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Super 8 jiggle


Geoffrey Chandler

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In my experience shooting with two ZM II bodies (among other cameras), you can achieve a visibly better frame stability with a properly CLA'd Beaulieu 4008 ZM II. By this I mean "in camera", not "in post" dialing up FCP's SmoothCam ;) . Indeed the same is true for the other top three production cameras (Leitz Leicina Special, Bauer A 512, Nizo professional) and to some extent several sound cameras (such as Canon 814 or 1014 XL-S, Nizo 6056, Bauer S 715 XL microcomputer, Nikon R10).

 

Bear in mind that due to the required timing of the alternating phases of the guillotine shutter that all Beaulieu cameras use, plus a variable shutter with a 100° opening angle, you will get a maximum exposure time at 24 fps of 1/86 sec or 1/87 sec for 25 fps. Therefore, the resulting pictures from this camera will always feature a slight "stroboscopic" effect. This can lead to some degree to a certain "unsettledness" in the visual impression a viewer might get from shots made with Beaulieu cameras. On the other hand, the shorter exposure time gives the impression of producing sharper pictures.

 

In the end, if this would be my 4008, I would send it in for service. Of course, alot of people shoot Super 8 nowadays primarily to obtain that "flicker" look. Which is okay. But the format has so many more advantages that reducing it to "lomo-flicker-analog-adoration"-shooting is kind of undervaluing it. It really depends what aesthetics your are after. B)

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