Nikon R-10

[Jiekai Liao]

I am offered a Nikon R-10 at $250. it's automatic exposure is not working, ie manual exposure only. Is it worth the money? Is automatic exposure absolute necessary?

 

I worked mainly with 16mm and think that it is nice to invest in a handy super8mm camera to do some casual shooting, I probably favor manual exposures as I want control over the look of what I shot, but I do not really understand the mechanics of a super8mm camera, maybe the automatic function may be useful or necessary. How do you rate this deal?

 

advice will be most appreciated!

[Rick Palidwor]

Auto exposure is handy but you do not need it, especially if you are already accustomed to working with a light meter.

 

$250 is not a bad price but not a great price given the problem. Worth considering though. To buy a fully functional R10 is usually in the neighbourhood of $400-500 (unless you snag an ebay bargain) so weigh those factors and make your decision.

 

Rick

[Mike Rizos]

The R-10 is one of the best japanazooms out there. Automatic exposure is not necessary or even desirable in my opinion. If everything else is in top shape I would go for it.

Edited April 25, 2006 by Mike Rizos

[A.Oliver]

Hi, invest in a fully working model, or buy another camera if $250.00 is your budget. Auto iris is usefull and one day you may require it. Also, manual exp of most super 8 cams imo is fiddly, except for the beaulieus and leicina special. Why doesn't the auto iris work on that nikon? cam dropped?, has someone mess around inside the cam? Have read that the R10 auto exp is unrepairable.

Andy

[steve hyde]

...I paid 250.00 for mine in mint condition. Have shot dozens of rolls with it - love it, a great camera to be sure.

 

Steve

[Alessandro Machi]

Auto exposure is every useful for point and frame, take an automatic reading, assess whether you want to over or underexpose the shot based on the auto reading, then lock the exposure in manual. So even though keeping the meter in auto is not necessary, it is still useful to have the autoexposure meter properly functioning.

 

I think the Nikon R-10 has the ASA plus minus adjust so you may be able to get your auto exposure really accurate for certain light changing situations where you feel it's critical to keep proper exposure and want to try auto exposure.

 

Tell the seller you'll be spending a hundred dollars to try and get the exposure meter fixed, see if the seller would be willing to take $200 instead of $250.00 for the camera, in essence you would be splitting the repair cost with the seller, you pay 50, they deduct 50 from the cost of the camera.

 

To sweeten the deal and prove you'll do the repair, find a place that will do the repair, you pay $250 for the camera and the seller writes a check for $50 dollars to the name of the place that will be repairing the camera.

[Seth Mondragon]

i have a Nikon R10 and I love it. I was fortunate enough to get mine on eBay, perfect condition, for $265 including shipping.

The auto-exposure is very handy, especially when you're just shooting on the fly. If you're doing an actual shoot with it, and you have the time to take a meter reading, then the auto-esposure isn't so critical. In the following clip I used the auto-exposure to get my reading, then locked it in place: Hot Rods in Super8

[Turbe]

Is you needle even moving or pegging fully to the right?

[andres victorero]

If you can get a R10 with autoexposure ... great, but I think that is not necesary (auto exposure) unless you shootings were "run and gun" like a improvised doc. The old and cheap super 8 cams meters are not accurate.

 

I never used a autoexposure in my super 8 cams B)

[Turbe]

If you can get a R10 with autoexposure ... great, but I think that is not necesary (auto exposure) unless you shootings were "run and gun" like a improvised doc. The old and cheap super 8 cams meters are not accurate.

 

I never used a autoexposure in my super 8 cams B)

 

What brand/model light meter are you using?

[Alessandro Machi]

Does the R-10 have an on off switch?

[Guest santo]

Does the R-10 have an on off switch?

 

 

DOES IT ALEX??? WHAT'S THAT IN YOUR PICTURE?

[Mike Crane]

I think the auto exposure on an R10 does an excellent job (when working) and is a big plus to the camera. I would pay significantly under $250.00 for a camera with no warranty and broken meter. My guess is it could cost you $200.00 or more to repair the problem (if it can be repaired).

 

Considering repair expense and personal time investment, I would probably not pay more than $100.00 for the camera. I have seen broken cameras similar to the R10 sell for even less.

 

Good luck!

[Alessandro Machi]

One more time.

 

does the Nikon R-10 have an on off switch, I couldn't find it on my camera.

[Seth Mondragon]

Alessandro Machi wrotte:

does the Nikon R-10 have an on off switch, I couldn't find it on my camera

Alex, are you serious? Haven't you ever taken a look at the manual? There's not an "official" on/off switch, but there is the lock/run switch just above the trigger. I'm surprised you didn't know this. :blink:

[Alessandro Machi]

Alessandro Machi wrotte:

 

Alex, are you serious? Haven't you ever taken a look at the manual? There's not an "official" on/off switch, but there is the lock/run switch just above the trigger. I'm surprised you didn't know this. :blink:

 

That's not the point.

 

The point is even with the camera in the run lock position the motorized zoom still works.

 

Off should mean off, meaning NONE of the motorized components should work if the camera has been turned off, yet I have not found that to be the case with the Nikon R-10.

 

Besides the Nikon R-10, do you guys know of any other Super-8 camera that when in the lock/"off" position the motorized zoom function still works? If not, then your incredulity towards my question is inappropriate, and I'll leave it at that.

