Eumig 830XL, 860, 880 Aperture adjustment

[Lunar07]

These models, in addition to Eumig 881, are Eumigs electronic wonder boxes.
Unfortunately, they support only 40/160. So called G-Type cameras.

830XL has non-TTL metering. So one can either add ND filters over the lens, or ND gel piece over EE to make this camera work with a wider ASA range. However, this has its limitations. If camera reports UNDEREXPOSURE under very low light situations, you are out of luck on manipulating the ASA via ND's. No filtering trick will help. Of course you can use manual exposure, but the lazy in us does not want to do that!

Fortunately, I discovered that these cameras are SO EASY to adjust their aperture in + or - direction: -1.5 through +1.5 stops for a total range of 3 stops.

Open cartridge compartment. Remove the screw that holds the thin backing sheet of metal (the sheet that has instructions on how to install batteries). Unscrew the plastic piece that allows sound cartridges to be used with these cameras. Cameras are silent. This plastic piece is just an adapter. Remove the thin metallic sheet.
Beneath you'll see the main metallic cover of the circuitry.
Eumig, in its wisdom, made it easy to get at all the important variable resistors via holes in the metallic cover. There are 7 of them. Level with the metallic cover.
Each FPS has its own variable resistor.
Look at the bottom, in the place that was covered by the sound cartridge adapter. You'll see two variable resistors. The one to the left is the 24FPS aperture control. To the right is the 18FPS control.
Look beneath the film spindle. There are two additional ones on top of one another. The top one is for the LT (AutoB) aperture control.
For 24FPS - Set camera at Auto and FPS to 24.
MARK YOUR ZERO reference point before rotating anything. Now rotate resistor with a small screw driver. while observing via view finder the metering changes while looking at a bright object. Aperture changes across 3 stops. -1.5 to 1.5.

This makes these cameras handle up to 500ASA with -1.5 adjustment. Even fine with 640ASA.
If anyone wants pictures, I can post some.

Knowing how Eumig built these cameras, I believe that the same is true with 881, 300XL, and 800 models.

[Rollef]

Ah.. the 800 series... The 880 was the first bargain camera I got at a local thrift store. had some battery acid in the battery box but when that was solved it ran great. You can see how to disassemble them on the wiki-site.

This is good info and makes the cameras useful again. Although have you ever tried exposing 64 or 100D in a 860/800 with the original configuration just to see how it turns out?
I don't have my 880 anymore and when I did, it was only used for k40 so I would not know how it handles never stock, however I have used 100d in 40/160 cameras and it seems to come out fine (for family stuff, anyway)

Knowing how Eumig built these cameras, I believe that the same is true with 881, 300XL, and 800 models.

I believe this is the same for the mini 3, 5, and nautica also (which is basically a mini 3 in a submarine house). It's bee a long time since I have had to open up a mini, but isn't there variable resistors in these as well?

[Lunar07]

Hey Rollef -
I never used Ektachrome 64T. I have used 100D but not with these cameras. Did you use +CORR on the cameras with 100D?
Which wiki site are you refering to for disassembly instructions?
A knowledge of electronics comes in handy with these cameras. They are easy to work with and modify. Eumig did a great job with this circuitry. Although they can be quirky when it comes to electric initialization (a mode gets stuck for example and you have to switch to another mode couple of times for it to work). But all can be fixed. Circuit in arranged in a good manner. And the beauty of it is that the circuit can be used for other applications. Here you have an intervalometer circuit section for free in addition to a nice layout for AutoB. I never throw these cameras away.

As for the minis - I do not knpow anything about them.

[mr8mm]

Anyone know how to make an aperture correction for a Canon 514XLS? An Elmo 230-260?

J. S.

[71er]

I believe this is the same for the mini 3, 5, and nautica also (which is basically a mini 3 in a submarine house). It's bee a long time since I have had to open up a mini, but isn't there variable resistors in these as well?

I think there is variable resistors in the Mini 3 and the Nautica but they won't help you very much as these models don't show the aperture anywhere - so you don't know what you are setting it on. With the Mini 5 it should be possible.

[Rollef]

Check out the eumig 880 page on the super8wiki.com. There is a link there to my dissasembly instructions with pictures there. The numbers on the instructions indicating screws and other stuff jumped around when I made that thing but still, you'll probably make it out.
As for shooting I have shot 64 and 100d in the mini 3 and a konica compact, and it came out fine if memory serves.

[Lunar07]

WOW! This is fantastic. I'll follow your instuctions.
You mention: "However, these cameras do require periodic lubing of the exposure meter and the camera motor so it is also not wise to run the camera if the motor is making lots of noise."
This is so true with these cameras. What do you recommend ofr lubing these cameras? Sewing machine oil?

Check out the eumig 880 page on the super8wiki.com. There is a link there to my dissasembly instructions with pictures there. The numbers on the instructions indicating screws and other stuff jumped around when I made that thing but still, you'll probably make it out.
As for shooting I have shot 64 and 100d in the mini 3 and a konica compact, and it came out fine if memory serves.

[Rollef]

That is what i used. My 880 needed lubing and was much better when it got some oil. Never wd40 ofcourse. Only later I got some grease from wittner for projectors but I dont think I used that on these machines.

[Lunar07]

I use sewing machine oil. Of course not WD40. One more question for you: For the noisy motor itself: you use oil also? Any particular places on the motor?
As to the grease you got from Wittner - is it Molikote (or Molykote) by any chance?

That is what i used. My 880 needed lubing and was much better when it got some oil. Never wd40 ofcourse. Only later I got some grease from wittner for projectors but I dont think I used that on these machines.

[Rollef]

I have misplaced my grease! Anyways I cant find the tube, but going fom memory its nr 4052 "microlube" in the wittner catalog. I used it on some projectors and it was fine.
About noisy motors. I find that it sometimes is the wheels the motor is driving that needs lubing, and when this is done it gets less noisy.Perhaps if that fails, then you could try a very tiny drop on the aixle.
My latest buy, a Nalcom 1000 had a slightly noisy zoom motor but unscrewing the motor an reattatching it in a slighly different position +lubing fixed that so maybe you could try that.