Meopta Admira 8IIa question

[BAC]

I just picked up a Meopta Admira 8IIa and I have a few questions. At first it was running a little slow and noisy so I removed the cover under the pressure plate in the film chamber and lubricated the gears the were accessible. It runs at a good 18 fps now but it's still noisy like it could use some more lubrication somewhere. It's not very obvious how to get deeper into the camera to do this and I don't want to do something I can't fix. Is it normal for these cameras to run loud? My experience with other cameras including Bolex and Nizo makes me think something else needs lubrication even though the speed is good. If anyone has experience with Meopta cameras your help will be much appreciated.

Another question, what is the shutter speed at 18 fps? I'll probably just shoot at around 1/45 unless someone can tell me the actual speed or shutter angle. It seems like a nice camera, I can't wait to run some film through it.

[BAC]

Some pictures of the camera and the inside of the film chamber. The closeup in the film chamber is the metal plate behind the pressure plate that I removed to access some of the gears.

[slashmaster]

Can't truly say I know anything about it but it looks like a fascinating one! Have you run and processed a film in it yet? After seeing this I googled it and found one apart. Did you see this yet? https://www.sbazar.cz/AViktor/detail/16 ... -admira-8f

[BAC]

Thanks slashmaster, I did not see that one, very helpful! Not the exact same model but it is a variation of it so the innards are likely very similar. That large gear in the upper right is one that I was able to get some grease on with the plate off. It looks like it will eventually get grease to most of the gears. The noise I'm getting is kind of a rattling squeak. I think it may have something to do with the back wind crank but I could be wrong about that.

I just loaded a roll of Kodak Ektachrome 100D so we'll see how it does. I'll shoot half the roll in this camera then move it over to another one. Other than the noise it seems like a very nice camera. Not Bolex or Nizo quality but still pretty good.

[slashmaster]

You took the gray plate off? Does the gate have a spring that puts side pressure on the film to keep it from weaving side to side? If I were you I think I'd run one side of a Fomapan first, who would give you more ektachrome cheap if it has sloppy registration, a light leak or scratches the film? Do you know that the lenses are good?

[BAC]

The pressure plate is spring loaded and it pops off for easy cleaning of the film path. I have several hundred feet of Ektachrome in the freezer plus I ran some old Kodachrome through it to test. I know I won't see most of the scratches until I put it in the projector but that's a chance I'm willing to take. The camera looks very lightly used. I did inspect and clean the lenses, they appear to be in good shape.

[slashmaster]

The pressure plate is spring loaded and it pops off for easy cleaning of the film path. I have several hundred feet of Ektachrome in the freezer plus I ran some old Kodachrome through it to test. I know I won't see most of the scratches until I put it in the projector but that's a chance I'm willing to take. The camera looks very lightly used. I did inspect and clean the lenses, they appear to be in good shape.

Nice! Would love to see a pic of the gate. Make any more progress getting it apart?.. I think maybe you misunderstood about the side pressure, Maybe I should have used the term "Guide pins", the things that guide the edges of the film in the gate. Are they all just stationary or do 2 of them have springs pushing on the edge of the film? I've got a bolex where the pins were 16.08mm apart and the film might be 15.91mm wide. The film would weave side to side .17mm or so. I was getting annoyed watching films from it so I made it so the pins drag on the edge with very slight pressure..

[BAC]

Ok, I misunderstood what you where talking about. It does have a metal tab that holds the film from the side but I don't know how well. If you look at the third picture I posted with the gate there is a round button in the middle of the pressure plate, the tab is right next to it. I have film in the camera right now and don't plan on taking it completely apart like the one in the picture. Other than the noise it seems to be running good. I mostly watch my films on a projector so if it was wobbling side to side I may blame the projector as well. Do you think the problem you had with the Bolex was from wear or just how it was manufactured? I have never noticed that with my Bolex cameras but now that you mention it I will probably be looking for it.

[slashmaster]

Ok, I misunderstood what you where talking about. It does have a metal tab that holds the film from the side but I don't know how well. If you look at the third picture I posted with the gate there is a round button in the middle of the pressure plate, the tab is right next to it. I have film in the camera right now and don't plan on taking it completely apart like the one in the picture. Other than the noise it seems to be running good. I mostly watch my films on a projector so if it was wobbling side to side I may blame the projector as well. Do you think the problem you had with the Bolex was from wear or just how it was manufactured? I have never noticed that with my Bolex cameras but now that you mention it I will probably be looking for it.

Oh, it was how it was manufactured. My H8 gate was made 16.08mm wide and the tabs only push in that far. I actually started out grinding it down to 16.01 then ran processed and played a roll to make sure there were no real world problems. Still saw side to side weave so just finished grinding to 15.94 and will try a roll when I get one. If you think it's the projector try playing any commercial film from maybe Blackhawk or Castle Films, knock the framer out of alignment and watch the frame line. The registration at the frame line should be excellent. What are you running for a projector?

[BAC]

For Regular 8mm I run a Bolex 18-5, Bolex M8 and a Keystone K109-D. They all seem to have very good registration but now that you brought this up I'll be paying closer attention to it. I do have some commercial 8mm prints, the spooky movies will be coming out for Halloween.

[slashmaster]

For Regular 8mm I run a Bolex 18-5, Bolex M8 and a Keystone K109-D. They all seem to have very good registration but now that you brought this up I'll be paying closer attention to it. I do have some commercial 8mm prints, the spooky movies will be coming out for Halloween.

Nice! That Keystone is so good looking but whats the lens like? Does the inching knob on all these projectors have a spot where it's more difficult to turn because a lifter spring loads up or do they have the same amount of drag the full 360 degrees? I've got a B & H 353. The lens is excellent for 8mm, has a 500 watt bulb and is easy to keep the film path clean. It does have that disapointing double lifter on the same cam system but I just added a spring for it to favor one of the lifters, therefore it gets better registration.

[BAC]

The Bolex 18-5 models give you some good lens choices, the M8 has a nice Kern lens. The Keystone lens is good but not quite Bolex quality. I don't have the projectors in front of me right now but I don't remember there being any tension in the inching knobs like you describe.

[Angus]

I used to have one of those Meopta Admira 8IIa cameras.....it performed admirably!

But it was noisy, noisier than my Quarz std 8mm cameras for example.

[BAC]

I used to have one of those Meopta Admira 8IIa cameras.....it performed admirably!

But it was noisy, noisier than my Quarz std 8mm cameras for example.

Thanks for the reply Angus, maybe that's just normal for it to be noisy.

[slashmaster]

Nice!.. Do you also have a Bolex projector for super 8? I can use the same lens from my 8mm Bell and howell on my super 8 bell and howell but it's not so sharp in the corners on the super 8 unless the screen is very curved. How many frames below the aperture is the claw on these meopta cameras?