beaulieu mar8 problems..spring needs tensioning -maybe

[milesandjules]

Hi Guys
Finally got around to putting some film through this little standard 8 camera. The first side seemed to run through fine...but now that I have flipped the roll. It seems to shoot for about 10 seconds then stops. It looks like the little footage measuring arm that rests on the take up reel is actually stopping the film ....Im thinking maybe the spring needs to be tensioned if the film is being stopped by this arm.

Is it possible to tighten the arm myself or do in need to send it for a service?

Thanks Miles

[cameratech]

Hi Miles,

I had a similar problem with an MR8, where the first side was fine but it kept jamming on the second. I figured out it was a slightly oversize spool that I'd used for take-up, where it worked OK, but which fouled on something (the door?) when flipped over to the feed side... I think. At any rate it seems to work fine now with a different take-up spool. They're beautiful cameras the Beaulieus but not very tolerant.

What makes you suspect the footage arm? If the take-up spool is being stopped from turning it doesn't cause a jam at first, the claw keeps feeding film through until it bunches up in the chamber and no more can be pushed through. Did you find that when you opened the door after your jam?

[milesandjules]

Hi Dom
Great idea...Yeah maybe it is something with that plastic spool. I might swap it around with another metal one...never thought of that. The reason i thought It was the footage arm was because ....there was a excesss loop of film forming above it.... then when I pulled the arm away and wound up the excess loop..it filmed till it formed another loop. But I will try a spool swap..good idea.

Yeah it seems like a nice little camera...cant weight to see the footage...hopefully some of this roll will work.

[cameratech]

Well if you are getting excess film above the take-up spool you're right to suspect the take-up. I don't think the footage arm would be the culprit though, unless the tip that slides over the film is damaged and somehow catching. Have you run the camera with some old stock, checked the take-up spindle is turning properly, not slipping too easily? Checked the little handle to move the footage arm out of the way isn't bent and rubbing on the edge of the spool (or the edge of the spool isn't bent and rubbing on the handle)?

With my camera, everything worked OK until I put the door on. There's very little room between the raised circles on the inside of the door and the centres of the spools, so if the spools are damaged (the little tabs around the centre hole bent up for example) or if they're oversize and sit slightly high they can catch on the door.

[milesandjules]

Yeah I've got another metal take up in another camera...i will give that a go. Yeah I think that was what happen with mine..it wasn't till i put the door on ,about 5 seconds after that it jammed.

We got a sound booth that acts as a dark room.... will go and do a spool swap.

If that is the problem...it seems like a fussy little camera.

I've only shot with a canon cinezoom 512 standard 8 camera before...had no problems like this ..however i didnt like how that camera doesn't let you know when your finished the roll.....The mar8 stops when you hit the end..... that a good improvement!

[camera8mm]

I had the same problem a with a beaulieu MR 8. took it apart, re-did the spring but cant figure out how to put back the shutter pieces. If you can fin a take apart manual, let me know.