Metering for super 8 cameras.

[Nathan D. Lee]

Up until now I have been relying on my cameras built in light meter for shooting super 8. I am not so much a fan of that for obvious reasons. So I bought an older Minolta III light meter. The meter can do shutter speeds but not angles and can be set to a 1/50 of a second for 24fps with a 180 shutter. The rest is ASA compensations and the like, which is fine.

I know you can find info on the shutter angle of many super 8 cameras but not all. Is it safe to assume that most are around 180 degrees? (I know some XL's go to 220 and some are at 160) Am I pretty safe sticking it at 180 unless I know otherwise?

 

Also a 180 degree shutter at 18 fps is around a 1/35, or 1/30 minus 1/3 a stop. Is this accurate? That seems like and awful slow shutter to me. but is that the world of super 8?

[Nathan D. Lee]

Well, just found the website: www.kolumbus.fi/puistot/

it has a pretty comprehensive list of cameras and shutter angles. It looks like more camera have 220 shutters than i thought.

The difference in metering for 220 over 180 is +3/10th of a stop. So for all intents and purposes, +1/3rd a stop over 180 degrees att he same settings?

Correct me if im wrong.

[Sean McHenry]

I'm new to all this but shouldn't the shutter speed be double the frame rate? 24f=48s (in video I hear to choose 50 for shutter), etc.

 

Still learning. Did you find the angle for the Canon 814 Auto Zoom anyplace?

 

I have heard 2 sides to using a meter now. Some say that's the only way to go as the old meters in our cameras might be off after 25+ years, and I think that might be true. The other side says the internal meter is the best because it is behind the prisms, etc so it is the only accurate way to measuer what's hitting the film.

 

Sean

[Matt Sandstrom]

yes, the built in meter takes the prism into account, but why this would mean that it's better is beyond me. just figure out how much your prism steals and you're set. half a stop is a fair guess. or 1/3 if you're light meter doesn't have half stops. a grey card will tell you for sure.

 

/matt

 

I'm new to all this but shouldn't the shutter speed be double the frame rate?

sure, if the angle is 180 degrees which is exactly what they're discussing.

 

/matt

[Andy_Alderslade]

Also a 180 degree shutter at 18 fps is around a 1/35, or 1/30 minus 1/3 a stop. Is this accurate? That seems like and awful slow shutter to me. but is that the world of super 8?

 

 

according to american cinematographer manual Ninth edition

 

180 Degrees

 

24fps = 1/48 18fps = 1/36

 

220 Degrees

 

24fps = 1/40 18fps = 1/29

 

95 Degrees (like my Beaulieu 4008)

 

24fps = 1/90 18fps = 1/68

 

If you said which camera you used maybe someone would know, but I guess its worth doing your own tests with some reversal film to see what you like.

[steve hyde]

This thread has a good table in it that references shutter speeds for different MP cameras.

 

http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/in...topic=10509&hl=

 

Steve

[Steve Wallace]

yes, the built in meter takes the prism into account, but why this would mean that it's better is beyond me. just figure out how much your prism steals and you're set. half a stop is a fair guess. or 1/3 if you're light meter doesn't have half stops. a grey card will tell you for sure.

Sounds about right, I have always compensated 2/3 for the reflex viewer / prism.