2 BEAULIEU cameras + a Bauer All For $200.00

Carl Weston · September 8, 2005

Today I my be buying 2 BEAULIEU cameras + a Bauer Super8 C107XL

All for $200.00

There being sold (?AS IS?)

camera 1:

BEAULIEU 4008 ZM II SUPER-8 CAMERA with Schneider Krueznach F1.8/6-66mm Variable Speed,

Auto Zoom w/ Macro TTL Reflex Viewing, Fine Grain Focusing, Variable Mirror Shutter, Fades

In/Out,Auto/Manual Exposure, Variable Frame speed 2-70 fps, single frame, Frame Counter, Adjustable

Film Speed, Functioning Battery, Lens Cap and Rubber Eye Piece, Accepts C-mount Lenses Comes With:

External Battery, External Battery adapter (will let you use the external battery on this camera), Battery

Charger, Original Owners Manual (italian).

camera 2:

BEAULIEU 4008 ZM SUPER-8 CAMERA with Angenieux 8-64mm f/1,9

camera 3:

Bauer Super8 C107XL

Even thought they my not work? DuAll Camera in New York does overhauls to BEAULIEU for about $300.00/350.00 not including any parts that my have to be replaced. I?m going out to look at them today?Is it worth taking a chance?

Thanks For any help.. :D

A.Oliver · September 8, 2005

Beaulieus, take both lenses off the camera, hold them up to the lite, make sure there is no haze or fungus within the lenses. I usually shine a torch into the lens. Make sure both cameras have the 85 filter in place, if missing sometimes means cameras have been messed with. Make sure the viewfinder is clear and bright and not hazy. Check the small screw heads under the viewfinder are not burred. If they are burred someones been inside the camera. If the beaulieus look clean and run ok then you could have a bargin. If they appear to have been messed with, save your cash and put to a guaranteed working unit. Make sure you see the cameras run at all speeds up to 25fps, best not to run a camera up to 70fps without a cartridge inside. I have found the biggest problem with beaulieus i have purchased and seen is a hazy viewfinder and muck/haze/fungus on the inner elements of the interchangeable lens.

Andy

Alessandro Machi · September 8, 2005

Beaulieus, take both lenses off the camera, hold them up to the lite, make sure there is no haze or fungus within the lenses. I usually shine a torch into the lens. Make sure both cameras have the 85 filter in place, if missing sometimes means cameras have been messed with. Make sure the viewfinder is clear and bright and not hazy. Check the small screw heads under the viewfinder are not burred. If they are burred someones been inside the camera. If the beaulieus look clean and run ok then you could have a bargin. If they appear to have been messed with, save your cash and put to a guaranteed working unit. Make sure you see the cameras run at all speeds up to 25fps, best not to run a camera up to 70fps without a cartridge inside. I have found the biggest problem with beaulieus i have purchased and seen is a hazy viewfinder and muck/haze/fungus on the inner elements of the interchangeable lens.
Andy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Great info! But a torch????

A.Oliver · September 8, 2005

torch or flashlight, we call them torches over here in the uk!!!!!! Looking at the front element, i usually shine the flashlight on the rear element looking thru the lens at full zoom, then vise versa. Best way i found of finding fungus on the inner elements, requires a keen eye to spot a thin layer of haze, but a known clean lens as referrence is a good guide. Andy

John Hyde · September 9, 2005

Those cameras at that price seem to be too good to be true. Better to use caution before buying them.

If these cameras happen to be on ebay, I am sure someone will push the bidding up. If Pro8mm knows about these Beaulieu cameras they are sure to be gone in no time.

Best of luck with it!

Carl Weston · September 9, 2005

Those cameras at that price seem to be too good to be true. Better to use caution before buying them.

If these cameras happen to be on ebay, I am sure someone will push the bidding up. If Pro8mm knows about these Beaulieu cameras they are sure to be gone in no time.

Best of luck with it!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I did buy the cameras yesterday knowing that they my not work. The owner felt like 4008MZII should work, it did the last time he shot with it like two years ago, but he made me no promises. The external battery pack doesn?t work so I?ll be building a new one today...I?m willing to spend about a thousand plus to get both of them working.

Oh yeah..I never use ebay..anything I buy has to be face to face...

Edited September 9, 2005 by carl Weston

Alessandro Machi · September 9, 2005

Oh yeah..I never use ebay..anything I buy has to be face to face...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Clint Eastwood the second, I like it!

By the way, it appears that facetoface.com is available in case someone wants to compete with ebay with an auction where you actually meet the person before buying the item.

I would have snapped up the website until I started thinking about the huge liability that would inevitably follow whenever a potential meeting went sour.

Carl Weston · September 9, 2005

Clint Eastwood the second, I like it!

By the way, it appears that facetoface.com is available in case someone wants to compete with ebay with an auction where you actually meet the person before buying the item.

I would have snapped up the website until I started thinking about the huge liability that would inevitably follow whenever a potential meeting went sour.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LOL :D

Carl Weston · September 10, 2005

LOL :D

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well I rebuilt the battery pack and got both cameras running .. more test later today

September 10, 2005

Oh yeah..I never use ebay..anything I buy has to be face to face...