[Seth Mondragon]

Okay, NO, there is NOT an on/off switch on the Nikon R10, but it sounds like you already knew the answer to your own question, so why did you even ask it in the first place? Why is this such a big deal anyway? Just take the batteries out and move on.

[Alessandro Machi]

Okay, NO, there is NOT an on/off switch on the Nikon R10, but it sounds like you already knew the answer to your own question, so why did you even ask it in the first place? Why is this such a big deal anyway? Just take the batteries out and move on.

 

 

Do you always take the battery cartridge out after every shoot?

 

I suspected the answer, but I did not know it for sure, that's why I asked.

 

I didn't know it was a federal offense to ask such a simple but important question.

 

Since it's NOT common to other super-8 cameras to have the zoom function still work even when the camera is "off", then the conclusion seems to be that the the Nikon super-8 Camera is not ever really off.

 

It sounds to me that even as you take the holier than thou attitude that you did that you actually were under the impression the Nikon was off by putting it into the run/lock mode, even though the motorized zoom function still works.

 

So you may have been wrong but rather than look at the curiousity of the situation I present you just jumped to a harsh, condescending yet apparently incorrect conclusion.

[Seth Mondragon]

Alessandro Machi wrote:

Do you always take the battery cartridge out after every shoot?

after every shoot, yes. After every shot, no.

 

Alessandro Machi wrote:

I didn't know it was a federal offense to ask such a simple but important question.

it's not, but after reading every page of your websites I just expected more from you.

 

Alessandro Machi wrote:

It sounds to me that even as you take the holier than thou attitude that you did that you actually were under the impression the Nikon was off by putting it into the run/lock mode, even though the motorized zoom function still works.

umm, nope. I know the difference between "lock/run" and "on/off". And holier than thou? Not exactly. How long have you owned the Nikon R10? And you're just now trying to figure out if it has an on/off switch.

 

Alessandro Machi wrote:

So you may have been wrong but rather than look at the curiousity of the situation I present you just jumped to a harsh, condescending yet apparently incorrect conclusion.

Explain to me how I'm incorrect. Actually...no, I'm done with this thread. I can't believe I even went on this long about a stupid-ass on/off switch?

 

More importantly, where's your Alphabet Song film? Where's anything you've shot? You've got a couple websites, post some of your work for all to see.

Edited May 31, 2006 by sooper8fan

[Chad Stockfleth]

Seemed a reasonable question to me. Not many cameras still zoom when "off". No need to be harsh here... seems to be the growing trend.

[Alessandro Machi]

Seemed a reasonable question to me. Not many cameras still zoom when "off". No need to be harsh here... seems to be the growing trend.

 

Thanks Chad. What threw me off was I noticed the auto exposure meter went off unless the camera trigger switch was depressed, but the dang zoom motor works no matter what position the camera trigger switch is on. I've never encountered that before.

 

I'm wondering if this means that current is flowing through the camera at all times, maybe not to the autoexposure meter or the camera motor, but it would appear it's flowing to the zoom motor. Unless, because the zoom motor switch has to be depressed to work, could that mean the camera is off and no voltage is flowing through it but the movement of the zoom lever creates the connection, sort of like a second trigger???

 

I don't like the idea of taking out the battery cartridge because it's time consuming to take out and more importantly I don't want to risk misplacing it.

[Tim Halloran]

This is kind of a funny argument for you two to be having. After owning the R10 for awhile, I obviously discovered that it had no "conventional" on/off switch like many other super8 cams. But I'll tell you, I did spend a significant amount of time thinking about it, searching the manual, and fiddling around with the camera before I came to that conclusion. I don't think it matters either way, we can all figure out how to deal with it to fit our style and needs. But considering the standard of most other cameras, it was an interesting design decision on Nikon's part, don't you think?

 

Tim

[Alessandro Machi]

This is kind of a funny argument for you two to be having. After owning the R10 for awhile, I obviously discovered that it had no "conventional" on/off switch like many other super8 cams. But I'll tell you, I did spend a significant amount of time thinking about it, searching the manual, and fiddling around with the camera before I came to that conclusion. I don't think it matters either way, we can all figure out how to deal with it to fit our style and needs. But considering the standard of most other cameras, it was an interesting design decision on Nikon's part, don't you think?

 

Tim

 

Actually, I don't think I was arguing. I think I have a very legitimate question, (as you yourself seem to be saying as well) whereas a couple of posters thought it was a stupid question.

 

So the million dollar question is, have you noticed if your batteries drain at all if you leave them in a camera for a couple of weeks?

[Tim Halloran]

So the million dollar question is, have you noticed if your batteries drain at all if you leave them in a camera for a couple of weeks?

 

I honestly can't answer that Alex because I've never left any batteries in a camera for weeks at a time. I tend to take them out right after I'm done shooting. Is that unusual? Maybe I'm freaked out by all of the corroded battery compartments I've encountered coming out of ebay land. :unsure:

 

Tim

Edited June 1, 2006 by etimh1

[Alessandro Machi]

I honestly can't answer that Alex because I've never left any batteries in a camera for weeks at a time. I tend to take them out right after I'm done shooting. Is that unusual? Maybe I'm freaked out by all of the corroded battery compartments I've encountered coming out of ebay land. :unsure:

 

Tim

 

My first choice cameras I leave batteries in because I like the idea of one less thing to prep when I film.

 

Cameras that won't get used for a while I definitely wouldn't want to leave batteries in.