Erren Franklin

Dom- Please don't apologize. Your answer was what I came here looking for and I am so appreciative that you answered my questions so thoroughly. As for Collector's Mania... I think I may have a bad case. Over 10 cameras in the past two months! Several of them cheap as-is models so I could examine them in the flesh, but it is adding up. I've convinced myself that I'm not collecting mindlessly, since I plan on stopping when I finally have 2 or 3 cameras that are as close to my ideal as possible. Your response inspired many questions, and I'd appreciate answers to any of them! I have starred ones that are more crucial for me. 1. Am I missing out on any especially great cameras by limiting my interest to Zoom Reflexes? *2. Without knowing better, my assumption was that the best Beaulieu model for me would be the 'newest', ie- the MAR8/MAR8G. What you've written on the topic makes me wonder if the only feature really differentiating the MAR8 and the MCR8 is the fully automatic exposure. Is that true? And I echo Todd's question- what differentiates the MR8 from the MCR8? And lastly, I'm having a MAR8G serviced at the moment. Since it has manual exposure, using it that way would be essentially the same as using a MCR8 with a fixed Schneider 8-48mm, right? Would the real benefit of having an MCR8 be the D-mount (and therefore C-mount) interchangeability? *3. Tough question to articulate, but here goes. If I had, say, an MCR8, would any D-mount lenses work with it? Further, if I had a C-mount adapter, would any C-mount lenses work with it is well? My question stems from not knowing if certain D-mount or C-mount lenses require a specific distance from the film gate for the image to be crisp, or are calibrated in specific ways that would preclude compatibility with certain cameras. Of particular concern would be if an adapter moved the lens forward. This may be a really stupid question! But it really stems from hoping the answer is yes, it will all work, and trying to anticipate why the answer would be no, if the answer is no. 4. What is a Gossen meter? 5. Another potentially stupid question: Why is the Kern 13mm f/0.9 an interesting lens? I understand that it is fast, but I still don't know how exactly that is desirable except for low light situations? *6. I think my Zeiss Moviflex Super has the exact same issue as yours did. Otherwise it is in pristine condition. This leads to another of my questions- how would I go about getting this camera serviced or repaired? Do you know of any camera service and repair people who would be able to service this camera, or the Canon Cine Zoom 512, or the Agfa? Or any regular 8 camera? Are any makes/models so unique that a good technician would be unable to work on them? Or are the guts generally similar? I realize that the cost to have this work done can exceed what any sane person would spend making such clunky, old equipment work well, but having endured years of frustration with capricious equipment, I would gladly fork over some money just to have a working camera. 7. Last question- Much of my filming experimentation involves masking/vignetting by placing the mask/vignette directly in front of the lens. I like the Agfa and also my Leicina 8V because the actual diameter of the lenses allows me to fit more 'information' in the frame. This is one variable that I have checked with every different model that I own and it really varies from one camera to the next. What also varies is the definition of the lines- with some cameras the lines of a 'peephole', for example, are clear and distinct, in some they are very blurry. I wonder if you have anything to say about this aspect of cameras/lenses/etc. One thing I am curious about, is if what one sees through the lens, as far as focus, depth of field, and in my case, the definition of vignetting, is generally the same as what the film records. Or course, I know that that's not true with exposure, but my knowledge stops there. Thanks for even taking the time to read my questions, and I apologize if some of them are plain stupid. There's a lot that I don't know. And if you feel like answering any of them, I would be so so stoked. Thank you!

Shane- Thanks for the tips. If and when I get a REX4 I planned on sending it off for servicing, but I hadn't thought to do that with P or K series. I couldn't agree more about projecting; I shot my first roll of regular8 kodachrome 20 years ago and borrowed a friend's projector so I could watch it. That's when I fell in love with it. I doubt it would have become a lifelong obsession if I hadn't viewed it in that format- dimming the lights, the projector noise, the subtle smell of burning dust. And I'm really excited that reversal regular8 film is finding its way back into the market because I plan on hand editing some films this year. Todd- Thanks for that tip. Will most likely consider a K2 or P3.

