First time Beaulieu 4008 shoot..

[greg_8mm]

So I finally got my cartridges that I ordered from B&H, and I want to use them with my custom Beaulieu 4008 ZMII.

I have 4 carts of Tri-X and 4 carts of Vision2 200T.

So for the Tri-X, at which ASA should I rate it? It says on the packaging: EI200 for daylight (without filter) and EI160 for tungsten (also without filter).. So should I put the filter? Rate it at 160 or 200?

And what for the Vision2 200T? There it says you should use filter 85, and rate it at EI125 for outside conditions. So I need to remove the key from the beaulieu to enable the filter and then I'm good right?

Sorry if these questions sound trivial to you, I just want to make sure I won't f*** up a cartridge because of a small stupid detail. So far I've only used Canon camera's where the camera sets the ASA setting automatically. I can't wait to shoot on the Beaulieu though. Many thanks..

[Macnessa]

Actually, you need to put the key in to remove the filter.

[MIKI-814]

So for the Tri-X, at which ASA should I rate it? It says on the packaging: EI200 for daylight (without filter) and EI160 for tungsten (also without filter).. So should I put the filter? Rate it at 160 or 200?

Shooting under daylight: Rate it ASA200 and make sure the filter is out.
Shoting under tungsten lights: Rate it ASA160, and make sure the filter is out too.

And what for the Vision2 200T? There it says you should use filter 85, and rate it at EI125 for outside conditions.

Shooting under daylight: Rate it ASA125 and check the filter is in.
Shooting under tungsten: Rate ASA200 and check the filter is out.

I don't know how the filter selection in that camera works, sorry.

Anyway, filter is only needed for colour correction, but the filter itself has nothing to do with the ASA of the film, which only depends on the type of light source.

[DonFito]

The Vision2 200T cartridge will remove the built-in filter on the 4008 by engaging a small metal lever that's located inside the camera compartment. i.e., use a screw-on 85 filter when shooting 200T outdoors during the day. The film speed is ASA125 when used this way.

[greg_8mm]

So I still dont really get how the filter key on the 4008 works. The manual doesnt say anything about an automatic pin or anything.. So what about the filter key? If its in, the filter is out and if the key is out the filter is in place right?

[Jim Carlile]

I'm not totally sure how the Beaulieus handle daylight films. I believe the 4008, because it is a manually set ASA camera, will not kick down the meter's film speed if a notchless daylight cartridge is installed. In fact, I don't know how it could or how it would.

But, a daylight cartridge like V200T will kick out any use of the internal 85 filter at all, which means you have to either use an external 85, or cut a filter-notch in the cartridge (easy to do) so that the filter pin stays out and the internal filter can be enabled.

I suspect that when the internal 85 is enabled, the 4008 compensates for its use by kicking open the iris the 2/3 stop filter factor.

If so-- and I strongly suspect this happens-- then set the ASA to the same original high number of 200 (160 is OK too-- in fact, it will give a little overexposure which is desirable.)

So, for V200T, just do this:

--Set the ASA to 200 or 160

--Install the cartridge,

--put an external 85 over the lens. When you do this, the correction will be automatically adjusted for by the meter-- no need to change the ASA. In effect, the film will have the equivalent ASA of about 125, if you set it at 200, or 100, if you set it at 160 (both differences are 2/3 stop down.)

If you want to use the internal 85 filter, cut a filter notch in the cartridge so it can be enabled. Then slide the switch to daylight, and the metering wil take care of itself. Keep the ASA at the same. Don't change it.

For B/W films, follow the instructions as above:

--set ASA to either the daylight or tungsten rating. No need for an 85 filter-- in fact the daylight cartridges will disable the internal 85.

BTW-- the 'tungsten' ASA setting for B/W films is really not that necessary-- technically they are less sensitive in artificicial light but it ain't by much so no need to worry about it, IMO.

[Macnessa]

So I still dont really get how the filter key on the 4008 works. The manual doesnt say anything about an automatic pin or anything.. So what about the filter key? If its in, the filter is out and if the key is out the filter is in place right?

Yes, placing the key in the slot disables the 85 filter, according to my 4008 ZM manual and personal experience. I've shot lots of Kodachrome outside, without the key in, with good results. Good luck!

[greg_8mm]

thanks a lot, i'm poppin a vision2 cart into my beaulieu right away..

another thing, i'm noticing that the pistol handle of my zmII is becoming looser and looser. How is the pistol grip attatched to the metal camera body? how can i tighten it again?

[sciolist]

To tighten the grip, you'll have to remove the black vinyl covering the bottom of the grip, peeling it up with an X-Acto knife or something similar. Once the vinyl is removed, four slotted screws are exposed. Remove these screws and the metal baseplate they secure to access the single, large, slotted screw fixing the pistol grip to the camera body.

If you unscrew the grip fully, you can get a glimpse of the spring-loaded button that's retracted into the body when the filter key is inserted and extended when the filter key is removed. This is the only means of engaging and disengaging the 85 filter in the camera.

[sciolist]

This is the only means of engaging and disengaging the 85 filter in the camera.

This should have read: This is the means by which the 85 filter is manually engaged and disengaged.

[Stephenbyron]

Being a new 4008ZMII owner I've found this thread very helpful.

Could someone please chime in and give us the asa and filter info for Kodaks Plus-x and Vision 500T?
THX.

[DonFito]

For Plus-X: No filter needed under any lighting condition. Film speed is: Tungsten (3200K) - ASA 80 | Daylight - ASA 100

Note: When exposing in super 8 cameras through a Filter No. 85, the effective speed is reduced to 64 for daylight. In automatic cameras, due to the cartridge speed and filter notching system, the film will be exposed as follows:

Daylight (no filter) - 100
Daylight (with filter) - 64
Tungsten (without filter) - 80
---

For 500T: Use an 85 for daylight filming.

Tungsten (3200K) - ASA 500 | Daylight - ASA 320
---

I use a Beaulieu 4008 and control the filter manually. For controlling the filter in auto cameras check your manual or ask around a bit more.

[Stephenbyron]

Thanks so much for the speedy reply.
Just curious, how do you compensate for the lack of a 500 film speed setting on the 4008 ZMII, when shooting vision 500T using tungsten?
Do you set the dial @ 250 asa and compensate accordingly when metering?

[DonFito]

I put the camera into "manuel" and use a hand-held lightmeter. The film speed and fps are dialed into the meter and I set the aperture to whatever the meter tells me.

[greg_8mm]

I just came back from a small roadtrip in california and shot 2 carts of vision2 200t.. I removed the filter key so that the 85 filter was in, and rated it at 125ASA..

I wanted to do the external 85 filter thing but I don't have an 'external' 85 filter.. I went to action camera in San Francisco but they didn't either so I went with the approach as stated above..

I hope that will yield good results..

Btw, I'm loving the Beaulieu