Martin Baumgarten

Here at Plattsburgh Photographic Services, I've been processing KODACHROME movie films as Negative, Reversal, Sepia Tone Reversal, and High Contrast Negative since 1981. It picked up more since the stoppage of KODACHROME Color Reversal processing in Dec 2010. I'm just a tiny one man operation, so I don't advertise and am difficult to find on purpose. Since I offer a large variety of laboratory processing services, I'm easily swamped at various times in the year, especially after Labor Day to New Years. There's Film Rescue in Saskatchewan Canada that is larger with several employees and processes all types of old films.

These little black lines happen at times.....usually a hair or something that got into the viewfinder system. With fixed lens cameras, they often enter via the film gate. It's only in the viewfinder and not in the film imaging path, so there's nothing to worry about. It's just an annoyance. I do have to add though.....it DEPENDS on your camera. Some simple models from the 60s and early 70s had a full beam splitter prism which the imaging rays passed thru to the film and the viewfinder. IF yours is like that...then it could show up. Use a small maglite or some similar bright hand torch lamp and shine a light thru the film gate, while the camera is on a tripod and close to a white wall [or tape some white paper to the wall]. Run the camera and you'll see an image outline of the film gate...and then adjust the focus and zoom to different degrees to see if you can see this line/hair on your screen. You can't really adjust focus ahead of time since the hair is not on the film plane but somewhere either on the prism or the viewfinder. If it's NOT showing up in this test, you're good to go. I mention all this, since you did not let us know which camera make and model you are referring to.

Automatic B is just that, it uses the front photo cell on the camera to determine the exposure automatically when coupled with the Time Lapse. The only problem with this like I mentioned, is that IF any stray light hits that cell, it makes the camera run faster, thus a shorter exposure per frame to compensate. You can use the Automatic B setting to determine what the exposure setting should be [unless using a fine external light meter]. Upon testing and running it in Automatic B mode....note the frame rate......count the timing. For example if it seem likes it's 30 seconds between frames.....you can set the Timer Interval to 30 seconds manually for forgo using the Automatic B for actual filming......IF there's any stray light that might show up. IF not, and you're fine......go for it with Automatic B. Keep in mind, that the light meter, as all light meters, is calibrated based on rendering scene exposure to correctly expose and 18% Gray Card. So, if you have dark areas and you want to look more natural, you'll need to adjust your exposure manually to compensate since the Automatic B will want to increase exposure to lighten darker than 18% Gray subjects. Likewise, it works the other way also....of course.....lighter subjects will be rendered darker, like a white wall would look dark gray. But you desire to film in low light so that most likely will not be an issue. Sorry, but I only just noticed your question today, November 2.

I'm not familiar with that type of measuring. But....another way would be to put a small mag light or similar in the film chamber aimed at the film gate, and then using a App if available or digital camera etc, film the light coming thru the lens and count the frames and compare the speed to a digital counter etc. I'm a life long analog guy and am used to using various analog methods. There are other ways like filming a pattern placed on a record player and then examing the process film, but that's a longer process and costlier. With the cost of film and processing at most places these days, I would use some other testing method that didn't eat up film, unless it was some old junk film that I didn't have to pay a lot for.

When J.C. Penny had a camera department is AGES ago! One of the most often rebranded SANKYO Super 8mm cameras from that era would be the SANKYO CM-300 and CM-400 and yours is very likely the CM-400 since it has a 4:1 zoom ratio and cosmetically/physically resembles the J.C. Penny branded camera you have. The camera's film speed settings are cartridge based, and on the older more common KODACHROME 40A and EKTACHROME 160A or G films. So yours should accept quite easily the following films: TRI-X 7266 ISO 200 but rated at ISO 160, so slight over exposure not a big issue. VISION 50D which setting the camera to Tungsten to remove the onboard color conversion #85 Filter, will be rated at ISO 40, some slight over exposure which is perfect for Color Negative. VISION 200T, which can be used in Daylight using the onboard #85 Filter and it'll be rated at ISO 100, again some slight over exposure, and in Artificial Light minus the Daylight Color Conversion Filter at ISO 160, also some slight over exposure which is fine for negative films. EKTACHROME 100D without use of the built in Color Conversion Filter, thus setting the camera to the Tungsten Setting [but please note......most of the better Super 8mm cameras have a notch finger detector which if the cartridge does NOT have the Filter Notch...the onboard filter will be pushed out of the way to the Tungsten or Without Filter setting....and usually also cues the Light Meter to adjust accordingly. This can be confirmed via the Aperture Display on the side of the camera in it's own window]. EK100D will be exposure automatically at ISO 160 which would underexpose it buy a half a stop or close to it. However, many have found this works okay.......but for dead accurate setting, you'd have to set the camera manually and open the aperture up a little bit more than what automatic determines. How well the camera exposes your film would require a test of course....but using an external light meter and factoring in any exposure/shutter/viewfinder light loss variations [refer to the instruction manual for setting manual exposure which usually lets you know if you need to fine tune exposure due to the viewfinder system] Other films can also be used, via Manual Exposure......however....even in Automatic in low light situations, many have discovered that using VISION 500T still works okay in most but the brightest lit subject scenes. Even if over exposed, the Color Negative films are more forgiving and will still yield detail that can be compensated for when transferring to Digital Media etc.

