Rocket 88

g'day Greg,

your footage is over exposed. When reversal film (like the 64t you used) is over exposed, you get a decrease in colour saturation, decrease in contrast, a decrease in grain and blown out high lights. With under exposure it is the oposite: more colour saturation, more contrast, more grain, crushed shadows.

Getting reversal exposure correct can take practice. A beach scene with lots of sand and waves and sky and glare is a tricky place to start. Usually exposure errors associated with a beach scene will be in the under exposed direction: because of all the bright light around your subjects the light meter usually indicates to close down the aperture more than would be required to get nicely exposed skin tones. You were using auto exposure, and UNDER exposure is what I would expect to see if your camera's meter was set correctly and was working properly. You however got over exposed footage. So either the camera's meter wasn't set properly (specifically the asa dial on the beaulieu) or more likely it isn't working properly. Given the footage seems to be always about the same amount over exposed, it means the meter is still working in a predictable way, its just systematically over exposing. With a 'new' camera, you can't just go ahead and trust the meter. With any new camera you must shoot a test roll first to see what the meter is up to and how to set it for best results. Given you are using a beaulieu, it is very easy to make the required adjustment you need using the asa dial. So what you have to do is shoot a careful meter callibration test.

Get yourself a roll of the reversal film (its always best to shoot exposure meter calibration tests with reversal film, even if you are planning on using negative to shoot on - this is because with reversal film, the accuracy of the exposure is easy to tell on viewing the footage). Now shoot some bracketed exposures. what you are trying to work out is how much to bias the asa control on the camera from the rated asa of the film in order to get the best exposure. You might find for instance that the best exposure is achieved by biasing the asa knob by 1 and 1/3rd stops from the rated speed in one or other direction (in your case it would be in the higher number direction - instead of 64asa rate it at 160 for instance).

Start with the asa know say 2 stops higher than the rated speed of the film (for 64t that means 250 asa). Write '+2' on some paper and include that in your shot. Now shoot a little bit of film like that. Now reduce the asa setting by 1/3rd of a stop to 200 asa and write '+1 and 2/3rds' and shoot again. Then reduce again to 1 and 1/3rd. Continue this way until you get to '-2'. When you get the footage back, put it on a projector and then decide which asa bias setting gave the best results. It would be best to repeat this test about 3 times in different situations so that you can look at all three results and average the most desirable compensation.

Dead easy really.

good luck with it,

richard

Hello,

The comments are pretty much correct here - I've been repairing/selling and shooting with Beaulieu's for 7-8 years. The 85 gel on a 4008 is always in place. You need the filter key to insert in the side of the camera to push the 85 out and the clear gel in. These gels can get dirty over time and ruin the picture, despite a clear lens, so an inspection of the gel is in order.

If you happen to have the Schneider 6-70mm offered on the later models, usually the ZM4, but a few zm2's also, then the gel is located on the lens and not in the camera body - so no filter key used.

As for the overexposure issue - I have shot tons of footage at the beach - Malibu, Topanga et all - my experience is that the footage will look overexposed unless you compensate. The amount of light reflected back at the lens by the water, and the overall bright conditions, combine to produce overexposure by 1 to 2 stops. The bracketing of exposures on a test roll is a good idea.

Also abandoning 64T film would be a good idea -this is not great film to begin with, and less so at the beach.

Here is a short test reel of 64T shot at the beach. It's converted to an flv file by photobucket so a little quality is lost. It is from a Beaulieu zm2 with the Schneider 6-66mm. Shot at 24fps - about 25 - 28 shots were taken, reel time was 2.5 minutes and a quick edit to a jazz tune was done that used 1/2 the footage, lasts about 1 minute:

Kodak now sells Ektachrome 100D from their outlets in Hollywood and New York directly to the customer: 1-800-621-3456

This is a great film. On the beaulieu, set asa to 200 when at the beach, even 400 when shooting at the water, if you're going to leave the camera on auto exposure. This will bring exposure down enough for a solid picture. Also, a ND filter on the lens would be good, because the 100asa speed puts the lens aperture in the f/16-f/22 range - even bumping against a fully closed aperture. An ND 2 filter will bring this down into the f/11 to f/16 range in bright sunlight. (the Schneider 6-70mm only closes down to f/16 due to physical design of the lens - so this lens will bump closed at the beach with this film)

Buy a couple books on camera technique - there is no camera technique here - just read these books over and over as watch your footage: "The grammar of the shot" by Roy Thompson - "The five C's of Cinematography" by Joseph Mascelli. A picture frame is the same whether it's a painting, still shot or moving shot - it needs to be compose in relation of subject to the frame, including motion when there is motion.

If your camera does not operate properly I can check it out and get it fixed for you.

For transfer, www.thetrasferstation.com is cheapest for one-pass Rank Cintel transfer, http://filmvideoservices.net/ is cheapest for processing B&W and film-chain transfer .12/ft

Yale is not bad but not cheap either. Buy film directly from Kodak, or use Pro8mm stocks at $30/reel process included, http://www.dwaynesphoto.com/ is good for E-6 process color film (Ektachrome 100D) - call around for cheap prices. Spectra Film http://www.spectrafilmandvideo.com/ process and sells a Fuji 50D stock which would be good at the beach - they are not cheap but have good services.

Regards,

Monty

818-442-8752

I sometimes wonder if Kodak could figure out a way to unretire Camera Repair Guys who worked in the 70's and 80's and are currently clueless that Super-8 is still being used.    The initial cost to get something going might not be as much as one would think. 

 

Super-8 Cameras can be bought on ebay all the time and if they don't work, can possibly be used as parts on fixable cameras of the same model.  I currently have SEVERAL Eumig cameras that need lubing.

