Problems with my Beaulieu shutter.

Tony Terziev · August 2, 2008

Hello!

Im currently in Africa (Mozambique) shooting a super-8 documentary short with my Beaulieu 4008 ZM II. Sadly, I've encountered some problem with the shutter. It's stuck in the middle of the gate and wont move! The motor is running properly and the battery works. The camera was overhauled by Bjorn Andersson two years ago, so it's quite fresh and maintained.

Does anybody have an idea of how serious this is? Is it just a sticky shutter? What should I do?

Thanks in advance for any help and/or suggestions.

Regards

/ Tony Terziev

Michael Lehnert · August 3, 2008

Just to make sure that your description of the problem is as I understand it:

By gate, do you mean the film gate (i.e. that the shutter is irresponsive to all movements of the topside shutter lever and permanently shutting at 1/2 shutter opening)

or do you mean that the shutter lever moving in the topside gate which has a mid-position lock (activated by slightly lifting the shutter lever, and de-activated by pushing the lever in) cannot be moved?

Have all attempts to change the shutter opening angle really failed by moving the shutter lever for- and rearwards, repeatedly?

I have never encountered this problem or indeed ever heard of it (I have, however, encounter asyncroneous shutter opening & transportartion, resulting in terrible flicker - had to go to the workshop as most work on the variable shutter has to), so this is the only 1st aid I can think of.

Furthermore, as you are in the field, what tools and sets do you have with you or access to to do mechanical repairs?

Best wishes,

-Michael

Tony Terziev · August 3, 2008

By gate, do you mean the film gate (i.e. that the shutter is irresponsive to all movements of the topside shutter lever and permanently shutting at 1/2 shutter opening)

Hello Michael!

Thank you for the reply. What you wrote (above) was exactly what I meant. Luckily enough I managed to fix the problem by lifting the shutter lever many times and pressing the main power switch on stimultaneously. The camera works perfect now and it seemed that the shutter was just a little bit sticky from all transportation and traveling.

Thank you once again for the fast reply! I'll post some stills/footage when I get back home.

Best regards.

/ Tony Terziev

Michael Lehnert · August 4, 2008

No problemo, Tony. Glad to hear that you could get the shutter to operate normally again.

Beaulieu and Bauer cameras have an excellent track record in tropical and subtropical shooting environment, but heat and sand and being based in the field most of the time is always the greatest stress you can put a camera through. I already freak out with my own cameras on a simple beach ;-) . So "hat-up" for the very micro-engineered 4008 so far, I must say! I suspect that the mechanical play suffers from the exposure, and a good lube job will be pending upon your return.

I can't wait to see really anything, pics, rushes, diaries from your film. You should have opened a thread in the "In Production" sub-forum about your project!

So best wishes to you and your filming in Mozambique from me in London, although I will actually be off to L.A. later this week (another sort of adventure :-)

Cheers,

-Michael

Tony Terziev · August 4, 2008

Thank you for your kind words, Michael.

I second that the Beaulieu cameras really work very good even in hot climates. I'm very glad I bought it since it (almost) never lets me down. :lol: An overhaul should be in it's place after the trip.

I'll be back in Sweden august 19th. Processing takes about a week and I plan the send the rolls to Spectra for an uncompressed 10bit transfer. I'll write all about the travel in the "in-production" sub-forum when I get back home.

Enjoy your stay in LA!

Best regards.

/ Tony Terziev