Greg Baumann

Hey Rafael - Query on macro with the Beaulieu 4008zm schneider. To engage the macro, is the little button pushed in toward the body, or is it pushed away from the body? I couldn't find this in any of the documentation for my camera. Thanks for any help.

Hey board ... does anyone know what cameras/film stocks Greg Weaver and Spyder Wills used on Stylemasters 2. It's a Super 8 gem shot on a sound camera back in 80/81. The image quality is quite remarkable, and mark a big improvement over the original Stylemasters. Here's my full review of the film: http://www.spatoutinglory.com/entries/2010/5/20/surf-film-review-stylemasters-2-overthought.html

I totally get that. ... Gotta siphon from the camera equipment slush fund for the next filter. And the next batch of film stock... And ...

Hey board ... just watched Stylemasters, a Super 8 film documenting the surf scene on the North Shore back in the late 70s. Lots of juicy footage here. Here's the full review: http://www.spatoutinglory.com/entries/2010/5/18/surf-film-review-stylemasters-sets-bar.html

Hey board ... the final reel of three burned (not to put too fine a point on it) at Rincon, testing all settings on my Beaulieu 4008ZM4. Didn't have a polarizing filter to fit the 300 Canon TV lens, nor a No. 85 filter to compensate for the Ekta. C'est la vie. The reel, for what it's worth, is here: http://www.spatoutinglory.com/entries/2010/5/12/super-8-surf-cinematography-last-rincon-reel.html If anyone has any comments on the clarity of the 300 lens, I'd appreciate it. Anyone see any inherent flaws in the lens? Thanks again...

Exciting.

Called two of their stores: Santa Barbara and LA Fairfax. Talked to film desks. No one there was aware of the switch to 100D. No one aware that 64T is being discontinued. When asked if they planned to replace 64T, they didn't have a clue and showed no interest in pursuing the matter. Weird.

Here's another reel shot at Rincon in California. This time with a 102mm Canon lens. Didn't have an 85 filter to correct light balance, nor a polarizer to cut glare. Oddly, these don't seem much worse than the stuff shot with the polarizer and the internal filter on the Beaulieu 4008zm. Which probably points to user error in the earlier stuff. Can't wait to run some more appropriate film stocks through the Beaulieu. Gonna try the 100D next weekend. http://www.spatoutinglory.com/entries/2010...-at-rincon.html

Not a worry! No mods on the camera. The vignetting is an imperfection I will chalk up to "charm." Thanks for the critique tho. Appreciate the sharp eyes.

Hey board - Here's a reel shot at Rincon with the Beaulieu 4008ZM4 using Ektachrome 64T. I ran the camera through every setting I could think of, and you will see in the video notations with each take indicating what I had the camera doing. I post this mostly so other newbies can see the results of tweaking the settings as they watch the reel play. Enjoy ... http://www.spatoutinglory.com/entries/2010...rom-a-to-b.html

Ah Andries - 16mm is way outta my price range. Luckily with the Beaulieu I can step up lens power. I have an HV30 with a Del Mar housing that I'm using for water shots. The film I'm putting together ultimately will only use the Super 8 for backstory, lead in, and the ending. The rest is HD video. Cheers.

Ian ... that's me on the mat. Watching the film is a killer way to learn, eh? Normally I grab both front corners of the mat and squeeze/release to control speed and rocker. Are you saying I need to move my hand that's closest to the face back on the mat's rail somewhere? I know for sure that I'm doing too much drop down the face before turning. An immediate corner into the face upon takeoff, then a stall, I think will but me where I need to be. Cheers dude.

Thanks guys. I can't wait to take this stuff apart piece by piece. I shot three rolls at Rincon Point Saturday, carefully marking settings on the camera, moving through different apertures etc. I'll be able to correlate those readings with the results and it should be educational. The points you bring up are the next step after that. I yearn for the clearest Super 8 I can achieve. Such a beautiful look. I think it's going to be a long-term project. Thanks a million. You guys are great.

