Andries Molenaar

I don't think so. The numbers are too small. No OEM manufacturer can offer a workable price at 2000 pcs max. There are also way too many old excellent near-mint cameras which superior features and which don't cost that much.

Switching it on worked? Just put an Alkaline 625 button in to test the camera.

Some people are playing with old chemistry recipes to process ancient Orwo film and such. This might work here too. If the films weren't too badly stored 😞

These cameras don't cost all that much. LIkely it is cheaper to find a second camera than having somebody work on that broken holder. Can't you just fix some strips yourself?

Use the split-image focusing aid. And indeed check the lens collar for being in the macro setting. Exposing films to check for focus seems an odd method.

Exactly what is the advice? Andreas is best adviced to test the battery using a volt meter and take it from there. As OP is in Switzerland he is best adviced to seek help from a die-hard filmer in der Schweiz. Forum member Simon Wyss is in the der Schweiz too and does repairs on classic cameras. Maybe he can help to diagnose what is wrong. Without spending a fortune on shipping and labour far away 🙂

Of course it is the new battery pack. The zoom needs the centre voltage of 3.6 Volt. Just measure the rings on the battery...It is not properly charged or the centre-tap is not connected. Or the spring blade in the camera is not connecting 🙂 Coincidently.

That is a thorough (and by Internet standards very long) test and analysis. This way it costs little and the 'film' is exactly the same for both lenses. You did use a tripod or a fixed mounting? The practical filming setting would be to film people in portrait, torso or full and possibly some scenery around that. That would be 1, 3,5 meters and infinity. The usable field is a bit disappointing. Likely this very much dictated by the constraint of the small projection opening.

Check your Personal Messages 🙂

Something like those. They are intended for Kodak cartridges used as reloadable. Possibly the Kaccema has the same dimension. You could also attempt to find a tube of the same diameters. Might even be carton. The main point is to give an easy start for spooling up and to keep the film from stringing itself on the hub 🙂

did you process it or was all film still on the supply side?

There is indeed an adapter kit from Nizo which brings a cable to connect the battery box outside or in the swung back grip. You need boxes which have pointy contact with a rim near their base for that. Then there is a replacement plate to swap with the standard to receive the tripod screw and to fix the camera in a more stable position to your tripod head 🙂

Kaccema takes 15 meters of regular acetate film. The important thing is to use a core. Just like the original Svema loads do. Forgetting or leaving that out gives a risk of the film locking on the hub and blocking the film from unwinding further. Like others seem to have experienced and who blame it on the Kaccema

The Elmo Trifilmatic 300 DS-8 100ft has square hub-pins and Foma supplies DS-8 100 ft on spools with square holes. The Elmo 8-TL has round pins with a knob in its 100ft magazine. The Elmo 100ft spool has square holes.

Considering how most film Super-8, it has no importance. It is often ISO 100+, aperture down to f11. Furthermore, it is often sloppy focusing and no tripods. The rear retro focus lenses on the most used zooms stay in place (isn't it the thing used for 0.01mm collimation focusing) so there is no difference when it is on 6 or 66 focal length. Only with macro, the rear lens gets pulled in. So if the camera runs fine just shoot a few frames from a tripod as described and see how these come out. Should you want reliable equipment for assignments you are better to get two working sets of equipment. That also covers theft, accidents or forgetfulness 🙂 Unless all the equipment gets involved here. BTW it would be interesting to see if Beaulieu had the C-mount flange machined down on this very last production ZM4s as these were equipped with in-lens filters in their fitted Schneiders