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Bauer A512


Lenny Walsh

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I am looking into buying a S8 camera and i've found that i really like the Bauer A512. I like that is has a shutter angle of 180. My only problem/question is with the ASA that it has. I was also looking at the canon 814 and 1014 but the angle is only up to 150 and i don't want to dish out more $$ for the XLS versions.

 

Bauer A512:

 

ASA (daylight) 25 100

ASA (artificial) 40 160

 

I would really like to use Kodak Vision2 200T and 500T stock. Will this be possible with this camera at all or is the speed too fast?

 

If it wont work i guess ill just save up more money for the Canon 814/1014 XLS.

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I'm not the Bauer expert here, but you should have no problem running the V200T, at least. The 500 is another matter-- I doubt it on that one, as this is the case with most cameras, especially the later 70's models.

 

You know, Kodak sets up the cartridge for the neg stocks to take out the 85 filter and also set the exposure meter to the lower daylight ASA for its particular speed-notch indice.

 

So, the film will be slightly overexposed-- either 1/3 to one full stop on the Bauer (not sure which) but that is appropriate for this film. Kodak prefers it overexposed. You'll need an external 85, though, unless you color-correct in post.

 

A kind-of hard and fast rule: cameras that will read ASA 160--which means most all made after about 1966-- will run V200T satisfactorily. It will be overexposed to some degree or another, but that is OK. Tri-X is always overexposed, too-- for the same reason.

 

You can compensate for this by using the manual override on the Bauer, but I'll let others explain how. You can also manually close down the aperture a stop or two to run the 500T as well.

Edited by Jim Carlile
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Actually the bauer can't meter daylight emulsion asa speeds at all. If you put a daylight film in there like 100d and de-selected the internal 85 filter (the bauer won't do this autiomatically) then it will be rated as 160 asa. So really the bauers have asa ratings of 40 and 160 tungsten and daylight. Its just that a tungsten film of 160 or 40 asa shot in daylight with the filter in place will have an effective asa of 100 or 25.

So, yes, the bauers are fine for 200t neg, but not 500 if used on auto. If you ever plan to shoot 64t then don't expect to do so using a bauer on automatic. Nice cameras, shame about the auto exposure asa options.

Just get a cheap 814, and buy an even chepaer (and very limited) 514xl for shooting 200t in low light.

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I am looking into buying a S8 camera and i've found that i really like the Bauer A512. I like that is has a shutter angle of 180. My only problem/question is with the ASA that it has. I was also looking at the canon 814 and 1014 but the angle is only up to 150 and i don't want to dish out more $$ for the XLS versions.

 

Bauer A512:

 

ASA (daylight) 25 100

ASA (artificial) 40 160

 

I would really like to use Kodak Vision2 200T and 500T stock. Will this be possible with this camera at all or is the speed too fast?

 

If it wont work i guess ill just save up more money for the Canon 814/1014 XLS.

 

Does the camera have manual control over the aperture? If so, problem solved. If not and you are still going to use the 500T, you could use an ND filter. No?

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Does the camera have manual control over the aperture? If so, problem solved. If not and you are still going to use the 500T, you could use an ND filter. No?

 

It has manual exposure - lift up the flap at the front of the top of the camera. Easy to miss if you don't know it's there.

 

It meters TTL, so an ND would be no good.

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Actually the bauer can't meter daylight emulsion asa speeds at all. If you put a daylight film in there like 100d and de-selected the internal 85 filter (the bauer won't do this autiomatically) then it will be rated as 160 asa. So really the bauers have asa ratings of 40 and 160 tungsten and daylight. Its just that a tungsten film of 160 or 40 asa shot in daylight with the filter in place will have an effective asa of 100 or 25.

So, yes, the bauers are fine for 200t neg, but not 500 if used on auto. If you ever plan to shoot 64t then don't expect to do so using a bauer on automatic. Nice cameras, shame about the auto exposure asa options.

Just get a cheap 814, and buy an even chepaer (and very limited) 514xl for shooting 200t in low light.

 

When shooting 500T set it manually. 500T is known as an indoor film and in most situations one will probably be on the very low end of the f-stop number scale anyways. (meaning f 1.8, 2.0, 2.8)

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If the Bauer has a filter pin then it will definitely retract the internal 85 filter with a daylight notchless cartridge. Otherwise, what's the point of the filter pin?

 

I think the question for the Bauer is whether the filter pin also does its other function, which is setting the exposure meter to the 'daylight' ASA of the cartridge's speed-indice. Some cameras don't, because their manufacturers in the early 70's didn't want to redesign them to run newer daylight, no-filter high-speed films.

