I've got one of these cameras - a friend gave it to me - and I've been dieing to use it, but just don't have the money at the moment - so just wondering if anyone has much experience or tips about it.
It's a great looking camera with alot of manual controls and mine is in brand new condition - so I can't wait.
There was one on eBay recently with a glowing write-up - I don't know how much of that is hyperbole though
This is by far my favorite Super 8mm motion picture movie camera. Even more so than my Nizo's!
Why? Take a look at that super sweet glass up front!
Incredible zoom lens that delivers THE BEST Super 8mm images ever! TACK SHARP!
Lens is a very wide 6mm through 72mm zoom and is fast at f1.8 through f45!
AND IT HAS A MCRO SETTING TOO! So you can shoot inches from the lens for those cool science films on the struggles of the ant!
Plus, it is has a special film gate design. I have always got the steadiest images ever out of this camera. Very steady and I have blow up to 35mm and loved the results!
PROBLEM 1: I can't find the battery holder that goes into the grip. It takes a big load of AA batteries. SIX of them, but you can shoot all day on some NiMH rechargeables.
PROBLEM 2: There is also small dent on the filter thread so you won't be able to use screw on filters. BUT it has a ND filter and 85 filter built in so you are set.
Check out these features.
1, 18, 24 and 36 frames per second.
Interval timer from 1 second to 1 minute lets you put it on a tripod and leave, come back and get your incredible time lapse footage!
6mm-72mm zoom. You won't find a wider or sharper zoom lens out there!
Has a fader button and 72 frame lap dissolve button.
Frame accurate footage counter.
Zoom speed control ratio.
AND a ton more features!
Can do everything on Auto or Manual so you can take total control of the camera or let it do it's own thing.
Internal light meter is spot on perfect.
Also will record sound on film Super 8mm if you are able to find sound on film Super 8mm film.
It runs super sweet at all speeds and is the perfect camera for shooting sound. Use your DAT or Mini-Disc and grab yourself a slate.
Very quiet camera.
But you will need to find a battery holder or wire it up for 9 volts.
Battery holder goes in the grip. You can easily wire an external battery but I will leave that up to you.
I paid $1250.00 for this camera and it was/is worth every penny.
Just wire up a battery and add film and you're a filmmaker!
I've never heard of the "special gate" before - anyone heard of that?
Scot
Read my science fiction novel The Forest of Life at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D38AV4K
Not another "special film gate" thread...ugh. Haven;t the slightest...why not post a picture of it and compare it to the Leica gate...to me, the best gate is the single 8 gate, after that its sort of like comparing mother-in-laws with each other...
My website - check it out...
http://super8man.filmshooting.com/
super8man wrote:Not another "special film gate" thread...ugh.
No I'm more interested in general impressions of the camera from those who have experience with it - although the gate thing would be interesting to know more about - but I don't want to know just about that!
Scot
Read my science fiction novel The Forest of Life at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D38AV4K
Cool Eyepiece - eyecup rubber on the back, never seen one so big. Makes that camera look small. Also up front, an excellent filter - lens hood attachment (what's it called?) supported by a mounting on the body of the camera.
I've not got that one....but it is broadly similar to the Pacific 200/8 XLS (but with a better zoom range) and I've found that gives great results.
My favourite super 8 lens has to be that on the Chinon 1200SM, an earlier model with a 6-72mm f1.8 zoom...simply stunning quality optics. I know some people say Chinons give "soft" pictures...personally I believe these poeple to be on drugs
Chinon super 8's do tend to have large eyecups but I admit I've not seen one quite that big before!
No idea about the "special gate". All I will say is that the only occasion I ever had jitter was with my Chinon Pacific 200/8 XLS so I doubt the Chinon gates are any better than the others.
The government says that by 2010 30% of us will be fat....I am merely a trendsetter
Yeah that eye cup is a bit insane - mine doesn't have one - it did have one when i got it - but it was made out of that wierd rubbery plastic stuff that turns to a sticky mush over the years - so I'm going to replace it with tha coke bottle eye cup someone here came up with -- or a video split! This camera even has a port for an external power pack - how cool is that!
Scot
Read my science fiction novel The Forest of Life at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D38AV4K
gianni1 wrote:Also up front, an excellent filter - lens hood attachment (what's it called?) supported by a mounting on the body of the camera.
Gianni 8)
How is that done? to me it looks like one metal rod sticks out from the camera, but how is that thing attached? is there a tripod mount in front of the camera?
That supporting rod does screw into the camera - it's a normal feature and not a diy add on. There's also 2 screw holes on the top - for the mic and a light - these could be useful for mounting lcd screens etc. The light screw hole though also engages the tungsten filter when you screw something into it.
Scot
Read my science fiction novel The Forest of Life at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D38AV4K
Negatives, It is easily the heaviest Super 8 cartridge camera I've ever held. On a tripod it is crap due to the fixed position handgrip (needs a brace). The viewfinder image is somewhat dim which makes the semi useless microprism focus screen even worse.
Positives, images i got were great, the lens is really sharp. I recall that it ran real quiet much better than a Canon 1014XLS. Its got all the bells & whistles.
Googeling it i found the manual on your site.
That is a nifty little feature. Could be used for an anamorpic lens holder or maybe the weight of the lens will be to heavy?.
Anyways, looks like a cool camera.
Thanks guys - nice to know the lense is nice and sharp filmbuff - I've noticed how heavy it is! That mount could possibly be used for a anamorphic lense holder - of course it's got a 72mm thread whcih means the panasonic anamorphic lense they made for the dvx100 would fit on it.
Scot
Read my science fiction novel The Forest of Life at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D38AV4K
I used one like that once back in the day.It gave me some nice images and decent sound for what I was doing at the time (talent stand ups and interview type stuff).It was easy to operate and relatively quiet for a super 8 camera.Still had to drape a Turkish towel over it for indoor sound shooting.
I can't comment any further since I didn't own the camera.I've heard people trash it (especially Santo,remember him?) because of it's Japanese innerds and cheap mass produced manufacture.
- interestingly it says Chinon made some of Beaulieu's cameras for them!
Scot
Yes they made those Beaulieu cameras that nobody wants with the fixed lenses. Don't remember the model numbers.
They also made most of the Bolex Super8 cameras.
The gate is nothing special at all. All chinon made cameras I have seen all have this gate and chinon made cameras for a LOT of people. Theres one thing thats good tho, The gate is held in with small ordinary screws that you can remove with an eyeglass screwdriver. It's not riveted in so it is easy to remove the gate (so you can modify it easily).
I'm not keen on the lenses on chinon cameras but it has never been the sharpness that has bothered me. I was projecting some last night. Looked okay to me sharpness wise. Then again sharpness isn't neccessarily my goal or focus.
Yes this camera is heavy so do be careful. I had mine fall off my tripod because it couldn't take the sheer weight of the thing. It hit my hand on the way down and buised it for days later. Also the tripod mount is on the bottom of the pistol grip!!!! What were they thinking! I was always worried it was going to wobble in the wind during timelapse stuff.
Chinon made the Beaulieu 1008 series with the fixed lens. Actually a nice camera with rock steady registration. And they made several later B&H models...Chinon were one of the last mass manufacturers of super 8 gear so they were called upon to manufacture camears for other "names".
The government says that by 2010 30% of us will be fat....I am merely a trendsetter
