Mirror issue on MovieStuff Retro-8 unit

[Wayne Griffiths]

I've had a Retro-8 unit since 2014 but it's been in storage for a few years. I've recently got it out and noticed that the mirror has come off because the adhesive has deteriorated.

Has anybody had the same issue and any advice on what to stick it back on with. I use just going to use standard double-sided tape. Any issues with this?

[James Honeycutt]

I had that problem many years ago. I think you can use any glue/tape you want. I did some digging on google and I found out you can buy special "high end" mirror that is quite a bit more reflective than standard "mirror" you might buy at a glass shop. Because the mirror is not very big on the movie-stuff box, I ended up buying this high end mirror on line someplace (I cant remember the name of the place). I do not think I paid more then $25.00 for it plus shipping. The mirror was about three or four times thicker than the mirror that was used on the movie-stuff box. Just looking at it, it seemed better then a standard mirror. I can not say that my scans were any better for using this mirror or not. Maybe it made them better. I never did do a A B comparison. So, I could have been wasting my money.

[David Brown]

If a mirror is used in a photographic setup, it should be a front surfaced mirror. Mirrors that are thicker glass have a better chance of being truly flat. That might not be as important if they are small.

Front surfaced mirrors do not show ghosting, that is a small extra reflection from the surface of the glass along with the main reflection.