 

The A512 may not, in which case it will always keep the ASA at the higher (tungsten) speed, which would be ASA 160, 40, whatever else, if anything (experts say nothing else.)

 

So V200T and Tri-X will run fine at the Bauer's ASA 160--about 1/3 stop overexposed.

 

Bauer experts-- is the A512 SMPTE compliant? We need to make that list sometime.....

 

If you can get a 512, go for it-- it's a better, newer camera than most of the big silent 814s. Its manual exposure override will take care of any film speed.

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The Bauers DON'T have a filter pin. The filter is entirely operated by the switch and the cartridge will not over-ride that, so you don't have to cut filter notches into the 200T and 500T carts to use the built in filter.

 

You can also use the filter with Tri-X to boost the contrast slightly. Plus X isn't bad in these cameras either, despite the underexposure.

 

If using Velvia or Ektachrome 100D in daylight, just remember to flip the switch to tungsten, as the cartridge will not do this for you due to the lack of filter pin.

 

Ektachrome 100D will require manual exposure and Ektachrome 64T will need either manual exposure or pull/push processing to 40T or 160T. The camera reads it at 40T but you can re-notch it to 160T should you so wish.

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You can also use the filter with Tri-X to boost the contrast slightly. Plus X isn't bad in these cameras either, despite the underexposure...

 

Ektachrome 100D will require manual exposure and Ektachrome 64T will need either manual exposure or pull/push processing to 40T or 160T. The camera reads it at 40T but you can re-notch it to 160T should you so wish.

 

If Plus-X runs OK at the 2/3 stop underexposure, what about 100D? It uses the same notch protocol. Is 2/3 of a stop too much for that color film?

 

The manual override ability makes it easier, I think, then push/pulling at the lab. All you need to do is just tweak the exposure up a bit, and it's fine. And with it locked in place there's no chance of the meter hunting around, either.

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Thanks for the info. Looks like ill just search around for a cheap 814 XL. Its too bad the Bauer doesnt have more ASA settings.

 

Sorry for the tardiness in joining in to this thread. I just finished an article on the A 512 that goes to print in the next issue of Super 8 today.

 

It is not SMPTE-compliant in asmuch as it has a filter pin missing. The operation of the filter by the switch only is an advantage, as you don't have issues with non-SMPTE-compliant notching from Kodak's side in their Vision2 and Vision3 range for Super 8.

 

The ISO 40 & 160 reading is absolutely fine with film stocks like P-X, T-X, V2-200 and V-50. You can actually trust Bauer cameras on achieving a great density in the film stocks exposed.

For all other film stocks off the beat, like E-64 or E-100, just use manual aperture control which is implemented in a great way in all Bauer cameras, using the aperture ring metaphor with its topside control ring!

 

Please read this post of mine that elaborates on some lateral issues re. exposing & notching. In fact, the notch issue isn't as troublesome as it is made, and current film stocks are much less demanding in their exposure needs as many people make it appear.

 

CLICK HERE TO READ POST

 

Sometimes, I think that people loose track of more cinematographically relevant issues for their camera gears, like manual aperture control and regular CLA rather than ultra-correct notching, plus forget many unique features that far outweight notch-compliance (which only some Canon and Nizo sound cameras have, out of all S8 cameras): such as variable shutter, bright viewfinder, multicoated lenses, actually a really great lens to start with (!), plus many production camera features and functions like rewind, time exposure, timer etc. that cannot be really well be emulated with digital means - there is nothing like a real time lapse shot instead of speed-up effects in some editing suite.

 

In light of the above, I sincerely hope you did not go for a Canon as replacement for an A 512 or any other Bauer. That was quite an irresponsable tipp! The Bauer A 512 is the third-best S8 production camera ever made according to our tests put in words here (click me), with a formidable lens in shape of the Schneider 12x6mm. That lens will bear more responsibility for top images than any notch issue or ill-exposure off 1/2 f-stop ever will. And I have to see any images by a non-Canosound Canon camera that comes even close to even Sun Optical-manufactured lenses used in Bauer's compact camera range!

 

Cheers,

 

-Michael

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Lenny, if you havn't 'til now, do also read Bart's and Jim's posts in this thread here on the Nizo 6080, where is discusses the same issues of effectual exposure / density in relation to exposure index notching and how to make use of all that with film stocks.

 

CLICK HERE

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  • 2 years later...

If you open the back of a Bauer A512 and press on the ASA button with a pencil etc, you'll see that subtle pressure changes result in associated apertures in the viewfinder. - If you try this with the (for instance) S715XL and similar Bauers, you'll see that pressing the film speed button just gives two different settings - ie 40asa and 160asa. Although I haven't tried 64asa Ektachrome in my A512, I am strongly of the opinion that it will work well. According to my manual (and if I've interpreted the wording correctly) all speeds between 25asa and 200 asa will be accommodated.

