8mm Forum: Newbie Intro and question please.

This is topic Newbie Intro and question please. in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Tom Aellis (Member # 1993) on March 28, 2010, 04:12 PM:

Good day to each one of you.
My name is Tom and I'm a long time FILM photographer, process my own B/W, C-41 and E-6. Now I'm beginning to have fun with Super 8mm and just about anyone and everyone has pointed me here. I can see why.
FINALLY, a community that is civil! Oh my goodness, you can't believe the drama out there and there just seems to be no manners nor courtsey anymore. I'm glad I'm here.

Now, I was given a wonderful Super 8mm, The bolex Macro. When I received it, she was pretty corrouded in the Battery (4 AA's) and with Rubbing Alc and cotton tips I cleaned it up pretty good. Popped in some Fresh Duracells and she won't run.

I'm new to movie camera's. Can someone please give me some pointers that I can try to trouble shoot? I know about the exposure batteries but I don't think these have anything to do with running the film bank.

This is rather important to me right now because this Wed I'm going in for a rather spicy surgery followed by 2-3 weeks of Phy Rehab facility and I would like to document my journey. The Impossilbe project has already donated the new Silver SX70 film for me to begin.

I'll do a multi-media piece with a very famous photographer, about my journey along with later this year going to Costa Rica for 30 days for Stem Cell Treatments for MS whereas the sucess rate is overwhelming. In my profile is my blog site where you can follow these adventures but it's not up to date now. (if you want)

Thank you once again and I'm really glad to be here.
Very best,
Tom

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 549) on March 28, 2010, 07:30 PM:

Tom, welcome!

In my experience, having owned dozens of Super 8 cameras, a corroded battery compartment is generally terminal for a camera. The corrosion will spread to delicate electronics inside the camera very quickly.

Quality cameras can be bought off ebay (or here) for low prices. Do a search for "How To Buy A Super 8 Movie Camera" in the ebay guides and you'll see my comments.

Good luck with your op (I have one tomorrow!) and enjoy the forum.

David

Posted by Tom Aellis (Member # 1993) on March 28, 2010, 08:30 PM:

David, thank you very much and I will! And good luck with yours tomorrow as well.

I'm kinda sad and this is such a pretty Camera.
Very best,
Tom

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on March 28, 2010, 10:38 PM:

Tom,

Welcome to the Forum and we're glad you're here! Which number Bolex Macrozoom do you have? The 155, 160 or 7.5?

David is correct about battery corrosion. In a few cases where the corrosion didn't spread inside, I've had limited success using vinegar to clean the terminals and making sure it completely dried. Then I used an eraser on the contacts, always careful not to scratch the plating.

Best of luck to you (and David!) with your upcoming surgeries. I'm looking forward to your future posts.

Doug

Posted by Kurt Gardner (Member # 440) on March 28, 2010, 10:44 PM:

Tom, unfortunately I also have to agree with David. I bought a brand spanking new Sankyo super 8 sound camera in 1994, used it for about three years, popped it in the closet and forgot about it. I still remained an avid collector of super 8, but I had gotten more into shooting video at that point.

Then, at Christmas 2003, I thought it would be nostalgic to shoot the holidays on film, since I live near Pro8mm in Burbank and could buy stock and have it developed by them.

Gasp! I had forgotten to remove the batteries in 1997. Six years on, they'd all burst and the compartment was a mess. I cleaned it up with baking soda followed by alcohol, popped in fresh batteries and it seemed to run fine...even the shutter speed looked good.

What did I get for Christmas? Three 50 foot rolls of blank film!

It makes me wary of the cameras being sold on eBay. If anyone is interested in one, they should definitely ask the seller if the battery compartment has ever been corroded. Read David's guidelines, by all means!

Posted by Tom Aellis (Member # 1993) on March 29, 2010, 07:17 AM:

Douglas and everyone, thank you very much for your kind help.

I'm sure that's the case, so after rehab, I will begin looking for a "new" Super 8 here on this site.

It is the 160 by the way.
Very best,
Tom

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on March 29, 2010, 01:52 PM:

quote:
What did I get for Christmas? Three 50 foot rolls of blank film!

Kurt, it does not make a sense for me.

Did you send unexposed film to the Lab?

or did the films were exposed but the shutter was not open?

cheers,

Posted by Dan Lail (Member # 18) on March 29, 2010, 05:20 PM:

Welcome, Tom, and good luck on your journey. Please keep us posted.

I will be selling an Elmo Sound Camera soon, but first I have to inspect it. I'm pretty sure it works.

Posted by Tom Aellis (Member # 1993) on March 30, 2010, 08:04 AM:

Thank you all again, very much. The operation is tomorrow followed by two more weeks in the Phy Rehab facility. But I will have Inet access beginning Sat or so.

Dan, please let me know. I don't know much about the camera's yet, but I see Elmo a lot and find this board to be civil and and very good community so I feel good.
I don't want you to waste your time if it's too expensive, (I have no idea) because with the MS and the spine issues I'm pretty wiped out but can scrap up some.

Yesterday I received the donated NEW film from the Impossible project. That is Instant film, for the Polaroid SX-70.
I'm using it to document my stay and recover then I hope to use it for a documentary for my HOPEFULLY journey to Costa Rica for 30 days for Stem Cell Treatment. Almost 100 pct success rate for MS. A very, very famous NetGeo photographer will be covering as well.

Very best,
Tom

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