quarz 1x8s-2 HELP!

[Alex P]

Hello all,

 

I am new to this website so hopefully this post is not to redundant to seasoned members.

 

I am extremely new to shooting on film. I have recently purchased an old Zenit Quarz 1x8S-2 Super 8mm off of eBay.

 

The manual I have for the camera is completely in German and with my inexperience with a super 8 camera, I don?t even know how to tell if I have shot the entire reel or have cranked the camera too far after shooting a reel. (knowing how to tell that I have shot an entire cartridge is my main concern at the moment)

 

Anyone know where I can get a manual in English for this camera. Or are there any owners of the same camera that can help me become familiar with it before I make too many rookie mistakes.

 

Thanks so much!

[Bart Smith]

http://zenitquarzcameras.blogspot.com/

[Richard Tuohy]

Hello all,

 

I am new to this website so hopefully this post is not to redundant to seasoned members.

 

I am extremely new to shooting on film. I have recently purchased an old Zenit Quarz 1x8S-2 Super 8mm off of eBay.

 

The manual I have for the camera is completely in German and with my inexperience with a super 8 camera, I don?t even know how to tell if I have shot the entire reel or have cranked the camera too far after shooting a reel. (knowing how to tell that I have shot an entire cartridge is my main concern at the moment)

 

Anyone know where I can get a manual in English for this camera. Or are there any owners of the same camera that can help me become familiar with it before I make too many rookie mistakes.

 

Thanks so much!

 

 

Hi Alex,

there is a 'footage' conter low down on the eyepiece end of the camera (if I recall correctly). From memory it is in meters, so 15 meters = the full cartridge. As with all super 8 cameras, if you open the door of the camera part way through a roll, the footage counter is reset. There is also a transport indicator inside the lens that bobs up and down when you are filming. When the cartridge inside the camera is finished (ie fully shot) the transport indicator should stop ticking. It will tick with no film in the camera.

I hope that helps. Enjoy your quarz.

cheers,

richard

[Alex P]

Thanks both!

 

You are correct about the counter Richard. I will watch this meter on the next cartridge I shoot. On my first the counter only ever made it to 14 after shooting over and over and I can garuntee you that I didn't open the door to the camera - I'll have to look into that somehow.

 

because I am new with the camera I'll take any more advice. Hopefully after my next reel I'll have some infor to add myself.

 

Thanks again to both of you!

 

kindly,

Alex

[Miguel Loredo]

Mmm this might not be the proper Super8 camera to start in the Super8 world because it's quite atypical. Mostly manual. You will miss to learn important things about the Super8 format that you will need to learn later if you upgrade your hardware (ie tricking the camera for automatic filtering and cartridge notching issues, etc.)

Edited December 19, 2008 by Miguel Loredo

[Alex P]

is there a camera you would suggest Miguel?

[Matthew Buick]

There are many fine cameras that siut the bill. Too many to list. Tell us your budget and we'll be able to help further.

[Will Cummock]

Mmm this might not be the proper Super8 camera to start in the Super8 world because it's quite atypical. Mostly manual. You will miss to learn important things about the Super8 format that you will need to learn later if you upgrade your hardware (ie tricking the camera for automatic filtering and cartridge notching issues, etc.)

 

 

au contraire!

 

Not having to arse around with tricking the camera into thinking certain things makes this a great camera to learn on- these trikcs are little technical bugbears rather than important elements of cinematic craft. The fact that you have so much manual control gives you a great awareness of what the camera is doing and will help help you to build a solid platform of knowledge about the format. Quarz cameras are good fun too- try taking the lens off and shooting... really.