HELP! ?'s about operating a Quarz Zoom Camera

[Komsomol]

I am a hobbyist beginner just getting started with 8mm. I purchased a Quarz Zoom, looks just like this one -

http://www.ussrphoto.com/wiki/default.a ... tentID=494

I loaded it with a 25 foot roll (7.5m) of Super Cine X black and white reversal film. ASA 200 daylight.

My first question is - the settings. I'm going to be shooting in pretty much bright sunlight. So, should I set the ASA to 100 and the f-stop to 16 or 22? Also i have filters for it, so should I use the yellow filter for outdoor bright light shooting?

Here is my biggest, and probably dumbest question. What I really don't understand is focusing the lens. If you look through the viewfinder images become closer if you operate the 'zoom' lever. However it appears the viewfinder is essentially like a rangefinder, you are not looking at object via the lens, but just through the viewfinder. so - how do i focus the lens if the image never changes from blurry to sharp or from two to one no matter how I adjust the zoom lens ring?

thanks for your help.

[BAC]

I would use a hand held light meter to set the f-stop. The meter in the camera may not work properly. To focus the lens you need to use the scale on the lens and either measure or estimate the distance to your subject. If you have the literature that came with the camera it may have a depth of field chart that will give you a range of what will be in focus (near limit and far limit). If you don't have that literature you may be able to find something on the internet. I use a free iPhone app called kodak cinema tools. If you use the super 8 setting I believe it is close to what Regular 8 would be. I have also used a free light meter app with great results.

http://motion.kodak.com/US/en/motion/To ... /index.htm

[Komsomol]

Am I correct that when loading the film the emulsion side should be facing the front of the camera?