sparky

Alex, you are confusing the battery capacity rating with its current handling capabilities. The 2500 is not mA but mAh- that is it is a measure of the batteries' charge capacity that means it can deliver 2500mA for 1 hour (well actually probably not as they normally measure capacity at a low discharge rate like 1/10C or so) NiCds and NiMhs generally can deliver very high currents (NiCds are generally the higher)- much higher than Alkalines- that is why they do better in high current draw applications where alkalines generally fail quickly. I'm not sure what the capacity of alkalines are as they rarely advertise it, but I think its higher than rechargeables in low current draw applications. Super8 cameras are probably regarded as medium draw- in the 250mA range for normal use. That would be 1/10C discharge for your 2500mA batteries so there's a good chance that you could run your camera continuously for close to 10 hours straight with those batteries. As for timelapse, the camera is not moving most of the time so the average current draw will be much lower and the batteries will last much longer. If you take it to real extremes (months) you might run into self discharge problems which as already mentioned is much higher with rechargeables- and I beleive is worst with NiMhs. 250mA would be quite a high discharge rate for alkaines so their performance might suffer. So the real question is if your camera can run effectively with the lower voltage that you will get with Nicds or NiMhs. Most do fine but some apparently not. If it doesn't, use alkalines, if it does use rechageables and save some money/be greener (with NiMhs at least!) Mark

What did they say was wrong with it? Mark

Actually don't bother with the black-tac - I remember I tried it and it stuck to the cart! Foil is probably the simplest way to go, and the original seal was all the way around the gate block so probably best to re-seal it all the way round. And maybe have a word with whoever sericed it for you. Mark

Many super8 cameras have gate cutouts into the sprocket holes- I've no idea why, but yes that is normal. The beaulieus gate is unusual in that it is attached to a plate behind the cart chamber- a pressed steel "bathtub" construction that can be removed from the mechanical back plate without removing the gate. I noticed when repairing a 2008 that there was a hard black resinous (or waxy?) filler applied around the gate block to seal the gap between it and the cart chamber. I guess that someone has had your camera apart and not sealed that gap again which is leading to the light leak you are seeing. I'd suggest pressing a thin sausage of black-tac into that gap, but be careful not to press it in too far as the claw mechanism oscilates up and down just behind that wall! Actually thin strips of self adhesive foil would be a better bet. Even though you only really see it when the film stops and starts again, you'd be best to seal that leak as its potentially slightly fogging the film as it travels through and diminishing optimum results, perhaps.. Mark

When you talk about cross processing, does that mean that you are processing for neg rather than pos? Is that possible? I just replaced the filter in my user Leicina for some 85B wratten- there was a significant difference in the colour to my eye, but the 85 might have been faded (30 yrs old)- there was a difference in thickness also which might be worrying for wideangle/high depth of field shots. Mark

I don't think they're overpriced particularly, though it would of course be nice if they were cheaper ;-) I think the Canon XL-S's are though- a lot of those cameras features are to do with sound which is obsolete now- otherwise they are a nice solid auto cam with good lens etc- like so many others... Mark

Leica made several adapters for different lenses- I have one for M42 lenses. Thing is you'll be hard pressed to get anything better than the lenses made for the camera. For instance I tried a Summicron 40mm (a highly respected lens) and noticed no serious improvement over the optivaron at 40mm. I only use the adapter for REALLY long lenses- a 300mm Takumar to film the moon etc. The best way to focus is by measurement and the lens markings with the special. If the eypiece dioptre setting is even slightly off, the VF focussing will be too- particularly with Macro and tele focussing. For macro, get the wonderful macro Cinegon which has focus marks down to 12cm from the film plane. Mark

I'm only going on other peoples descriptions but the way I understand it it is like a little spring loaded ratchet that prevents the film shifting backwards once the pressure of the pulldown is released- neat idea but not what you'd normally call a register pin. Mark

Alex, you mean you don't even have or know someone who has a digital snappy cam? How quaint and backwards- my phone even has one ;-) I couldn't do without my little sony now- won it but they're not expensive. Mark

No it isn't. So Alex, have you a spare? Mark

Alex, please sell me one of your pin registered super8 cameras :) Mark

Hi Andy, the iris on mine is quite slow too- I think its meant to be! I never understood why Canon folk rave about the speed of their autoexposure like they do- PITA if you ask me- slow is good. When you say sticky- does it actually stick? I can't recall if it has a multiblade aperture but I think it does- if its the blades that stick I can't really help- do they look oily? Otherwise the iris motor might benefit from a lube- contact me off list if you'd like me to look at it- I still haven't sorted out that remote release for you- need to get busy! Mark

You own a CL? My favourite camera! (though I just bought a IIIc which is very special too!) I haven't looked for filters for the S8- I did look for ages for a lens hood but gave up! I just bought some 85b wratten and will swap the filter in my "user" Leicina and hopefully have a large enough piece left over to tape in front of other cameras lenses. Strangely the Kodak site now says that an 85 is OK for the 64T yet the box still says 85b. They were apparently fiddling with the stocks "sensi"- hence the late arrival so it maybe that the built in filter will be fine- my test TK'd bluish and is cool on projection but not objectionably. Next roll will definitely have some 85/85b comparison footage, and I look forward to seeing Mattias' results next week. Mark

The Zeiss uses a funky system to set the ASA- a lever comes down when you turn the lock on the door until it rests on the notch lower edge- this is mechanically linked to rotate a drum of variable opacity which encloses the metering cell. So its theoretically infinitely variable- if the notch allows. So yes it should read it correctly. This is based on the S8 and I'm assuming the others use the same method. Mark

Thats interesting Mattias, JP started this rumour by stating that Kodak were adjusting the "sensi" of the stock after initial tests, which was given as a reason for the late arrival of the stock. I took that to mean that maybe they were going to try to make it more compatible with the built in 85 filters of super8 cameras given the general bluish caste of the results so far published (reasons given for not releasing other stocks had to do with camera incompatibility!?!) But I was put in my place by John when he said that adjustments would only be made with regards to the use of the correct filter (85b). Your evidence seems to contradict this. Mark