BEAULIEU 4008 ZM (help me)

[youngarsenio]

I just bought my beaulieu 4008 zm off of ebay, but when i look through the eye piece of the camera it's very dark. Then I pointed it towards a bright light and i could see the frame, but the image was very blurry. unrecongnizable. i thought the macro was on but when i went up close to an object the image was still unrecongnizable. i dont know what to do. anybody have any ideas?

[Patrick]

"I just bought my beaulieu 4008 zm off of ebay, but when i look through the eye piece of the camera it's very dark."

Perhaps the aperture is closed down to a small opening.

"the image was very blurry. unrecongnizable. i thought the macro was on but when i went up close to an object the image was still unrecongnizable."

Hard to say why this is the case. I wonder if it's anything to do with the diopter setting. Does the viewfinder remain blurry when you zoom in and out?

[youngarsenio]

i opened the ap. all the way, and its still dark.

and yes, it's always blurry. :?

[Rollef]

Set aperture to 1.8
Maybe the focussing screen is dirty? Flip it out by turning the nob above the "manual - auto - test" nob

[Patrick]

It seems likely that the viewfinder is at fault but I wonder if either of the problems might be associated with the lens. If you had a spare C mount lens, you could try screwing that onto the camera and see if it makes a difference. I believe that on ebay, you can C mount lenses for video cameras dirt cheap.

[gianni1]

I had a similar problem on my ZMII. I accidently adjusted (rotated) the plug (some rotating knob fits into it) that's down in the front bottom left side of the camera. That moved something out of the way and I could see through the lens, and has since worked fine.... I think that knob is a synchronizer that lets you rewind or advance the shutter... it's underneath, and forward of the manual - automatic control. There is also an filter lever somewhere that can move a filter in and out of the way...

Gianni 8)

[steve hyde]

...I own and operate a B 4008 ZMII, but I'm not a camera technician so I can't really offer any technical suggestions. The cool thing about this particular camera is that it is designed to be serviced and parts are still available. When I bought mine it was an *as-is sale*. The battery didn't hold a charge and the shutter was sticky. I talked to Beaulieu technician Bjorn Andersson in Sweden (search the archives) and he told me these problems were normal and the camera probably only needed a re-celled battery and overhaul. I sent the camera to him and gave the OK for a 450.00 USD overhaul that included removing the daylight filter and re-celling the battery. That was maybe a year and half ago and I've run three or four thousand feet of film through it since then. The camera works flawlessly.

Based on this experience and logic, I always advise people to send their Beaulieu in for service before testing it. The camera is designed to be serviced and should be if you want it to perform reliably.

hope this helps.

[Scotness]

I sold my 4008 a few years ago but if I remember correctly the shutter could be in place - try pulling the lever on top -- or if it works just turn it on with out film and get it running over at 24 fps and that should clear it

-- let us know what works!

Scot

[steve hyde]

I sold my 4008 a few years ago but if I remember correctly the shutter could be in place - try pulling the lever on top -- or if it works just turn it on with out film and get it running over at 24 fps and that should clear it

-- let us know what works!

Scot

....excellent idea Scot. Now that you mention it that was one of the symptoms of the sticky shutter on mine...

Steve

[youngarsenio]

I sold my 4008 a few years ago but if I remember correctly the shutter could be in place - try pulling the lever on top -- or if it works just turn it on with out film and get it running over at 24 fps and that should clear it

-- let us know what works!

Scot

now i gotta figure out how this macro works and i'll be more than good. i think i will send it in for servicing though. when i come across 450bucks.

[Bjarne Eldhuset]

hi, there might be some information of use in the user manual for the zm2:
http://www.super8.no/Manuals/Beaulieu_4 ... nglish.pdf

[youngarsenio]

Set aperture to 1.8
Maybe the focussing screen is dirty? Flip it out by turning the nob above the "manual - auto - test" nob

so if the focusing screen is dirty, how do i clean it? because its pretty nasty looking. its so dirty i was starting to think it was suppose to be that way. is it suppose to have specs on it?

[steve hyde]

...One thing about the 4008ZM is the eye piece sucks. Mine is dark too. There is a lever somewhere on the camera that slides the ground glass in and out. Have you found that yet? (RE: what Rollef wrote)

Steve

[Rollef]

That depends on what you mean with specs.

When you alter the aperture from 22-to 1,8 (I take it you have one of the standard lenses?) the focusing screen will seem dark-brighter-bright. You'll see

at 22


at 1,8


no screen


Sorry about the crappy photos, but you get the idea.

Take of the lens and you'll se a white blurr.

The macrolever should be in uprigth position (close to zoom buttons on the 6-66 Schneider to be disengaged. Pull it downwards to adjust distance.

[Rollef]

As you maybe can make out there is still some specs on my screen at 1,8, and this is most likely dirt. I don't however think I will be spending money on cleaning it as it still works. The "specs" at the 22 picture are supposed to be that way.