You can have any belief system you want, but from what I've seen with other people and family members and personal experience, that's a great way to get burned by slick used car salesmen types who are terrific actors and come across as great guys. I was brought up honest and truthful -- most in this world were not and I used to come out the sucker when I was younger because I thought you could judge people based on the same high standards I had for myself or on how they conducted themselves when I met them or if I could look them in the eye and whatnot. I was kidding myself. Who cares how they come across when you meet them? It is the item you're buying, not them. People with great items to sell who don't really want to get rid of them are often very negative in impression when you deal with them face to face. People wanting to unload junk are often the easiest people in the world to like.

I only buy something when I've got a third party regulatory source overlooking things. You can still get burned, but there is somewhere to lodge a public complaint and, smarter for the buyer, a way to see that there are at least a couple of dozen people who got fair deals on record from the seller and that nobody got cheated as it's out there on plain public record. This is just one of the reasons why ebay is one of the runaway astounding success business stories of the past few decades. That and the fact that there is no way you could have instant access to anything and everything so easily and completely without retail middle men before ebay was created. Unless you want to sit through a hundred public auctions and scour newspaper and "bargain finder" ads praying for the right thing you're looking for.

Edited September 10, 2005 by santo

John Hyde · September 10, 2005

Here is part of a post I put up earlier about ebay:

I myself have been burned far more often on ebay and at swap meets. When at the swap meets I bring AA batteries to pop in cameras as my first line of defense. But, even with this, I still end up with cameras that underexpose film, have soft picture, break down with minimal use, etc. Sometimes, I would need to buy 3 or 4 of the same camera to get one that works adequately.

I have learned the hard way that the best and cheapest place to buy a camera is at a reputable camera store. There I can be assured that I they will service, test and warranty everything they sell. With these cameras I am ready to shoot with no need to waste additional time and money on camera test footage.

Recently, Spectra Film and Video has been my favorite place for serviced gear. They service and test even their low end gear. Their inventory is not bad. And, I can get a camera there even cheaper than ebay in some cases (about $50.00 and up). Plus, they give a good walkthrough on how to use their gear.

Sometimes, howevever, there are swap meet/ebay deals that are just to good to to pass on (such as carls deal). If the equipment is cheap enough and, you accept the fact that repair will probably be needed, it may be worth the gamble. Just consider that there are many on ebay, swap meets, etc. that sell cameras that can not be repaired (or are worth repairing) under any circumstance - and the seller knows it! I myself have a whole bin full of such cameras representing about $1000.00 in waste. I sometimes think the broken cameras on ebay end up as an eternal "hot potato", destined to be passed from person to person until they all finally end up in my bin.

Since I now use super 8 professionally (with other formats), I can not afford submitting useless footage to the client. So, I have moved away from ebay and migrated to reliable sources to buy from. It has ended up costing me far less in gear and lost jobs in the long run.

Alessandro Machi · September 10, 2005

Oh yeah..I never use ebay..anything I buy has to be face to face...

You can have any belief system you want, but from what I've seen with other people and family members and personal experience, that's a great way to get burned by slick used car salesmen types who are terrific actors and come across as great guys. I was brought up honest and truthful -- most in this world were not and I used to come out the sucker when I was younger because I thought you could judge people based on the same high standards I had for myself or on how they conducted themselves when I met them or if I could look them in the eye and whatnot. I was kidding myself. Who cares how they come across when you meet them? It is the item you're buying, not them. People with great items to sell who don't really want to get rid of them are often very negative in impression when you deal with them face to face. People wanting to unload junk are often the easiest people in the world to like.

I think what Carl was saying was he sees the person face to face AND he tries out the camera at the same time.

September 10, 2005

"I think what Carl was saying was he sees the person face to face AND he tries out the camera at the same time." - Alex

"I did buy the cameras yesterday knowing that they my not work." - Carl

Nah, he was trying to size up the sellers character by meeting them before he bought. I fully understand where he's coming from and am not putting down that mindset, only relaying what I've experienced and learned through expensive lessons.

I actually think that Carl got a great deal if they worked or not and made a really smart move by taking the attitude that he was simply going to send them off for reconditioning by an expert. Hell, he'll probably recoup his costs by selling one of the reconditioned Beaulieus on ebay, provided he advertises it right (or elsewhere, but that's the easiest with a ready market). Or at least end up with one like new Beaulieu that only cost him a hundred or two when he adds everything up. I think he can't go wrong if he follows through with that.

Carl Weston · September 11, 2005

I almost always pay more for cameras because I don?t buy from eBay. So many people have been burned using eBay, if that happened to me I might have a dam stroke. I only buy from reputable camera stores like DU-All. The (4008MZII) cameras cost $1100.00 in some stores in NYC and at online store they can cost over $700.00 and we all know want pro8mm charges for these camera. So I feel like I got a good deal. And I alway bring batterys to a flea market.

