my first shoot with 8mm for a long time

[john59]

OK guys, I know the basics of shooting a film, or I think I do.
I now have the equipment to have a go at shooting my first reels of super 8. The camera I have is a Canon auto zoom electronic.

http://super8wiki.com/index.php/Canon_8 ... Electronic

My aim is to film a docu type film of old vespa and lambretta scooters of the 60s and 70s and hopefully transfer to digi as to put a sound track of sorts to it.

Using Ecta 100D is there any advice as to the metering or is it just point and shoot in good sunlight?.
Thanks for looking and any advice would be much appreciated.

Edit
Just to add, this camera is in wonderful condition but the eyepiece will not turn and it seems out of focus for my eye when looking through it and it will not turn to alter the focusing. Apart from this website,
http://canon-s8-repair.yolasite.com/
is there a simple method of freeing up the focusing ring on this camera?

[john59]

Well sorry guys if my question was to hard for you to understand, 48 views and not even a bit of advice.
I suppose because I am a novice I don't even count as such.
ah well , I wait with bated breath but I Dont think I will get anywhere.
Yours.
off to somewhere that might respond.

Be happy amongst yourselves.
bye

[carllooper]

Well sorry guys if my question was to hard for you to understand, 48 views and not even a bit of advice.
I suppose because I am a novice I don't even count as such.
ah well , I wait with bated breath but I Dont think I will get anywhere.
Yours.
off to somewhere that might respond.

Be happy amongst yourselves.
bye

Sometimes you have to wait a few days for the real responders to respond. They don't necessarily monitor the posts on an hourly basis.

I was just going to say that the repair link you posted is the best bet. Open up the eyepeice and loosen whatever is causing the diopter adjustment to stick.

Carl

[john59]

Sorry carl to sound hard, but some forums seem to be very clicky and I began to think this was one of them.
I may post Qs that to some seem a bit daft, but if you dont ask you dont learn.
by the way, I did remove the four screws near the eye piece and the diopter adjustment went slack and is ok now.
Thankyou.
John.

[Clapton Pond]

I don't know the metering on that camera, but if it doesn't work, you might try googling the Sunny 16 rule, which is as close to point and shoot as you're likely to get with film. (I'm assuming you didn't mean point and shoot as if you were using a video camera with automatic exposure...)

Best thing to do is shoot a test roll, get to know your camera and the stock before shooting anything important. There aren't really any short-cuts.

Have fun!

ian

[BMasson]

Welcome to the site John. Your scooter idea is an excellent one; I hope you keep us up to date on your progress. You will love Kodak's 100D. With this filmstock, I would strongly recomend a polarizer filter. You are correct in assuming that you will need good natural lighting for your project. Please be patient with us, we are sometimes slow to respond on some postings. Good luck with your scooter-shoot. Brad M

[CHAS]

I have the Canon 814 AZ - not the Electronic version though. It's my favorite "gun and run" camera. I would never shoot without using a lightmeter though. Get the most accurate exposures that way...you are lucky - not every camera has manual controls like this one.

[john59]

Thank you for your feedback lads.
I will assume you mean a filter like this one below.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00005K4A4/r ... B00005K4A4

Are all screw threads the same,? I would not want to order one of these and it not screw in place.

I have just read that using such a filter will reduce the light entering the lens, if so the onboard light meter will have to be used in manual made to compensate, is this right?

[carllooper]

Thank you for your feedback lads.
I will assume you mean a filter like this one below.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00005K4A4/r ... B00005K4A4

Are all screw threads the same,? I would not want to order one of these and it not screw in place.

I have just read that using such a filter will reduce the light entering the lens, if so the onboard light meter will have to be used in manual made to compensate, is this right?

No. The internal light meter is a "through the lens" meter so if there is less light entering the lens then there is less light going to the light meter - as you would want (if the meter driven exposure is to turn out correct).

Note that internal light meters, even when working correctly, measure the light of the entire scene, rather than any particular area of the scene. In general this works okay but often you may want to expose for a particular area of the composition. So one technique is to frame the area for which you want the correct exposure, then lock off the aperture, ie. put the auto-aperture into manual mode so that it stays put. And then reframe for the entire scene.