I'm shooting a Super 8 surfing film with a Beaulieu 4008ZM, and I've got about 12 reels back from Yale. I've created shorts of a few of them with iMovie and posted them on my blog, www.spatoutinglory.com. I'm a novice who would really welcome any critiques the group here can offer. The footage has some serious flaws, and to the extent problems can be diagnosed, I'd appreciate tips to make my imagery sharper with better color. Thanks for your help! Here's an entry with some body surfing and mat surfing... http://www.spatoutinglory.com/entries/2010...ody-whomps.html Thanks again

I have a Super 8-ish blog ... www.spatoutinglory.com ... It documents the making of a Super 8/HD video surfing film. would appreciate any input from Super 8 pros. I'm just a beginner. Thanks all.

Greg - Yeah three months should be enough to tweak and adjust my approach. Thanks for the fps advice ... Where would you order an ND filter set if you were in the states? Maybe I could get the retailer to send it to Nica via DHL... Do you happen to know which filter set would be best for my/your setup? I'm hoping the morning shoots with less light won't necessitate the filter sets. I'd like to get the F stop down to a middling range to increase sharpness. Cheers and thanks for your help...

Oliver, thank you... Unfortunately, or fortunately, the camera decision isn't up for discussion at this point. I'm in Nica and there's not much going back! Maybe a polarizer is doable... perhaps I could get something that simple shipped to Nica. Do you happen to know the proper diameter for a polarizer on the B? Cheers!

Thanks Andy ... It may just work out that I can run a test roll ... Will keep the board updated...

Adam thanks so much for the input... my responses to your queries below... Does it have TTL (through the lens) light metering? --Yeah, the 4008 does that. Do you have an 85 filter, or does the 4008 have an internal filter (meaning, do you have a switch with a bulb and a sun?). Again, I'm not familiar with the camera, but you need to get as close as possible to those exposure ASA's. If you don't have a filter, expose it as close to 64 as possible and try and fix the color in telecine. Not ideal but will work. --The Beaulieu has the sun/bulb switch ... so I will set to 40 and the sun switch Again, does it have an internal meter? It must... If it's TTL it should take care of that for you as long as you set the ASA right. --OK NOTE : With water, since it's reflective, I'd suggest locking down your exposure. Take a reading in Auto Exposure, then lock it there. The reason is that occasionally you'll get a good shot of sunlight off the water right through the lens. The response of the camera's auto-aperture will be to close up. That'll darken the whole shot. --Will do That was super helpful Adam... thanks Greg

I am planning on shooting a surfing film using a Beaulieu 4008ZM4. I will be shooting on Ektachrome 64T, cause that was all I could get my hands on. Now I'm in Nicaragua, which limits my options. I have read the Beaulieu manual, but need some more tips on making sure I don't waste my film stock. I never have shot film. Hopefully enthusiasm will compensate for ignorance. I've spent many hours on the forums looking for these answers, and come up fairly empty (or at least confused). A book isn't an option because getting things shipped here is difficult. You all seem the most patient, so here's a test of that patience... Premises: -Frame rate. I was going to shoot at higher frame rates because I'd like the film footage to capture some fluid motion that I want to slow down. -Media. The final product will be a mix of Super 8 and HD video, shown on DVD. -Distance. Much of the filming will take place at distance: 50-150 yards. -Light. Quite sunny. Subjects will be front or side lit 90 percent of time. Tons of water reflection. -Gear. Beaulieu 4008zm4. Schneider-Kreuznach 1.4/6-70 lens; Canon TV zoom lens V6X17, 17-102 mm, 1:2.0; Canon Lens FD, 300mm 1:5.6 SSC. Questions: --How does use of higher frame rates affect exposure? --The camera's ASA settings don't have a dot for 64. Just rough it? --I don't have a separate light meter. How do I set the camera to adjust for light conditions? Thanks everyone ... Any input appreciated. Greg http://www.spatoutinglory.com

I would love to buy the book as a downloadable PDF.