Hi. Yes, virtually all light metering systems in any camera can be adjusted. Some are easier than others, but your CANON will require you to open the side panel to access the circuitry and tweak the exposure potentiometer. These are set at the factory and then usually set in position using some red or green adhesive. It breaks freely easily enough, and you normally would just a small non metallic screwdriver in the center slot to adjust this. Generally, turning it to the right means more sensitive and to the left less sensitive. However, you will need to refer to the repair manual schematic to see where it's located. Often, it is coupled with another or two other potentiometers which if there, are to offset the high and low exposure settings. BUT BEFORE you do anything....first conduct an exposure test. Read your User's Manual for the camera for how to set and determine Manual Exposure. You will need a cartridge in the film chamber of the camera to key the metering system and let the camera know a cartridge is loaded. You do not have to actually film with it. Turn the camera on, and using an 18% gray card see if the exposure matches the Instruction Book Reference for determining manual exposure. If you don't have an 18% gray card, then you could use white, off gray, or brown etc, or the palm of your hand. These can be used via metering them with the same illumination as testing the meter in the camera, but measuring the reading with a known working camera's meter [still or other type], hand held exposure meter, or using a Light Meter App on your cellphone. Compare the reading the camera gives you to that of the other meter reading, compensating for change in exposure via the viewing system loss as explained in most Camera Instruction Manuals [often anywhere from 1/2 Stop to 1.5 Stops drop or increase due to the light being diverted to the meter, film, and viewfinder systems]. For example, the camera instruction manual might state on a large zoom lens camera like both of yours, to increase exposure by 1-Stop. So, your hand held or other light meter reads the card at F/8, so you'd have to adjust it to F/5.6 for manual exposure. On AUTOMATIC, the camera should show you this in the viewfinder aperture display.....which would probably then read F/4 possibly. There are other variables involved here since the CANON XLS is an "XL" low light camera with a large shutter opening and Fast Len....and the CANON 1014 Electronic is older with a small shutter opening vane and slightly slower lens. On AUTOMATIC, if all is fine, the camera will be in agreement with a known accurate light metering device [camera meter, hand held meter, cellphone app meter etc], minus the exposure increase and thus lower reading due to the viewfinder and meter light diversion system. IF all is fine.....leave the camera alone and don't worry about opening it up to make any adjustments. Unless you film in Automatic often, and the image density is too dense or too light for your preferences, then perhaps a tweak is in order. But if all is fine after testing it out light I described......you could just end up having more problems just trying to open the camera up, which is complex enough. Determining the film/run speed accuracy would require a special strobe light and/or sensor setup. A cheap way would be to pull down 18 or 24 frames of film, mark a Large X prior to pulling it down, and a large X afterward. If you need to, you can draw a line on a couple frames before and afterward. Then push the film back up into the cartridge until you get to the first X mark or one frame before it. Either way, it'll be visible in the cartridge window. Insert the film into the camera, and set your desired running speed test....18fps or 24fps. Using a stop watch or any accurate timing device.......set the camera up on Lock Run Mode with the Power Off if possible....and using a separate Remote Switch to run it.....or set it likewise and use a cable release. When you view the Timer where you want to start it.....depress the camera and stop it after 1 second. Open the camera, remove the cartridge and you should see the 2nd X mark in the cartridge window gate. If dead accurate it'll be in the center....if slightly too fast it'll be below and if too slow it'll be above. If you don't see it at all, pull the film back up slightly to see how many frames down it when. You could also draw a line from the First X mark to the Second X mark and a little past it....or make extra 3rd and 4th X marks. These will help you observe where the mark is. A synchronized setup would be more accurate whereby the Timer begins when the camera starts.....but with some care, you can measure it quite accurately with this method. If you don't have an old junker cartridge, you can use a new one, since you're only going to use a tiny bit of it for speed testing, and can use if for filming whatever once you've done your testing. You can do this test quite a few times if necessary and still have plenty of film left to use, so you're not wasting much. Regarding adjustment of the Running Speed.....this works also with a speed control potentiometer on the circuit board......left is slower and right is faster. Usually each speed will have it's own, except for slow motion which often is the maximum default speed. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Quite often it's a simple mechanical issue with weakness in the shutter trigger spring return, so fixable. Sometimes it's an electrical issue of some kind, which is also fixable, since it's also usually something simple like a worn Reed Switch Contact. Sometimes, either situation can be resolved via slight bending of the Trigger Return Spring [small needle nose pliers or strong tweezers] or the Reed Switch with tweezers. The return spring is often easily doable by anyone with some dexterity. This issue has been addressed elsewhere on this site, and there are photos somewhere on this site in answers showing how to repair it and elsewhere on the internet. If you're unable to sort it out, perhaps once you find the information, perhaps a buddy that has some repair skills can help you out. Otherwise, it will mean sending it out for repair that alone will often set you back at least $150 plus shipping costs both ways.