Another technique, even when exposing for the entire scene, is to lock the aperture. This is because, on auto, movements within the scene can alter the light meter reading a little, causing the entire scene to vary in exposure (if only a little) for the length of the shot. This is usually undesirable.

As you become more involved in shooting film and wanting more control over exposure, an external light meter becomes desirable. External light meters allow you to measure not just reflected light (which the camera's internal light meter does), but also incident light. Incident light is the light coming form the light sources, before it is reflected off objects in the scene. Amongst other things, understanding incident light allows you to rearrange light sources to satisfy a desired outcome.

More important than the actual light reading for any particular area of the scene is actually the difference between areas. It is the difference between light and dark that one sees. Imagine if you could independently adjust the exposure for every "pixel" of the scene, so that all pixels were "correct". The result of this thought experiment is that the entire image would be grey.

Carl

[john59]

I think I understand what you mean Carl, thanks for that

[Andersens Tears]

Hi, I only check the forum every few days!

Just a tought, what look are you going for with your documentary?

Do you want to echo the era of the scooters? What filmic style will you be adopting? Hand held verite, tripod or home movie style?

These things will inform the way that you want to expose your 100D.

Jamie

[john59]

Hi Jamie.
Good question.
I am aiming to shoot it typical home movie style, but considering many scooter owners are now in the mid 40s to 60s I dont realy want them in shot. I know it will be difficult but when they are riding you sometimes cannot tell how old the rider is.
If you look at the scooter sceans in Brighton Rock 95% of the riders are getting on a bit because they are the only people who own such scooters.

[Andersens Tears]

Hi Jamie.
Good question.
I am aiming to shoot it typical home movie style, but considering many scooter owners are now in the mid 40s to 60s I dont realy want them in shot. I know it will be difficult but when they are riding you sometimes cannot tell how old the rider is.
If you look at the scooter sceans in Brighton Rock 95% of the riders are getting on a bit because they are the only people who own such scooters.

Ive not seen the new Brighton Rock - but I lived in Brighton from some time and met a lot of Mods - but most from the Late 70s early 80s revival era. A mate of mine in fact is only 38.....

I think that you should shoot a test roll with your camera using fully auto exposure shoot hand held home movie style at 18fps for part of the roll and at 24fps for the rest - then you will see what YOU think and if it is what YOU want.

You can build on this and then see if you want to be more precise with exposures etc. The main thing is that you will know that you have a working camera before setting off and shooting miles of expensive footage.

If you cant get the viewfinder fixed I recommend a professional repair or buying a g-teed new camera.

Shoot your test roll and come back and tell us how you got on!

Jamie

[john59]

The view finder is now fixed thanks Jamie.
Incidently, I also have a Chinon806 SM
http://super8wiki.com/index.php/Chinon_ ... rect_sound
Also in perfect working order although a bit well worn.
In your view, which cam is the better one?

[Andersens Tears]

The view finder is now fixed thanks Jamie.
Incidently, I also have a Chinon806 SM
http://super8wiki.com/index.php/Chinon_ ... rect_sound
Also in perfect working order although a bit well worn.
In your view, which cam is the better one?

I would say the Canon has the edge, however the Chinon has quite a good lens on it - but I am not 100% sure how it will read 100D - it should read it if you switch the daylight filter out of the light path. I am hoping someone can confirm this! If it does not do this - you have a manual exposure correction dial on this camera - I think that if the camera reads 100D as 160asa you'll need to add 2/3rds of a stop of exposure - turn the dial 2/3rds of the way in the + direction.

Shoot some of your test roll with this camera, your Canon and your Agfa.
You can shoot a minute with each one - juts remember to note down or show 'on screen' which is which. This will be a good way to see how they are working and to compare.

I think it will be best for you to decide which 'look' you like best. All 3 will give you a slightly different look.

Remember the Chinon and the Agfa have no 24fps.

You might even end up using them all!