I'd welcome any further input on this issue. The A512, in my opinion is a brilliant and super sophisticated camera that can do things that no other Super 8 is capable of. (Its animation function with the pull out exposure meter is quite extraordinary). If the A512 does provide full function for EK64 film, then the camera is just about perfect. Someone made mention of the A512 xl.... Does this mean they made a model with a 220 degree shutter? - Mine's got the 180 degree shutter.

 

As an aside, I have a Bauer S715XL and an Agfa Movexoom 10. Does anyone know how these cameras go with other filsm than 40/16asa? - I have commented on the effects of pressing the asa index button but so many times, the story is much more complicated than this simple feature.

 

Ian

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I have a Bauer A512 and S715XL, they're my favorite two cameras the A512 is my particular favorite which I've had since 1994. I think it has an excellent lens and I've never had a cartridge jam or jitter in it. I prefer the A512 more than my Nizo 6080. It's asa is limited to 40 and 160 but I have used the 200T in auto exposure mode, switched the filter switch to the sun setting when I filmed with it outdoors and everything came out perfectly, I have even used the new100d using in manual exposure and it was prettyusimple.

 

P

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  • 2 months later...
  • 9 years later...
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If you have to take into account what time of year it is and how far South or North the sun is. In the U.S., shadows get longer and the days get shorter during the winter, so the result tends to be more contrasty shots.

Your filter cuts the light by about 2/3 of a stop, which is a good thing for most daylight shooting with 200T.

  • Here's are some experiments you can try.  
  • With your camera set to auto exposure and the film cartridge in the camera, switch the filter setting in and out while looking through the viewfinder to see if the  f-stop setting moves. If the f-stop moves, then you may have an internal 85 filter. However, it may be wise to not use the internal filter since it might be all grimy and faded.
  • The next test would to place the 85 filter you purchased in front of the lens while in the auto setting and once again see if the f-stop moves and how much the f-stop moves as you move your filter in front of and out of the way of the lens. The f-stop should open up to let more light in, hopefully no more than one f-stop.
  • As a general rule, you probably will be anywhere from f16 / 22 split down to f8.0 when shooting outdoors with 200T and an 85B filter on the camera.
  • However, if there is no direct sunlight and one is shooting in a shadowy area, this could mean f 5.6. / f 8.0
  • If it were me, I would want to know how consistent the camera light meter is. It could be that the light meter is always off by one f-stop. You might find that zooming in to a medium close shot gives the most accurate reading or maybe wide angle, but up close to what is important produces the most accurate reading, then lock the meter off and get back to your position and shoot.
  • If you want an overall less contrasty shot, just consider choosing between black, and white in the shot, but not both. This should instantly give you an extra one f-stop of latitude. 
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  • 4 weeks later...

Hello,

I am selling a serviced Bauer A 512 Mark II super 8 camera!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/153877700290

 

SENSITIVITY ADJUSTMENT MANUAL. 
 The A512, as usual in Super 8, adjusted the film sensitivity automatically limited to the two values that once were sold (40 and 160). However, there are now many types of emulsions, a couple of years.  'With selector ASA Manual !!!: 40, 50, 64, 80, 100, 125, 160 and 200.
Bauer%2BA512%2Begido%2Bmark%2BII%2B1.jpg
It should be clarified, and cinematographers who come from the underworld digital, that Kodak recommends exposing the Kodak Vision 500 to 200: I respect and tests, how could it be otherwise, Kodak's right. 
Furthermore, the manual selector ASA of A512 in the version of Egido allows to take full advantage of variable shutter compensating exposures when the operator works with angles less than the normal opening of the chamber.
512%2B5.jpg
2) Lock the photometer Mediate button : the system faster for shooting creatures in nature. 
 
512%2B6.jpg
SENSITIVITY ADJUSTMENT MANUAL. 
As it shipped from the factory, the A512, as usual in Super 8, adjusted the film sensitivity automatically limited to the two values that once were sold (40 and 160). However, there are now many types of emulsions, a couple of years, I sent my unit coach  Robert Bosch  in France, André Egido , Film Super 8 Net, to amend the camera  'With selector ASA Manual !!!: 40, 50, 64, 80, 100, 125, 160 and 200.
Bauer%2BA512%2Begido%2Bmark%2BII%2B1.jpg
  • 3) aperture value backlit LED in the display : a must for filming in low light.
The camera comes with leather bag and lens cap!!
 
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