Exposing Kodachrome 40

swc · Post by **swc** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 3:46 am

Hi All,

Hoping you can help me out...

I have a Chinon 872 camera and have so far shot a couple rolls of B&W Reversal with good results.

I now have some Kodachrome 40 stock and need to know:

a) If I shoot this film outdoors do I need a filter for colour correction ? I am told that most Super 8 cameras automatically detect outdoor conditions and have a built in filter to compensate, therefore it is not necessary to attach a filter to the lens ? My camera has a "FILTER" button on top - is this a manual override control to activate the outdoor filter when using Kodachrome 40 ?

b) I have been unable to get a battery for the exposure meter and have so far guessed (successfully) the aperture for the films i have shot. Now, if there is no battery for the exposure meter does this affect the camera's ability to determine whether or not to activate the outdoors filter ?

Cheers,

Stu

Post by **disjecta** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 4:16 am

The "filter" switch needs to be activated any time you are shooting outdoors using Kodachrome 40. I don't know this camera and, to my knowledge, no Super 8 camera automatically sets a white balance (i.e., whether it's daylight or indoors).

K40 film is balanced for tungsten (or indoor, artificial) light, which is more orange than daylight, which is a cooler blue. So if you do not engage the filter, all of your daylight shots will have a blue cast, not very pleasant. Your meter will not automatically turn this filter on, that is not its function, you must do it manually. The meter measures the intensity of light, not the temperature.

Bottom line:
- Make sure the filter is off for indoor shots.
- Make sure the filter is on for outdoor shots.

I hope this makes sense to you.

You can also check out the following Web page for info on this and lots of general information about Super 8 cameras and shooting: http://www.kolumbus.fi/puistot/S8Manual.htm

Look at number 7., "Built-In Conversion Filter"

Good luck,

Steven

Post by **T-Scan** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 6:49 am

i haven't used a chinon, but if its the same as canon in respect to the filter operation.. with K-40, the filter is activated and must me "cancelled". on the canon you screw in a red plug on top to cancell the filter. i cancell the filter if its late in the day, or dark alley, ect.. i only use it in full daylight.

Post by **swc** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 7:27 am

yes, mine is the same as the Canon.

I was confused as I was thinking by pressing the filter button DOWN it ADDED the filter. The penny dropped when i noticed the movie light (or plug) thread also pressed the filter button DOWN. I had a look through the gate as the camera was running and it all made sense.

Thanks for your help...

Post by **T-Scan** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 8:42 am

Plus X will automatically cancell the filter, can't remember if Tri X does the same.

Post by **Splee** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 12:26 pm

I have a Chinon 872 camera - it handles K40 very nicely and I've never had trouble with it. The camera defaults to "outdoor" mode - the filter is in place, and the meter will expose the film correctly with the right colour balance. The filter button needs to be pushed down when filming indoors, and this is done automatically when a movie light is screwed into the socket.

I have no idea what the camera does to the filter with black and white films, but I have shot it both indoors and out with fine results using the default settings, so no problems there. Give it a try.

As regards the meter - the original 2.7v mercury battery is no longer available of course, but I was assisted by someone at the Widescreen Centre in London who pointed me in the right direction. Use 2 PX625-equivalent 1.5v batteries, which are easy to get hold of. You'll just need to stretch the spring in the battery compartment lid a little to get them to fit. You'll read all sorts of arguments on this forum about whether you should use 1.35v zinc air batteries instead, but they cost a fortune, and the 1.5v ones work in this particular camera just fine. One word of advice, though - for some reason, Chinon cameras take a load from the meter batteries even when the camera is not in use, and they will run down in two weeks if you leave them in place, so take them out when the camera is not in use. They'll last for ages if you do this.

Good luck! I've had good results right from the start with my 872.

Lee

Post by **swc** » Sat Jan 24, 2004 1:56 pm

thanks for all the info...I've only joined today and never had such good info from an online forum!

cheers, stuart

Filmshooting

Exposing Kodachrome 40

Exposing Kodachrome 40

kodachrome

thanks