John Hyde · September 12, 2005

I almost always pay more for cameras because I don?t buy from eBay. So many people have been burned using eBay, if that happened to me I might have a dam stroke. I only buy from reputable camera stores like DU-All. The (4008MZII) cameras cost $1100.00 in some stores in NYC and at online store they can cost over $700.00 and we all know want pro8mm charges for these camera. So I feel like I got a good deal. And I alway bring batterys to a flea market.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree Carl,

You got a great deal. This sale is a good example of a very worthwhile gamble. And, you could always sell the worst of the 2 Beaulieu cameras to Pro8mm for 300.00 to get your investment money back. I hear they typically buy broken down 4008 cameras with lens for about that much. Du-all may also be worth checking out.

You are also wise in using caution with private sellers. Meeting the seller and bringing batteries are both excellent precautions.

Also take care with the camera stores regarding price and condition of the merchandise. Check the few stores in the US that still sell serviced super 8 gear for the best deal.

Good luck!

Alan Rik · September 24, 2005

I went and checked out all 3 cameras and I passed. Here is why:

The Beaulieu Cameras were in BAD shape. Cosmetically they were not good. I know some dings here and there are expected due to their age but these cameras were abused.

The one with the 6-66 lens had the handle spinning around freely. Where was the screw to hold it into place? It screwed from the inside that meant that the screw should have been inside the unit. But it wasn't so it was probably "tinkered" with. Maybe it was decided it could not be repaired so it was left for sale. The other Beaulieu had black tape around the body, missing pieces of the Beaulieu leather, and there were dings, scratches, and goop all over the lens barell.

So I thought well maybe the Bauer C107 would be good. I checked it out and alas.. the light meter wasn't working.

So I thought if I bought these and had them sent out to Bjorn to check.. he would charge around $100-200 to repair/clean each camera. Plus the shipping to Sweden..for both cameras...I would be out around 600 or so. Not including getting a battery for each camera! So add another $200. And on top of that they would be working but still look like hell.

It wasn't a very good proposition when you think that you could get one from Ebay from a respected seller for around $350-500 in Great condition and guaranteed working.

Or you could get one from Bjorn in great shape for around $600 or $700 with a battery AND 100% working. And you only pay shipping one time. To you from Sweden!

I passed because it looked like a bargain but unless you know how to fix Beaulieu cameras..it wasn't. I know cameras and trust me when I say it sounded too good to be true...because it was. The seller told me that if he knew they were working he would sell them for a $1000 a piece. I told him that the market may have been like that in the 80's but even a perfect running one would run around $400-600 privately and $800 for a Zoom IV from a dealer.

He was a nice guy though and I am glad someone bought them. For his sake! His name was Mario I think! :)

Carl Weston · September 24, 2005

I went and checked out all 3 cameras and I passed. Here is why:
The Beaulieu Cameras were in BAD shape. Cosmetically they were not good. I know some dings here and there are expected due to their age but these cameras were abused.

The one with the 6-66 lens had the handle spinning around freely. Where was the screw to hold it into place? It screwed from the inside that meant that the screw should have been inside the unit. But it wasn't so it was probably "tinkered" with. Maybe it was decided it could not be repaired so it was left for sale. The other Beaulieu had black tape around the body, missing pieces of the Beaulieu leather, and there were dings, scratches, and goop all over the lens barell.

So I thought well maybe the Bauer C107 would be good. I checked it out and alas.. the light meter wasn't working.

So I thought if I bought these and had them sent out to Bjorn to check.. he would charge around $100-200 to repair/clean each camera. Plus the shipping to Sweden..for both cameras...I would be out around 600 or so. Not including getting a battery for each camera! So add another $200. And on top of that they would be working but still look like hell.

It wasn't a very good proposition when you think that you could get one from Ebay from a respected seller for around $350-500 in Great condition and guaranteed working.

Or you could get one from Bjorn in great shape for around $600 or $700 with a battery AND 100% working. And you only pay shipping one time. To you from Sweden!

I passed because it looked like a bargain but unless you know how to fix Beaulieu cameras..it wasn't. I know cameras and trust me when I say it sounded too good to be true...because it was. The seller told me that if he knew they were working he would sell them for a $1000 a piece. I told him that the market may have been like that in the 80's but even a perfect running one would run around $400-600 privately and $800 for a Zoom IV from a dealer.

He was a nice guy though and I am glad someone bought them. For his sake! His name was Mario I think! :)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

dude i got them both working...even shot film with them..but yes i always knew before i got them that i would be sending them out to Sweden..one more thing for about 30 dollars i rebuilt the battery packs my self...so i won...he..he...

Carl Weston · September 24, 2005

Dude I got both of them working...I even shot film with them. But yes I always knew before I got them that I would be sending them out to Sweden. One more thing... for about 30 dollars I rebuilt the battery packs my self...That?s how I was able to test them.... I had faith that the guy was telling me the truth when we sad at lease one of them was running...As it turns out both are working even before I send them out to be rebuilt. Good For Me :lol:

Alan Rik · September 24, 2005

Its great that they found a home..but for me- No way.

That would of been a lose lose situation for me. Better for me to go through Bjorn. Plus...the look of the camera is important to me. Especially with a Beaulieu. Such a beautiful camera!

Edited September 24, 2005 by Alan Rik