Heard of Double S8. I got a USSR camera and loads

[maiacosmo]

Hi,
I am living in Sydney Australia and am originally from Czechoslovakia. On my trip back there this year I finally bought a long saught after double Super 8 camera. It is made in the USSR all metal, (from ww2 fighter planes! its a "Quarz-zoom DS8") sturdy and barely used, anyhow the film used for it is widley made and devleoped by Fomapan in the Czech republic, it is on 16mm, you split it and its double
super 8!!!.Amazing! Just thought some people may be interested in knowing about this find. I can also develope the film here in Australia. BUT i am now having some problems with the camera, it uses mecahnisms very similar to the old Bolex's. Does anyone in Australia perhaps know someone in Sydney who could have a look at it. Its pretty urgent as i am supposed to shoot my next film on it. Any help at all would be appreciated because i am lost!
Thanks
Maia

[cameraguy]

I have this same camera and it is very sturdy. Fomapan is not the only film you can use. Currently you can buy Kodachrome 25, 2 Kahl B&W stocks as well as their color UT 18. Widescreen Center in England has a few Negatives stocks as well. Most only come in 100' (30.5m) spools so you would have to spool them down for use in the Quarz.

------------------

[maiacosmo]

Hi, thanks for your reply, i didnt know there was still other film being produced for DS8, the only thing is i really have this problem with my camera, where did you get your quarz and has it ever had any problems with the needle meachanism that pulls the sprockets down? After i used it once a powder like cement came out of the hole where the needle goes in to drag down the sprockets and now it doesnt work anymore, is this nothing or maybe...maybe...you have had a similar problem. I would be interested to know if you could describe the inside mecahnism to me so as to know how to fix mine,it may just need some readjustments, thankyou so much that would be the biggest help, its good to know there are other Quarz's out there!
hope to hear form you soon!

------------------

[cameraguy]

Weezerman, No it's not standard 8mm. It's the same process but the film has Super 8 size perforations on each side so that the a finished slit film is run through a Super 8 projector.

Maia, I got my Quarz DS8 camera from a gentleman in the Czech Republic. I have not had any problems like you describe. The only problem I have is that the camera can't hold it's speed throughout an entire wind under film load. I am not a very knowledgeable about these cameras so I can't offer any advice on how to fix yours. You may want to look for another as they are fairly inexpensive to buy in working condition.

------------------

[Weezerman]

Double Super 8?

16mm exposed on each side and cut down the middle...

Wouldn't this be simply Standard 8mm or is there a difference?

--Weezerman

[This message has been edited by Weezerman (edited August 30, 2001).]