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

Wow Heinz....must have been QUITE the trick to have had that camera running before you shipped it off to me!

 

Heard back from the repair shop today - it's literally almost beyond repair. Quite the coincidence, JUST like Tanner's!

 

Thanks for putting me through such a hassle and lying to me every step of the way.

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

Lot of late bauers cannot read the 64t in auto mode. Bauers give superbly steady images tough. A leicina may be over priced but at least you can shoot at f2 and know you wont get a soft image like with every canon i have owned ( 318M, 310,514XL,514XLS,814XLS AND 3 1014XLS)

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

Hi, I recently bought a leicina special and I´m looking for a good prime lenses for this camera. I know that it has a bayonet M mount. Can I attach 35 mm. prime lenses of still cameras? I guess that if i attach a 50 mm. prime lensen in the leicina will be a 200 mm. prime lense, am I right?

any suggestion with prime lenses in the leicina special?

 

lastly which is the best way to focus with a super 8 cam? measure with tape measure or simply get focus in cam eyepiece?

 

thanks alot

I heard it was, someone commented about how using the andec pressure plate might cause a clanging sound when the registration pin went in. *shrug* Front-registration isn't the best anyways.

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

Nikon R10 is pin registered.

No it isn't.

So Alex, have you a spare?

Mark

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

Mark

Sparky, you are right, learnt two things tonight, just tested the zeiss MS8 and i can confirm it does read

the new 64T stock, tried a k40 cartridge followed by the 64t cartridge. Auto exposure did close the iris down by 2/3 stop. Then i dug out a manual for the moviflex s8, instruction manual says the camera can read film speeds from 10 to 100 asa.

 

BTW, I have a moviflex S8 aswell as a MS8, my S8 iris is sticky and slow can you repair it??????

Andy

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

Aaaahh, leica filter threads... :rolleyes: I'm still looking for some filters for my leica's summicron 40/2 (still photography), and I'm sure they will be quite expensive, once I find them...

 

BTW, you have a zeiss with b56 filter thread. Did you manage to find the 85b for it? I know B&H has some, but not this one.

David

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

you're welcome ;) to be honest, all infos I got for this camera came from the people at filmshooting.com, I don't have the instruction manual too...

 

Regarding the 64t issue, I think the camera cannot read it properly, guess it will treat it as a k40 cart, overexposing 1/3 or so. I'm always using an external meter, though, and I didn't try this stock yet.

 

Are you sure it's a GS8? the lens should be a 6-70 if I remember correctly. (9-36 is a great lens too!)

david

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

i just had 13 rolls processed by frank (super8.nl) and it turned out great.

 

as for the 85b issue, i shot some exteriors using the built in 85 filter because it wanted it to be a little blue but it turned out normal even though it was an overcast day with a very blueish light. i've heard that kodak did something to the stock between the test period and the release, and maybe it was to make it a bit warmer? i'll post a clip as soon as we've scanned it.

 

/matt

say whats the filter size of the cinegon????????

Hi Andy- officially it should be a series 5.5 but I can't find an 85b anywhere in that size- I guess they must have been made? Otherwise I think its a specially made step up ring because the thread is non-standard too. Or a piece of wratten.

Mark

PS do you have the correct 85b filter? Anyone found a source for an 85b for the cinegon?

Mark

How much did you pay Andy?

I sent mine to Dwaynes- 9USD +p&p. No probs with customs at that value- suppose it depends on how much you're getting done but is processing taxable?

Otherwise Frank in NL or cine-dia in France, and Andec in November- I don't know where widescreen are getting theirs done but its not as bad a price as I feared- £16.50 inc processing.

Mark

Yes but Santo's post is about the superiority of certain lenses over others, but your point is that you think the film has changed somehow. Unless you are suggesting that the lens on your R10 has changed somehow?

Chances are that your lens might need cleaning, your built in filters and the prism are dusty and your dioptre isn't set correctly.

Macro photography is very difficult to get right- particularly with the optivaron on the Special and with most other cameras lenses which don't have distance markings for the macro setting. So you have incredibly small DOF and you are relying on the setup and accuracy of the VF. The Cinegon has markings to 12cm so you can focus by measuring and be guaranteed results. Otherwise a Beaulieu would be the better option as you are then focussing with a screen. I've given up attempting macro with the optivaron after many dissapointments!

Mark

Couple of months ago i ran k25 ds-8 in a bolex side by side with a leicina special in grubby lite conditions. The k25 images were miles ahead of the k40.

Interesting findings- is it the stock or the prism/beamsplitter/filter in the super8 camera? Does your Bole DS8 use a prism?

Mark

Are you confident that you have the dioptre adjustment on the viewfinder set correctly? Correct focussing is totally reliant on that if you dont go by the lens markings.

Mark

OK I'm judging this by the frame line- its possible that the film perfs were not perfect on this pre-production run. All my shots were tripod mounted and they both looked fine projected so it maybe a non-issue.

Mark

On the 3 Ektachrome 64 cartridges I received from Kodak I turned the cartridge spindle in a clockwise direction, about 3-4 turns, the spindle turned very smoothly and very easily to.  To me, it just felt like the Ektachrome film was lubricated really well. 

 

When I try to advance a Kodachrome cartridge with an expiration date of 03/2003, it actually sounds like the film is binding to the cartridge internals, as I turn the spindle the film makes these sounds kind of like a girl trying to fit into a super tight pair of jeans.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thats weird- all the carts I have tried have been like your K40- didn't try the E64T though. Perhaps they are OVER lubricated! The 64T I shot was a little less steady (but not much) than the K40- perhaps the design isn't isolating the drive from the gate enough?

Mark

I'd love to see these, but I don't have the time or badnwidth to download two 89MB files!

Holy Crap!

Can you post some stills?

 

MP

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Here are a couple- from another forum- not great colour correction or capture exposure and shot with 85, NOT 85b

and here's one shot by someone else (Nigel) with the correct filter:

Mark

Are you getting theoretical on me or have you actually tried to advance a cartridge spindle?  The last three I tried were the Ektachrome 64's and they moved very easily.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No I'm talking practical, and theres a good reason for it. Do you mean that its easy to actually pull film all the way through the cart by turning the hub, or to wind in a loop that you made in the gate window? Or just taking up the slack?

Mark