The NIZO S-561 Macro, when using the Manual Exposure knob, should allow you to adjust it full to either side. In Automatic mode, if pointing a very low light level it should go fully to the under expose side, and if pointing at bright light to the other, F/16 etc side. IF it does not as you mentioned, then either the batteries for the meter are weak, or there is a problem with the camera. Sometimes, when shipped, the meter needle can become slightly dislodged, since packages often take a beating. After first checking to see that the meter batteries are okay or using fresh batteries, double check the Manual Exposure knob again....if still no movement past F/5.6, try thumbing the camera against one hand that is wrapped with a towel and check again. Set the camera to Automatic and see if there's a change....if not...the camera will have to repaired by someone that knows what they're doing. As for the effects you are looking to create with the NIZO, please note, the Automatic-B setting is for automatic exposures in low light where the camera uses a small photo cell on the front, and coupled with the Time Lapse unit, will automatically adjust the time exposure interval to the light level. The problem with the Automatic-B setting is that should there be any stray light introduced, such as a car passing....the exposure rate per frame will decrease, which causes the frame speed rate to increase as well. Just using the Time Lapse alone if in such an environment and an exposure calculator or external light meter, will avoid that variation. Anyhow, first get the camera in working order of course. Thanks for sharing your footage.

Open the film chamber door. The Meter Battery chamber cover is right there on the left side of the Film Chamber at the end. It slides off outward to replace the battery.

Hi, NCS Products make an analog leverage-push type TimeFlow Intervalometer to work with the BOLEX H cameras [both H-16 and H-8 models] and for the K-3 16mm. The version for the Krasnagorsk-3 uses its cable release socket. I'm sure there must be some method to rig up their system via modified cable release if you can't use it directly. The version made for the BOLEX H cameras just moves the single frame release, so that might be adaptable for some Double 8mm cameras. I had considered trying to adapt it to work with a REVERE or some other Double 8mm models, since they just push forward for single frame. Anyhow, look at their website and/or contact them about your needs. http://www.intervalometers.com/index.php

If the problem is the same as with your well made ELMO 1012, then the likely culprit these days is the cartridge. KODAK has had a LOT of cartridge film transport issues over the past couple years......just way too much tension on the supply side when they are loaded at the factory. I have opened some up, reloaded the film with sufficient slack so the film supply rotates around the stationary hub smoothly, and no issues. Another thing that is quite helpful, for me anyways, is that between each cartridge, I wipe the film gate with silicone. I use a soft white cotton flannel cloth that I have sprayed with Silicone spray [the type that doesn't harm plastics!], let it sit out for some time to allow all the propellant liquid to evaporate, and then keep this in a small zip lock bag. I wipe the film gate and quides between cartridges, and even wipe the surface of the exposed film in the cartridge. I also check to see if there is too much film tension in the cartridge before I use it. I depress the cartridge pressure plate with a small screwdriver in the wells so as not to mar the parts that touch the film, and then pull the film downward with a spare finger. It should come down easily and if not, the film is too doggone tight! Any film pull down, I then wind the core to take up that slack. As most people know or should know....Super 8mm cartridge film actually glides thru a narrow channel in the film gate of the cameras, one created by the gate, where by the cartridge pressure plate rests firmly on small nibs. There isn't any high pressure on the film itself, actually it's usually gentle unless the film has a very thick film base, such as FOMA R-100, then there's more gate tension from pressure in the than small gap. Some film unsteadiness is inherent in the design of the Super 8mm format, due to the cartridges, and the location of the pull down claw. However, a properly working camera and a smooth running load of film in a cartridge should allow quite a steady image.....not perfect, but good. Double check all variables, and IF the cartridge, let KODAK know.

