment is made, otherwise COD, by adding postage, insurance and COD charge. It will take us a few days only to convert your camera and we can assure you that you will ge more fun out of your camera if you can enjoy the convenience of the 3-Lens Turret.
Yours very truly
LACO PHOTO IMPORT CO.
Andre Jomini
Got any interesting Bolex ephemera? Want to share it with visitors to this site? Send me an email.
