Testing a Super-8 Camera Before Buying...

[Alex]

This is for Technicolour for the present, and everyone else new to Super-8.

Lets offer our collective knowledge on what to look out for when buying a Super-8 Camera.

Bring FRESH Batteries and a couple of Super-8 cartridges of film when going to look at the Super-8 Camera. Actually load your batteries into the Super-8 Camera. This allows you to inspect the battery connections for corrosion and to make sure the battery compartment isn't holding on by a thread.

Test run the camera both without film and WITH FILM and listen to it. If it sounds real noisy, the camera needs to be lubricated by a QUALIFIED Super-8 TECHNICIAN and the price of the Super-8 camera should be discounted up to a hundred dollars for this service. (This depends on what the Super-8 camera is selling for)

Make sure the footage counter counts the film as you test the camera with your Super-Cartridge. Make sure the zoom motor works, and works in both directions, and works while the camera is running film!

Try both the auto-exposure and manual exposure meters in the camera. Make sure the exposure needle or dial doesn't bind at any point.

Try all of the film speeds out. Put the camera on a tripod to make sure the tripod mount is solid.

Does the viewfinder focus properly?

Zoom the lens in on something a mile away or more, focus, and zoom out. Does the camera hold focus? If not, adjust the viewfinder while in the wide angle position and try the test again. If the camera does not stay in focus upon zooming out, the back focus is out of adjustment and will need to be adjusted by a QUALIFIED SUPER-8 TECHNICIAN, and even then there is no guarantee the camera lens back focus can be adjusted correctly.

[technicolour]

I heeded your advice tonight when I went to see the camera, which I incidentally bought.

The camera can only be described as mint condition, it looks like its never been used and comes with the mic, ear peice, lens hood and the all important book of words. Its all in a nice black case with red velvety lining, all in perfect condition! (Also included, a roll of a circa 1981 K40 sound film!)

The camera itself appears to be fine, the camera holds its focus when zooming in and out, the motor sounds very healthy and the exposure meter moves as it should when you move the camera between light sources. I'm quite pleased with my new toy! All I need to now is get a roll of k40 to run through it [img]graemlins/film.gif[/img] [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

[Alex]

What film speeds does the camera shoot at? Does it have single frame or intervalometer? The lens is a nice 8-1 zoom, I think you'll enjoy that. Zooming in and out wastes film, especially on an 8-1 zoom camera. I'm not completely anti-zoom, but usually it makes sense to stop filming and reset the
lens, then resume filming. Does it have macro?

Even if the answer is no to the above, it's still a nice step up from a 2-1 zoom camera. And you 2-1 zoom camera with the 220 degree shutter will still be real valuable in low light situations.

[technicolour]

Strangely the camera only films at 18 fps. It does have macro and it has a 200 degree shutter, I dont know if that will still perform ok in low light when compared to XL cameras?

No intervalometer but I have an external one I bought as a kit, so If I hook that up to the remote socket whether a quick application of voltage to the motor will cause it too take just one frame or not........hmmm i hear you say [img]redface.gif[/img]

Anyway I'm chuffed with it, its a vast improvement on my 2:1 camera and its got a fade function and a decent zoom lens.

Just out of interest, why is it seen as bad practise to zoom when filmming?

[Alex]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">Originally posted by technicolour:
Strangely the camera only films at 18 fps.
</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

Don't sweat the 18FPS. That used to be an issue with me, but after input from others, it saves you film and allows you to do more shots per cartridge, which means more learning and achieving for the same cost.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">Originally posted by technicolour:

It does have macro </font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

Congrats! Probably the Macro is engaged when the camera is in the wide position. However, if the Macro is engaged when in the telephoto position, you can film ants up close!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">Originally posted by technicolour:
...it has a 200 degree shutter. I dont know if that will still perform ok in low light when compared to XL cameras?</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>


Your two Super-8 cameras should be comparable. However, you may notice that this camera might produce a slightly darker picture in low light situations and the overall focus "may" be more of an issue with this camera when the exposure is completely open because the camera has more "glass" than your 2:1 camera. You may discover that "locking" the exposure on your Cosina 8-1 zoom lens Super-8 Camera at f2.0 or 2.4 might give you just a tad more sharpness (without affecting the overall exposure that much) versus having the camera f-stop set wide open (f1.8)

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">Originally posted by technicolour:

No intervalometer but I have an external one I bought as a kit, so If I hook that up to the remote socket whether a quick application of voltage to the motor will cause it too take just one frame or not........hmmm i hear you say [img]redface.gif[/img]
</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

Gosh that would make a great topic post! I have heard about these intervalometer kits but I never read about how they work or what interval options they offer or what they cost... (hint hint) [img]wink.gif[/img]
let us know if it works.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">Originally posted by technicolour:

Anyway I'm chuffed with it, its a vast improvement on my 2:1 camera and its got a fade function and a decent zoom lens. </font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

It would still be wise to figure out in what scenarios your 2:1 camera might be the better choice. Unlike other film formats, owning several Super-8 cameras is economically possible, and you may find that each camera has it's own strong suit.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">Originally posted by technicolour:

Just out of interest, why is it seen as bad practise to zoom when filmming?</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

It wastes film would be the primary reason. The exception to this rule (my rule, I guess) is to practice the zoom once to see what the effect is. If you like the effect, then go for it.

If you are shooting an unrecreateable shot, then zoom and shoot as much as is needed. Otherwise, practice the zoom and decide if it is what you want. If you decide the zoom doesn't add anything, then zoom in or out to change your view, and then start filming.

Even if you plan to zoom during a shot, if you practice zooming the lens to telephoto, it gives you a chance to set the focus properly, or even improperly if your goal is to zoom in and go out of focus at the same time, or start zoomed in out of focus, then zoom out into focus.

When zooming, practice the shot before running film, unless you are filming space aliens or Jennifer Lopez.

[technicolour]

Thanks for all the info,


I shall try out that technique of locking the exposure at 2/2.8 in low light instead of just opening the aperture way up. Interestingly its just occured to me that the slight overexposure and poor sharpness of my chinon camera is probably due to the 220 degree shutter, as Ive read that such cameras produce a less sharp image.

That intervalometer i bought just as a the circuit and bits (being a bit of an electronics buff) and havent yet got round to seeing if it works. I got it from a company called Maplin (the UK version of radioshack i think, or that might be tandy) for about ?5 ($8 dollars ish?). Its basically a timer switch and theres not really a way of calibrating it without sitting there with a stop watch to see how many times its switching per minute or second.
Its advertised as such,

"For intermittent operation of circuits and equipment. Blinking light, video/photo single frame shooting, slide projector control, miniature models"

If your interested in getting one (although I presume you already have means of doing stop motion [img]wink.gif[/img] )its made by a company called Velleman based in belgium, if you cant get it from American then goto http://www.maplin.co.uk and search for product code VT27E.

I was actually told about the product when I posted on super 8 filmmaking board ages ago, and I had originally intended to use it with my Chinon 256SXL which has single frame, but that camera is way past its best [img]frown.gif[/img] .

Im not going to stop using my 2:1 chinon, its going to be dead useful in low light and has proved itself to be quite capable, especially at partys!


<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif"> When zooming, practice the shot before running film, unless you are filming space aliens or Jennifer Lopez. </font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

Or perhaps both?!