 

As a matter of a fact, most of the Eumig cameras made in the late 70's seem to need lubing every two years or so.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

--------------------------------------

Hey dudes,

There is another Super 8 repair guy who is very good with all types of cameras, Nizo's Beaulieu's included - that is:

http://www.ijmincorporated.com/ Irv Higdon - some of you have heard of him.

He sometimes takes a long time, but then again, can find solutions for many small problems that occur on particular cameras. His repair guy has 30 plus years of experience, and can do make-shift repairs when there are no parts etc. He's not cheap, but certainly will be able to tell you whether there's a chance to fix your camera.

Irv's number is 818.365.0385 - he's an interesting guy to talk to as well. I get my Nizo's and Beaulieu's fixed there and have been happy with the results. If any of you are looking for a mid-range Nizo (with the 7-56mm lens, or 8-48 lens, etc.) I'll have a couple for sale soon. I get them serviced first, so they're guaranteed to work. I also sell Avid Xpress DV workstations (PC) ready to edit - cheap! Get your super 8 transfered and create your super 8 master piece.

Chow,

Monty

Hi,

I found an old Beaulieu Super 8 camera (4008 ZM2).

Logic but unfair, the antic original battery is dead and not produced anymore.

Any tip to make by myself, with the old plugg-part, a system to give gas to this small but beautyful engine.

I'm sure companies do that for money but ...

Hope you'll help as usual and thank you in advance

Etienne

=====================================

Hi - I have a complete battery set for 4008. Includes 2300mA battery, brand new socket adpater, and charger. I also have a 550mA double size screw-in battery. Email @ m_osterhus@yahoo.com or call 818-989-0422

ROCKET 88

I know that the C-8 teleconverter 1.6x was made for the Canon 518, but will the "converter 2" that came with the Canon Motor Zoom 8 EEE, fit on the Canon 518? I don't want to buy one on-line, then find out that they are not compatible.

CHECK THE THREAD SIZE - IF IT'S DIFFERENT, GET A STEP-DOWN OR STEP-UP RING FROM B&H PHOTO ON THE WEB - ABOUT $8 PLUS SHIPPING.

ROCKET 88

Here's a good transfer house - has a wet gate 8mm Rank Cintel -

http://www.thetransferstation.com/

I have a Canon 1410XL-S and I'm getting a Nizo 3 Schneider-Kreuznach Ultrawide Lens. The thing is the Camera's lens is 65 and I need a Step up to 67 so it can fit.

I don't seem to be able to find it. Does anyone have any idea of where I could get a piece like that?

HI - I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THE CANON 1410XL-S - CHECK THE MODEL NUMBER AND YOUR DOCUMENTATION / LITERATURE. THERE ARE LOWER NUMBER MODELS AND THEY HAVE I THINK A 67MM OR 62MM LENS THREAD - COMMON SIZES.

WHEN YOU ARE SURE YOUR SIZE IS RIGHT, YOU CAN ORDER STEP-UP AND STEP-DOWN RINGS AT B&H PHOTO ON THE WEB FOR A REASONABLE PRICE. THEY HAVE ALL SIZES AND ARE A REPUTABLE SHOP.

ROCKET 88

What is the best looking super8 you have seen? So far everything i've come across has looked disappointingly bad. I hear people saying that it could look as good as 16 mm, but where's all that stuff??? Any links?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I haven't posted any of my footage - still haven't paid to get it transfered but I have shot K-40 at Malibu Beach with a Beaulieu 6008 Angenieux 6-90mm lens and Angeniuex 6-70mm lens that when projected at 18fps, in complete dark of course, looks so vibrant and life like that it is just stunning. I gave up shooting my Canon GL1 camcorder after that - it's just not anywhere near as exciting. Other posts here are right - you must have a decent camera like a Nizo, Beaulieu, or Canon, and it must be serviced, then shoot K-40 or Tri-X B&W in correct lighting conditions and project with a decent projector like an Elmo, or Chinon, Sankyo etc. The projected picture is about 6 ft by 4 1/2ft on my white wall, which is fine for veiwing. Kodachrome is a step above the other stocks - Tri-x B & W being next coolest.

Rocket 88

OK, here's a few different cameras I found for further information.  I'm not necessarily looking at these specific cameras, but the models in general.  Any opinions on any of those, or cameras directly related to them (the canon 1014XL-S, for example)?  Thanks again!

 

Minolta XL601

Bauer S715XL

Braun Nizo 801

Beaulieu 6008S

Canon 814XL-S

Elmo 1012S-XL

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi - I sell Beaulieu and Nizo Super 8 Cameras that have been checked and serviced by a qualified technician and film tested. Your list is good - the Beaulieu 6008 is the best camera by far in my opinion, and I also like the Nizo's because they are cool hand held cameras - compact and high quality.

If you haven't purchased a camera yet, I have a Nizo 801 just getting out of the service shop. I used it on a B-roll shoot for an EPK (Electronic Press Kit) for a young singer from the EMI label doing a Clarol Herbal Essence commercial. Some nice 54fps blue screen of her performing - excuse me - singing - in the shower of course. It's got the special feature of the battery compartment modified so the PX625 meter batteries are not needed - like the Nizo Professional model.

I also have a gorgeous Beaulieu 4008 - also a great camera - due out from the service shop that is a cosmetic beauty and will be fully checked out and ready to shooot film. I have the screw-in battery for it extra big size - 550mA, and external 2300mA battery packs, socket adapters, and lens hoods etc.

You can email me at m_osterhus@yahoo.com or call 818-989-0422 if interested.

Best Wishes,

"Rocket 88"