Crown 8 E3B Camera

[Gurdeep Samra]

I managed to get my hands on this little gem. I have a bad feeling that this camera is only STANDARD 8. Is there anywhere in the UK where I can get this? Or am I wrong? Is it Super 8??

[BolexPlusx]

It is Regular-8

and it looks like a nice one:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~wichm/crowne3b.jpg

It was made in 1959. (Super-8 came out in 1965)

Here's a place in Great Britain that has R8 film, I doubt it's the only one:

http://www.widescreen-centre.co.uk/cine.html#film1

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ August 06, 2003 01:13 PM: Message edited by: BolexPlusx ]</font>

[BolexPlusx]

Hmmm...

I'm not familiar with the camera, but even if it is regular 8 that's not really a bad thing, you can still buy film and there are any number of people that swear by R8. I'm a Super-8 fan, but I'll admit there are certain things R8 does better, like backwinding and double exposures for example. I think that Regular 8 also has a better system for aligning the film in the gate as well. (Apologies to R8 fans if I'm off here!)

Question: When you swing open the film door what do you see? Spindles for two reels to sit on, or a little flat wheel at the center with a projection coming up to engage a film cartridge.
Is the film compartment elongated or square? Is the camera battery powered or is it a wind-up.?

[Gurdeep Samra]

Thanks for your help.

Yes it's a VERY VERY simple camera in the way it works. The film goes from one spool, get's exposed behind the lens and reels up on the other. It's clockwork, can get about half a minute on one wind-up.

However, the camera does have a REALLY REALLY bad point about it.....I can't see what I'm shooting! For some bizarre reason there is an eye piece but it does not show what the lens can see, makes you wonder why they put an eyepiece on there. Therefore, how do I know if what I'm shooting is in focus or in shot? Or should I just use the wide angle lens and hope for the best???

PLEASE HELP!

[BolexPlusx]

Yes, this was the state of the art in that time.

I find that regardless of the technology behind the camera, you have to be willing to waste a little film early on to get the feel of it, and then you'll be OK.

I would imagine this is fixed focus (I could be wrong.), so you probably just have to respect a minimum subject distance and you'll be OK

Most of all: buy some film, shoot some film.