Kern-Paillard Switar 25mm, H16 RX

The Kern-Paillard Switar 25mm f/1.4 H16 RX is a fast Swiss-made 16mm cine prime designed specifically for Bolex H16 Reflex cameras.

The 25mm focal length provides a natural, general-purpose field of view on 16mm film, making it a versatile choice for people, documentary work, street scenes and everyday filmmaking. Its fast f/1.4 maximum aperture also makes it particularly useful when available light is limited.

What separates this version from a standard C-Mount Switar is the H16 RX designation. The optical system was designed to compensate for the Bolex H16 Reflex camera's beam-splitting prism, making it purpose-built for the reflex system. Period Bolex material specifically lists the 25mm f/1.4 Switar RX as its standard RX lens.

The lens uses a C-Mount, with manual focus and aperture control. The lens - 25mm f/1.4 H16 RX has a focusing range from approximately 1.5ft to infinity and an aperture range of f/1.4 to f/22. 

Best for

• Bolex H16 Reflex cameras
• 16mm filmmaking
• General-purpose cine shooting
• Documentary work
• People and portraits
• Available-light shooting
• Lower-light filmmaking
• Vintage cine setups
• Experimental filmmaking
• Bolex and Kern collectors

What to expect

On standard 16mm film, 25mm is considered a standard focal length, giving a much more natural perspective than the wider 10mm and 16mm lenses we've just covered. Bolex's own period catalogue places the Switar 25mm f/1.4 RX in its standard lens category.

Its f/1.4 maximum aperture is fast for vintage 16mm glass, giving you more flexibility in lower light and greater control over depth of field.

This is also one where the RX designation really matters. This model was specifically designed around the optical requirements of the Bolex H16 Reflex system.