Bolex H8
The Bolex H8 is a Swiss-made 8mm cine camera produced by Paillard-Bolex, introduced in 1938 and aimed at serious amateur filmmakers shooting double-8 film. It shares the same turret-and-spring-drive body architecture as the 16mm H-series, and today its value as a shelf piece or working cine camera depends heavily on cosmetic condition and whether the spring motor still runs to speed.
At UK auction in 2024 and 2025, hammer prices for the Bolex H8 have landed in a £35–£100 range, with a median near £60 — these are saleroom wholesale results, not dealer retail. The most recent sale at £100 in May 2025 sits at the top of that band, while tatty or seized examples still change hands for £35–£40. As of today the H8 sells for meaningfully less than its 16mm H-series siblings, and the price a given body commands is almost entirely a function of cosmetic condition and whether the clockwork motor runs.
Sales History
Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.
Prices updated: May 2025
| Date | Price | Source | |
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| May 2025 | £100 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 365) Title: A Bolex H8 8mm Cine Camera
Description:
A Bolex H8 8mm Cine Camera, serial no 188436, motor runs, G, body GVG, with Kern Paillard 13mm f/1.9, 13mm f/1.8, 5.5mm f/2, 26mm f/2.8, 75mm f/2.8 |
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| Jun 2024 | £60 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 358) Title: A Bolex H8 8mm Cine Camera
Description:
A Bolex H8 8mm Cine Camera, serial no 135048, motor runs, body G, with Sun Opt 1½'' f/1.4, Kinotar 6mm f/1.9 & Schneider Kreuznach 13mm f/1.5 lens, |
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| Apr 2024 | £40 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 370) Title: A Bolex H8 Cine Camera
Description:
A Bolex H8 Cine Camera, serial no 122803, 1966, motor runs, body G, some light wear, no eye level finder, with SOM Berthiot 12.5-36mm f/2.8 Pan Cinor |
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| Dec 2023 | £35 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 463) Title: A Bolex H8 8mm Cine Camera
Description:
A Bolex H8 8mm Cine Camera, serial no 112718, motor runs, body F-G, lightly damp affected, some mildew from case, some surface oxidation, with Kern |
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| Aug 2023 | £81 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 15) Title: A Paillard Bolex H-8 Motion Picture Camera
Description:
black, & chrome, serial no. 159506, body G-VG, motor winds & runs, missing Octameter & eye-level viewfinder, together with an Yvar f/2.8 36mm lens, (Qty: 1) |
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| Nov 1999 | £230 | Christie's | |
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Auction: Magic Lanterns, Optical Toys and Cameras (Lot 238) Title: Bolex H8 no. 186505
Description:
Bolex H8 no. 186505 Estimate: £200 - £300 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Bolex H8 worth today?
Recent UK auction hammer results place the Bolex H8 in a £35–£100 range, with a typical clean working example around £60–£80.
How much does a Bolex H8 sell for at auction?
Between August 2023 and May 2025, recorded UK hammer prices ran from £35 for a rough body up to £100 for a tidier example.
Does condition affect the price?
Yes — a seized or cosmetically poor H8 tends to sell for £35–£40, while examples with a running spring motor and clean optics push toward the £100 top of the range.
Is the Bolex H8 worth more than the H16?
No. The 8mm H8 consistently sells for less than the 16mm H-series bodies at UK auction, because 16mm remains a more actively shot format.