More Beaulieu questions...

[dogstarman]

Still trying to decide what kind of camera to drop a bunch of cash on...

Anyway, so I was on the phone with Irv Higdon a couple of weeks ago, and I brought up the question of camera noise, mentioning that above all else, that was my biggest concern in buying a new camera. So I says to him, I says "...so I should probably look into buying a 6008 if I'm going to buy a Beaulieu, 'cause they're supposed to be quiet, right?"
And he says (I'm paraphrasing) "Not really. You can do just as well buying a 5008" infering, I guess, that a 5008 is not substantially louder than a 6008.

So, any 5008 or 6/7/9008 users out there? Anybody care to chime in on the noise levels of any of these models? I know Matt is going to say "Get a Nizo", but I was specifically told NOT to buy a Nizo if I could avoid it. Reason being because they are fragile and difficult to repair. Doesn't mean I WON'T buy one, I'm just looking at all the options first. I have no real preferance between the Beaulieu models, so I don't care which one I get. But I'd prefer to have some cash left over for film, if at all possible... any help would be appreciated.

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[#Pedro]

I?m a 6008/9008 user. Concerning the noise I can tell you that Beaulieu cameras can NOT be considered as "quiet". The noise of each individual model of one type of camera is individually different. So my 9008 is more quiet than my 6008, having the same transport mechanism.

The 4008 is very loud, the 5008 I don?t know personally, but I guess that the 6008/7008/9009 may be more quiet.

The noise level is not a reason for purchasing a Beaulieu; the main reason should be image quality (direct exposure of the film, no prism, a real iris) and viewfinder control (exact focus setting with ground glass) and the possibility interchanging lenses.

None of the Beaulieus you could use f.e. with microfone mounted directly at the camera. Nizos or Bauers you could use that way. Nizo is far more quiet, but with Beaulieu you nearly always can be shure, that you succeeded in setting the focus correctly - with split image viewfinders it?s always a kind of sort!

I have good sound results using the microfone fixed at my belt with manual gain control. I record with a Sony WM-D6C in a small belt bag, connected to the flash contact of the Beaulieu.
For easy indoor shooting, I put my Sony with the mike somewhere in the room and walk around with the Beaulieu without caring about the sound. The sync connection is wireless, with a sync transmitter at the flash contact and a receiver at the Walkman.

Pedro

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[Scottness]

Hi Dogstarman! - why not also look into getting a good barney or blimp - we didn't do that on In My Image - which is a problem now in editing - but Im really glad we used a Beaulieu for the image quality - and I'll be looking at barneying it soon

Scot M

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[Matt Pacini]

Scott, I'd be very interested in knowing how you dealt with camera noise.
Are you that far along in post yet?
Are you looping all your dialog?
Because camera noise is a real scene killer, I know from experience.
Roger told me he though I was exaggerating, that it wasn't that bad in Lost Tribes, but I find it horrifying, to be able to hear the camera AT ALL, because you sure don't in anything but low budget films.

Matt Pacini

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[8th Man]

Hi I started to post to this topic the other day but my connection froze so I'll go again.
I'm lucky enough to own both a Beaulieu 6008 and a Nizo 6080 and like them both very much. I've shot side by side tests of both cameras and found them to be exceptional at puting images on film. I don't like the way beaulieus will tend to strobe camera movement due to its faster shutter, but the low-light shutter setting it helps cut that down. The slower shutter cuts the noise down a bit to. This may not be true of all, since there are always going to be little idiosyncrasies in cameras but I imagine it holds true for most.
It's got a lot going for it features wise, but really, how often do I put other lenses on it ? Honestly almost never. I do have several c- mount primes but the angenieux 6-90 lens really does it job well.
As for the Nizo, I love that camera. Possibly a little harder to focus since split -image isn't all that swell on super8 but the difference shouldn't be a deal breaker, IMHO. Delicate? Difficult to fix?I hear that about both brands. I can only tell my experience. I paid a lot for my B. 6008, and when it arrived it still needed work. I took it to pro8mm for fixin' (big mistake) and was charged another $400 on top of the grand I paid originally.So that puts me in it 1,400 big ones. The N.6080 cost me $600 and needed nothing and has worked without problems for the 14 mounths I've owned it. I also picked up a second 6080 that I new needed work but was otherwise minty fresh for $250 and got it working for another $165.It had an electronics problem and my guess is that's more common with them.It was fixed by a local repair shop, although it still needs work on the auto meter, it was ressurected without much dificulty. The Nizo 6080 is one of the last S8 cameras made in the mid-80's, and that's when companies compeated in fancy features involving electronic gizmos.
Nizos also contain more plastic inner parts , I've heard, and to some that may mean something ,but not to me really. My honda has more plastic than my old Ford but what one gets more work on it?
You can probably find a good running Beaulieu for a lot less than I paid for it though, so consider that too. I don't think I'd go for a 5008 though. I think that one was a step backwards from the 4008, and also doesn't take AA batteries and I don't think it has much of a slow-mo.
Without question, the Nizo is the quietest S8 camera made and that really means something if your shooting sync sound.
If i had to choose one or the other I don't know that I could, I'm happy with both. The slight edge I give the Nizo in image is subjective as I happen to like the mild motion blur the 220 degree stutter gives.
But I like the feel of the beaulieu. I liked them both enough to get them Crystal synced too, but if your planning on doing any close up dialogue I think the clear winner is the Nizo.
My two cents and I hope it helps.

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PRM

[dogstarman]

Yes 8th Man, it helps a lot. Thanks everybody, and if you have an opinion on the "best high-end camera" debate, please continue to post.

sam

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[Nigel]

I love Beaulieu cameras far and away more than any others. I can't say anything about the 7008/9008 but I can say that the 5008 is a "Quiet" camera and as well as the 6008. How many Db do they through out??--I don't know more than my Aaton that is for sure. Good Luck

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[#Pedro]

I like the Beaulieu 6/7/9008 best, as they have a viewfinder system that allows me to reduce the out of focus trash significanty. I am fanatic for crisp-sharp szenes. Split-image and Super 8? No way, it is only a help, but it does not really work for me.

The 5008 models have less options, but they are considered to produce more stable pictures, with less jitter than the later models. But I don?t know from personal expierience.


The other point is, that the Beaulieu gives me the choice to select the shutter speed, the Nizo sound models not. I like the faster shutter speed, together with 24 fps, the film looks more sharp, transparent and deep. I don?t recognize a stronger strobe effect. The Beaulieu LL-position (about 180 degrees) gives good sharp results, too, but the 220 degree XL shutter of other modern cameras... sorry, I cannot work with. Every movement of actors becomes wiped out, every pan movement of the camera becomes trash, as it looks like out of focus - any detail wiped! My Beaulieu pans come out very good, with XL shutter I would have to pan much slower.

This statements are for projection on a 2 meters screen, which shows every fail. Maybe for that little tiny video screen it maybe different.

A good backup camera for me, besides the Beaulieu, would be a Nizo prof with variable shutter, but not a pure XL type camera.

Pedro

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