Cheapo Super 8's

[Steven Boldt]

I picked up two Kodak Super 8's on ebay, an M2 and an M4. Both were filthy and the M2 had a bad contact but they both seem to function now. I have a few questions about these. Can anyone tell me how to deal with the reversal films in these? Can I just set the ISO/ASA on an external meter for the manual-exposure-only M2 and go by that? Info at Kodak say's "-2/3 f stop" for the Ektachrome 64T. Does this mean 2/3 more open or 2/3 closed down? Both these cameras are 25/40 only if that helps. I shoot mostly B and W so that will be another problem trying to figure that out.

My other cameras read the reversals correctly so this is all a bit confusing.

Also. which way is the PX13 exposure battery supposed to face in the M4? I don't have a manual for the M4.

 

Thanks,

Steve

[Stephen Phipps]

I've shot 64T with a M2 and had excellent results. You want to set the aperture -2/3 stop (more closed) than what the aperture scale reads on the side of the camera. I used both a light meter and the printed scale on the camera and found the scale to be accurate enough for good filming after adjusting for 64T.

 

I briefly tried 64T in an M4 auto exposing as K40 and it came out surprising well.

 

The M2 and M4 are impressive little cameras. I've never found one that didn't work or shoot well. I've found tons of them at thrift stores and flea markets for a few bucks each over the years.

Edited January 15, 2010 by jopsuper8

[Steven Boldt]

Thanks Stephen. I'm still trying to figure out how to expose the Plus-X and Tri-X in these which means getting them down to ASA 25. I'll try everything, external meter,calculation, ND filters, etc.... These are going to be fun and they're easy to work on-so far :rolleyes: .

It's a shame about the gears turning to mush on the models after the M6.

I wonder if the lens on these is plastic. Everything along the view-finder is.

[Jim Carlile]

The M-4 will run ASA 40/25 and ASA 100/64 at the high end of its ASA scale. So you can easily run Plus-X if you cut a filter notch in its cartridge-- otherwise it will rate it at ASA 64.

 

For 64T, you might need to experiment. If you can make sure that both pins stay out when the cartridge is installed and the filter pin pushed in, you can run it by placing an 85 filter over the lens for the color correction-- it will be metered at ASA 100 but the filter will cut down the light by 2/3 of a stop, getting the exact ASA 64. The extrenal meter won't know the difference.

 

The best bet is to use 64T on the M-2. It's easier. The M-4 has two ASA pins but not sure what the second one is for. Two pins = four different possible ASA ratings (all out, all in, top in, bottom in) but not sure what all the ratings are. It may very well be able to run 64T perfectly without modification, which was an official Kodak S8 speed-indice, though rarely used.

 

My favorite S8 cameras. Great results, easy to use. The originals.

Edited January 16, 2010 by Jim Carlile

[Steven Boldt]

Doing the notch hack for Plus-x on the M4 looks very simple. I saw a video of someone doing it. Also, your right, using the color film on the M2 would be simpler than trying to deal with it on the M4. I need to stop buying cheap cameras (2 for $1 dollar for the Kodaks) and get a light meter :o .

Thanks for the tips!

 

By the way, KRT scratch and haze remover worked like a charm to clean these up.

[Jim Carlile]

VISION 200 works really well in the M-4. Cut a filter notch in the cartridge and it will read at ASA 100-- which Kodak recommends. And it will keep the internal 85 filter in place for daylight filming, unless you insert the top filter key-- but don't in this camera, it only complicates things..

 

If you don't cut a notch it will be rated at ASA 64. Then if you tape an 85 over the lens that will cut-out 2/3 stop worth of light, which makes it like ASA 100 again. That's more than acceptable for negative film. This is probably the best way to go.

 

Use a 625 battery for the meter-- it can only go in one way. The holder slides out of the back of the battery compartment, on the left. That camera can also be lubed easily or even repaired, just by taking out the large screws that hold it together.

 

So the M-4 will run:

 

Plus-X spot-on if you cut a filter notch in the cartridge, 2/3 stop overexposed if you don't

 

V200 spot-on either way, for outdoor use

 

64T with a bit of overexposure-- about 2/3 stop, which if you project will give a nice, bright picture on the screen and muted, pastel-ly colors.

[Steven Boldt]

I have a couple rolls of Tri-X to use up too. I'll give it a try in the M2 since it's manual exposure only. I'm guessing it will overexpose by 1 and 1/3 f-stop. The only way I'm going to learn is to take detailed notes of every single shot I take. I guess that's why people do bracketing.

Focusing is a whole other issue and that's one of the reasons I wanted to give the fixed focus Kodaks a try. My eyes aren't so great and I can't seem to set the diopter properly on my other cameras that have split image using the conventional method of setting to infinity etc... I tried going by distance, as in setting the focus to say 15 meters, zooming in and then setting the diopter. This seemed to work but I have to read up on it some more.

 

Thanks for all the info Jim. I have a lot to think about. I'm going to stick with the reversal films for now as I'm confused enough as it is. :unsure:

By the way, I got the service manuals for the Kodaks which cleared up a few things-except where, exactly, the columator and brushes for the motor should be lubricated.