Webster- I imagine you've seen this one too, but maybe not: https://www.super8.tv/en/lady-in-blue-the-pentaflex-8-from-the-former-gdr/

Everyone, thank you! And I look forward to more feedback. Christopher - Very helpful, you are probably right, and by doing so the Canon is probably the answer to my question. Thank you! Simon - I aspire to understand the smallest bit of your feedback. I hate to say that with regards to much of the knowledge that many filmmakers count as basic, am I am woefully unlearned. For example- I still do not know what exactly the benefit to having a variable shutter (or a 190 degree shutter) is. For that reason, much of what you've written is way over my head! I do expect that if I look up every camera, piece of equipment, and word that I do not know the meaning of, it will be fruitful. So, I promise to do so. Thank you! Todd- I will look into the K2. I have been curious about the K2, the S1, and P3. Of those you like the K2 best? Thank you! Andries- Another vote for the Canon! Please tell me about the battery issue. Mine seemed to work fine with an Exell A1px. Do I need to be aware of a voltage issue? Thank you! Roger- I do want to branch out into other formats at some point, and I can now add Ultra-pan8 to formats that I am very curious about. As far as I've seen, the cost to modify cameras to other formats is gut-wrenching. But if and when I'm more well-off, I know that I won't be able to help myself from dropping some serious moola to get to play with a widescreen formatted camera. Thanks for the tip! Webster- Nice to meet you! Lately the Film Photography Project has been making a pretty wide range of regular8 film available. They seem to sell out pretty quickly, but if you subscribe to their newsletter you can be one of the first to know. I imagine you probably already know about them, though. Recently they had 100D Ektachrome reversal available. I would hope that the speed at which they sell out will compel them to up their production. Also ON8MIL in London and Re:voir in Paris provide the Kahl range, which I have some rolls of but haven't shot just yet. I'm not sure if anyone sells Kahl domestically or if it's possible to buy direct from them, if so I would love to know. Regarding the BOLEX REX4, boy oh boy do I want one of those babies. Regarding the Pentacon Pentaflex, that has definitely been on my list. In researching regular8 cameras I even came across an analysis of it that Simon Wyss wrote, which to my amateur understanding read like an analysis of UFO technology. Of all of the cameras on my list, the Pentaflex seems to be by far the rarest and most difficult to find. I'll keep looking though.

Hi! I'm new to forum, though I've found myself here reading through a topic many times in researching one thing or another. For the past 20 years or so I've been shooting regular 8. What started as a curiosity has lately turned into something more serious for me, and as I've attempted to do research and problem solve, I've found information about regular8- cameras and much more- to be somewhat lacking on the internet. Info about super8 is widespread, regular8 not so much. For me, there's no comparison between the two. Regular8 is just so much more versatile for experimentation. Lately I've been trying to answer the question, "What is the best regular8 camera?" for myself. A necessity for me is for it to be a reflex and a zoom. I also prefer a camera with a big range of fps (8 - 48/64). My first regular8 camera was a Cinemax-8e, and if the spring didn't wear out, I would probably still be using it. At this point, I own at least 8 Cinemax-8e's, Cinemax-8ee's, and Cinemax 85e's. It never occurred to me that these weren't very good cameras because they did what I needed them to do, yet, the springs always wore out. I also bought a Leicina 8V early on, and it's proven to be a very good-quality camera, although I wish it wasn't only 16 and 24 fps. A few months ago I decided that I was going to scour the internet and try to answer my question, convinced that there were much better regular8 cameras out there. As of now, I have narrowed down my search, having procured the following 4 cameras to examine: Zeiss Ikon Moviflex Super. This one is in tip-top shape, yet the automatic exposure is really weird and I think faulty. Thankfully there is manual exposure. I think this is one of the best lenses on a regular8 camera, although the zoom range isn't great. Agfa Movex Reflex. Bought two cheapies just to take a look, and the viewfinder is really foggy on both. I imagine this to be a common problem with this camera. I have a really good quality one on the way. I really like what this camera can do, the only negative is the zoom range is less than the other cameras in this list. Canon Cine Zoom 512. This one might be my favorite on this list. 64fps is just wow. The only problem is that the ASA only goes up to 320, and I want to be able to shoot 500T. Beaulieu Mar 8G Automatic. I have one with the Schneider 8-48 lens currently in the mail to be serviced by Bernie O'Doherty. He did mention that the automatic exposure on these cameras isn't great, so I wonder if I would be better off with a Beaulieu MR8 or MCR8. I am also interested in checking out a Carena Zoomex S because of its lens, the Nizo models FA3, Allmat Mod. 2, Heliomatic Focovario, Ercsam Camex Reflex 8, and I have a Pathe Imperial/ Auto Camex currently being shipped to me. Of these the Carena is most interesting to me, and I imagine that the Nizos are good, but not especially interesting or better than anything I have. There is of course also the Bolex H8 REX-4. Because a reflex zoom is a necessity for me, I am wondering if the SOM Berthiot and/or Kern-Paillard zoom reflexes are especially nice. I would love some insight into these questions. What is the best camera, according to my needs? Does a Bolex H8 with one of these zoom lenses supersede the cameras that I have listed? Are there any glaring omissions in my list? Thanks for reading!