The Footage Counter is activated when a cartridge is present in the camera. The cartridge presses against a button to start the footage counter. As for not being able to see the aperture move when looking down into the lens, chances are you won't. What you are looking at in the middle is the beam splitter prism which diverts some of the light coming in to the viewfinder system. If the needle is moving in the viewfinder, odds are the aperture vanes are moving. To double check, use a small mirror or piece of white paper at an angle in the Film Chamber and run the camera while watching it....you'll see the light coming in getting brighter or darker as you move the camera aiming at a light source or not.....and/or manually setting the aperture, and keeping a light aimed at the lens.

Hi, by chance here, you're not pushing the knob adjuster back in after setting it are you? If so, it will just to back to AutoExposure. If you're leaving it pulled out after setting it manually, and then it's drifting back down to full open, it could be a battery power issue for the light meter. If it's weak, the default is to open aperture. I wish this knob were truly mechanical, but it's actually electrical, like a volume control of sorts. Double check your meter battery....wish, even if weak might work fine in AutoExposure..but in Manual Mode....it requires more power to maintain the setting.

Hi, the ELMO 108M does have manual exposure. It's a nice camera. Although I feel that every Super 8 Filmer should have a few cameras: one for low light, one for travel, one for more complex topics, and one with various special effects. Many cameras can be purchased well under $100 or even under $50 on eBay, that are very well made. Of course, the major fancy expensive brands such as NIZO, CANON, ELMO, BEAULIEU and some others will be costly. CHINON made the majority of Super 8mm cameras in the world, under their own brand name and under various others [GAF, PORST, REVUE, SEARS, WARDS, BOOTS and others, even some for BAUER, BOLEX and NORIS]. Every Chinon version above models ST-90 that I have bought have worked and keep working. Sometimes depending on the model, the removable battery pack is missing but a cheap alternative is the ones you can find easily to retrofit. Most of the others, have built in battery holders. Unless the camera has major battery corrosion leakage, they will usually run. CHINON used heavy duty nylon, brass and other metal gears in their better ST-100 and above models, as well as in their own PACIFIC branding versions. Features vary of course, with REVUE, PORST, CHINON and NORIS often having the addition of an Intervalometer Timer and also a Film Rewind Function for Dissolves etc, as well as a Macro focusing option. Lens quality is very good and in my own tests they seem as sharp as most of the other Super 8mm cameras made. I love my SANKYO XL620 Supertronic, but these later electronic SANKYOs are more fragile than earlier ones. To compensate, I bought a few as backups. I recommend that to everyone, as it will avoid costly or impossible to have done repairs. - - - - Lastly, since this IS the SUPER EIGHT portion of Cinematography dot com, may I suggest to those that love 16mm to keep their love for it on the 16mm sites. Either help support Super 8mm here, or be quiet. Everyone here knows that 16mm exists and many of us use it also, and some that don't yet, might. But no need to keep bashing Super 8mm. Yes, costs are crazy these days. But thank goodness you can get excellent E-6 processing from Dwayne's Photo in Parsons, Kansas for only $12! Costs for film keep going up, but in reality it has become a niche market and as any niche market fan for their various hobbies knows, stuff can get expensive. If I were a billionaire and money was no object, I would build a factory to support the hobby in a dozens of ways. But this is not the case of course. So, Super 8mm only help on these pages, thank you everyone.

There has been a serious issues with recent cartridges of KODAK Super 8mm film having excessive tension. It's most likely a manufacturing issue when the cartridges are being loaded. Depressing the cartridge pressure plate with a small screwdriver, you should be able to easily pull the film down with your finger. If not, the film is too tight. Even though your Super 8mm CANON camera is old.....in my own experience, that is not the reason. The film in the cartridge is supposed to advance easily and smoothly. I have encountered some cartridge issues, opened them up and reloaded the film to alleviate this. But this is not something just anyone can do of course. Some have returned the film to KODAK for replacement film.