7008 - any thought?

[#Pedro]

Considering the potential of that camera, I don?t think that it is too expensive. You have the free choice what lens you would like, while you have be happy with the inbuilt lens other cameras come with. Any manual c-mount lens or Beaulieu-mount power lens can be adjusted to that camera and will work perfectly after colimnating it. For using c-mount power lenses, the camera connection can be changed to the "special" version (like 4008, 5008).
It?s one of the very few cameras which allows ground glass focussing and this will reduce not-sharp, discarted footage extremly
and so reduce film costs (my expierience). The price must not be such significant high, you can order one for 1498,00 EURO at http://www.bavaria-cinehome.de/S8Sec...lmkameras.html
and bypass the extreme high camera prices in the US.

The film speed can be regulated manually to any old or new or new to come film stock, which I consider to be very important nowadays. Most consumer cameras only set the film speed to 40 or 160 ASA. With the film speed dial, you can fine-adjust the auto-exposure in 1/3 stop steps. A fix-bottom allows you easy spot measuring.
Its the only camera, which DIRECLY exposures the film surface, without any prism etc inbetween, thus providing the best possible image quality and brightness. So 100% of the light is lead to the film and no quality reducing XL shutter is neccessary. Consumer cameras need about 50% of the light for viewfinder and meter!
The "normal" position of the shutter, together with 24fps, results in razor-sharp films without wiped movements. Each frame is sharp and could be used for producing a still (exp. time 1/72 sec). The movements in the projected result look like made with any prof. camera. For low light situations, the shutter can be opened and you have one stop more light (about 1/60 s).
For fades, the shutter can be closed totally.
Sound-syncing is easyly possible with the in-built flash contact (s-version), or with the pro-version, which is crystal controlled.

So, considering the high film prices, I think you should get the best possible out off the stock, and this is only possible with a very good tool.

Pedro

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[This message has been edited by #Pedro (edited February 19, 2002).]

[Lor]

Would you recommend this camera for s8 work or is it too expensive? Shall I save the doug for an earlier model or a Nizo and the rest for films, considering on going costs as well. I know some of you might suggest 16mm instead, but I'm looking for long run costs as well.

Thanks.

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[Lor]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll look into and decide.

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[souper8]

I agree with Pedro. The 7008 is a fantastic camera. I own a pro model and love using it. The images are so crisp and contrasty. The camera will retain it's value so you can always sell it when you want to upgrade to 16mm.

Hey Pedro,
Since you are the 6-9008 Beaulieu expert, you might be able to help me out. I'm missing a zoom stick for my Angenieux 6-90 1,4 and a 7008 pro manual. Do you know where I can buy these from? I ordered one from Wittner and instead of sending me the stick with female threads, I was sent one with male threads(Schneider).

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[el don]

what's the main difference between the 6008 and the 7008? I heard that all the 7008 and 9008 models were upgraded 6008. Or is there a big difference between those models?

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[Bjorn Andersson]

There is some small differenses:The first 6008 had only small center spot groundglass in wievfinder, newer has a whole goundlass finder. It is like day and night to work with this two types. On 7008 there is two digital counters, frames and meters, on the side of the body. Mecanicaly and optical, the quality is as on all Beaulieus top. If you have a camera that have been right serviced, expometer setting, lens collimated, wievfinder adjusted for you, a good battery supply, nothing can beat a Beaulieu. All other differanses is more cosmetic differens.
Bjorn Andersson
Beaulieu/Sweden

[Lor]

Is the 7008 quiet for recording? I'm sure the camera will need a blimp, but just curious on the noise level.

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[#Pedro]

Zoom stick and manual: I actually don?t know, that the zoom stick has to be female! I can ask for one at Bavaria. Concerning the manual, I don?t know if they have one in English, in German for shure. Just send me a short email and I will answer you what I found out...

Differences between Beaulieu models:

All 6/7/9008 provide the same amount of noise. It?s too loud to shoot indoors with mike fixed to the camera. Indoor shooting is only possible with mike as distant as possible to the camera. Between individual models there are differences in amount of noise, but it is not important if it is a 6/7/or 9008.


