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Bell and Howell Super 8 492


Michael Anthony Brown

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Hey there! I’m a camera op in LA and my wife got me a Bell and Howell Super 8 492 Autoload camera! I have three loads of film and itching to use it, but I can’t find any information or manuals for this camera anywhere online! I understand the trigonometry focus meter, but my questions are how does the exposure work (if it’s all automatic do you still need to tell the camera what ASA film stock your using). Also there’s a toggle on the side that switches between Wide Angle and Telephoto, but I don’t see a difference in the viewfinder! Is the a focus feature? Does anyone have any sources where I learn more about this camera or find a manual? 

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It's a junky plasticky camera.  The meter sets via the cartridge notch and it's only made for the original KODACHROME 40 without Filter/ISO 25 With Filter, and EKTACHROME 160 without Filter/ISO 100 with Filter.  The focus is strictly set the distance, do not rely on that silly focusmatic meter nonsense with that little silver ball.  The zoom is only a 2:1 ratio, from it's 12.5mm to 25mm range at F/2.8(specs I read could be wrong, many were F/1.8 but the smaller cameras often had smaller apertures). It's only 18fps run speed, with a 180 degree shutter opening.  The zoom is coupled to the drive motor, so the camera must be running in order to zoom, unless it's not working, which is common on many cameras made this way with age some coupling gives out.   You can zoom manually anyway, and since it's only 2:1 range, it's not a big deal. The main thing is, does the camera work?  Aim at a light source and then to a shadow area while running the camera and view through the film gate to see if the aperture is changing. If you can't see it, use a piece of white paper held at an angle or small mirror behind the film gate.

Really though, this is a nothing camera, made for families back in the day to just point and shoot their home movies.  There are plenty of better made cameras out there with actual features on them which you can find usually for under $50.  Some are:  Canon, Elmo, Chinon, GAF, Yashica.  Plenty on eBay at times.  It used to be common to find some at garage sales, but not so much anymore.  Besides, then you have to go drive around, and take time to see if you can find anything.  If you do hunt that way, always bring at least 6 fresh Double A alkaline batteries with you to test them out.  If you do want to use this camera, since the Mrs got it for you, as long as it works and you use film that will work with it, you'll get decent images.  Due to the meter limitations, you should be able to use: Tri-X 7266 ISO 200 (close enough), Vision Color Neg 200T (close enough), Vision Color Neg 50 (will meter at ISO 40, but close enough and the tiny bit of overexposure is fine with neg film).   The new EKTACHROME 100D though will be a problem since the camera only meters at ISO 100 WITH the Filter in place, and you don't need the filter, so if it defaults to ISO 160, you'll under exposure the film, so it'll be too dark.  Any frozen supplies of the old EKTACHROME 160 films that have been stored that way and in good shape will work fine.  Another reason to get a camera where you have manual exposure control, or at least a bias over ride setting.

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