Question about exposure...

[jameyer4121]

I have a Nizo Braun 3056 and I'm thinking about getting some Pro8mm film to make a short.

I'm worried, though, about the fact that this camera doesn't have manual exposure. Instead, its got a +/- exposure correction feature.

I'm pretty new to the Super 8 scene...Can anyone help me out here? What is +/- correction and how does it work? Is it possible to get a professional image with this camera, given the lack of completely manual exposure?

Thanks for the help!

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[rollemfilm]

you might consider using kodaks vision 200t negative. i think the carts are notched for correct exposure. it's the same film pro8 sells.

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[mattias]

yeah, it's possible to get good results. your meter is calibrated to expose "medium grey" correctly. this means everything will look like medium grey in automatic mode, even a white piece of paper or a deep shadow. a black object next to a white one in the same shot will also register fine, since the average of them is "medium grey."

since the real world usually contains a mix of white, black and grey objects, most scenes will expose correctly, but not all. look at the scene. if it's mostly dark, and you want it to look dark, turn the +/- knob to -1. if it's mostly bright, and you want it to look bright, turn it to +1.

the biggest problem with an automatic aperture is that it can (and will) change during the shot. see if you have a "lock" switch somewhere, and lock the aperture before you roll. good luck.

/matt

[shwagomatic]

Do you have a manual for the camera? If not, you should find one. I have a similar setup and in the manual, it says that for 40 ASA (for example), the correction knob is equal to zero. With 100 ASA, set the correction knob to +1, etc. These are just examples though. This correction knob can tell the camera what ASA you're using so the internal light meter makes proper calculations. A manual should tell you how to set the correction knob in relation to the ASA you're using. From here, you'll want to consider everything mattias just said.

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[Matt Pacini]

I'm not sure how close your camera is to the 6080 & 6056, but if it is, that same switch should enable you to lock down an exposure also.

For the record, I don't think the Kodak 200T cartridges are notched for auto exposure.

I have not been able to get an answer to that question on the web, or from Kodak.
(I've emailed them many, many times, and they never respond).

Lastly, I would suggest shooting Kodachrome 40 anyway.
It's the best Super 8 film stock, for sharpness and fine grain, and it's also the cheapest stock to boot!
It's only drawback, compared to neg stock, is limited latitude and slow speed, but considering the results, it's worth the tradeoff.

Matt Pacini

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[jameyer4121]

Hey, thanks for the advice everyone!

Jared

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