All 6/7/9008 are really based on the original 6008 model. The original body came without ground glass, only with a matt spot in the viewfinder gass (not even near the film gate, really inside the viewfinder). The result were a "floating" image and difficult focus setting as in all other S8 cameras. There was no frame counter. Sound cardriges only could be run with 18 or 24 fps or single frame, no time lapse or slow motion.

Therefore several tunings were offered for the 6008: They created a "MD" version with a real ground glass near the gate and a digital 4-digit frame counter to produce exact overlapping double exposures on sound film. A better 7-cell accupack was offered. A special "Multispeed" model allowed to shoot all framerates even with sound film and a second mains interruptor allowed to memorize the counter read out for the next scene.

Then the 7008 came out, integrating all the 6008 tunings in a new model. The LED counter was replaced with a double LCD counter for frames and footage. The power consumption was slightly decreased. The light meter of the 7008 changed, using other types of photo diodes, because the original diodes of the 6008 were discontinued. The meter got much less reliable and lost it?s unique bottom-weighted characteristic. The performance can be improved, glueing a small stripe of adhesive black tape (ca. 1 mm) to the lower side of the ground glass, right until it slightly appears in the viewfinder. This way you can eliminate the sky influence, resulting in under-exposure.

In the end of the 90ies, sound film and 200 ft was discontinued and Beaulieu reacted with the 9008 (black body). Again based on the 7008 with all it?s features, the 9008 offeres a special button to stop the friction drive and allow to rewind silent film that way in order to produce double exposures. Closing the shutter stops the motor at the same time, opening the closed shutter starts the motor again. So you can perform semi-automatic lap dissolves on silent film. Another feature is that the 9008 it pre-prepaired to take the SD8/60 cardrige for 200 ft loads. This is a very significant modification, providing a double action drive reel for friction and sprocket drive and a electronic control for the external winding motors + connector.
Lateron, they offered a 9008 model without these two features (basicly a new 7008), that became subject of special order and could be implemented in all Beaulieus.
All 9008 as well as the SD8/60 never were manufactured in France, but made by Ritter/Germany out of 7008 bodies or remanufactured customers bodies. Now Ritter is gone and Bavaria Film Munich is continuing this job.

Pedro

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[el don]

how would you compare the image quality of a 7008 with a 4008. The 6-66mm lens offered with the 4008 is said to be better than the 6-70mm offered with the 6/9008. And is there a difference in the image quality between all the 6/9008 models?


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[#Pedro]

The image quality only depends on the lens and it?s adjustment to the body, as there are NO further camera elements between the lens and the film.

The Schneider 6-70 is not as good as the 6-66 (but I never used a 6-66 to have a direct way to compare). The problem with the Schneider is, that some particular lenses may be excellent while others may suck. The quality is not very constant.

The 6/7/9008 bodies are much better than the 4008 and 5008 bodies (power supply, noise, handling, options...) BUT have the special Beaulieu-mount connection, that allows only to use power lenses which also have the Beaulieu-mount. C-mount they accept, too, but only manual lenses without motors.

So if you would like to combine the best lens with the best body, you get into some troubles. The best lens is without any doubt the Angenieux 1:1,2/6-80 and 1:1,2/6-90 (NOT the 1:1,4/6-90). In contrary to the Schneider Optivaron, this is a really proffessional lens without compromisses and full power also at the ends of it?s ranges.

This lens is available with c-mout and only some, very rare items with Beaulieu mount! If you get one, your lucky! Bavaria has one singular piece to sell, for a "fantastic" price.

The other way around is to change the body to accept ONLY c-mount lenses, getting rid of the Beaulieu mount. This is what I did. Now you can connect the really great Angenieux 6-80 (easy available), the older Angenieux versions built for 4008, and the Schneider 6-66.

I like this option better than the Beaulieu mount, limited to the Optivaron and the Angenieux 1:1,4/6-90. The controls are arranged in more handsome way than at Beaulieu-mount lenses, zoom buttons not at the side, but above. You can zoom without shaking the camera. Very slow zooming speed adjustable, for delicate coming-closer shots. Focus button at the same place as usual.

This modification from Beaulieu-mount to pure c-mount plus the 6-80 lens is cheaper than a 6-80/6-90 lens with Beaulieu-mount.
The modifyed body is called "special" model and officially made by the Beaulieu service.

Pedro

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