Movie Cameras

8mm Movie Camera

Zoom DS-8

Zoom DS-8

Zoom DS-8

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  • Outline
  • Specifications
Marketed March 1970
Original Price 200,000 yen

The Super 8 magazine developed by Eastman Kodak was a revolution in 8mm movie cameras because of its easy film loading. However, it could not satisfy requirements from professional photographers, who demanded Kodachrome film for conventional regular 8. Kodak introduced double-width 100-ft. (200-ft. for back and forth) Super 8 film on a reel for professional use under the name DS-8.

The Zoom DS-8, developed to adapt to this new film, used the outer design of the 16mm Canon Scoopic camera for journalistic use, which had an ideal human-engineering design. This model had the shape of the Scoopic, but the contents were totally new. Film transportation with sprockets, variable shutter opening angle, Servo EE were applied to this model, achieving a serious 8mm movie camera with full specifications and high durability for use in the media, academic and industrial fields.

The zoom lens was based on that of the Auto Zoom 814 Super 8 marketed in 1967.

Type Double Super 8 type 8mm movie camera
Image Size 4.2 x 5.7 mm (Projection image size: 4 x 5.4mm)
Film Double width 100 ft. (30.5 m) Super 8 film
Lens Focal Length/Speed 7.5 – 60mm f/1.4 (18 elements in 13 groups, including 6 new type glass elements). Inner diameter: 58 mm, outer diameter: 65 mm. Mixed coating of amber, magenta and purple including multi-layer coating. Built-in lens hood.
Zooming Ratio 8x
Focusing Manual (Front lens group rotating method), 1.2 m to infinity
Zooming Manual zooming with zooming lever with rotation angle of 100 degrees.
Filter Size 58 mm
Viewfinder Type Single-lens reflex type, eyepiece shutter to prevent reverse incoming stray light. Two viewfinder eyecups.
Rangefinder Split-image rangefinder
Dioptric Adjustment -5 to +4 diopter
Viewfinder Information Aperture value, exposure meter needle, over/under exposure warnings, manual aperture mark
Exposure Control Type EE mechanism of fully automatic aperture control with servo motor control (iris aperture)
Exposure Meter Non-TTL outside CdS exposure meter. Light measuring angle: Vertical; 12 degrees, horizontal; 21 degrees
Metering Range Entire range of ISO 320 f/1.4, 12 fps – ISO 10 f/22, 54 fps
Film Speed ISO 10 – 320 (DIN 11 – 26) in 1/3 stop increments
Exposure Factor Compensation Four steps of 1, 2, 4 and 8x
CCA Filter None
Manual Aperture Setting Manual aperture setting is possible with master switch setting and manual ring rotation. “M” mark is indicated in the viewfinder.
Film Drive Type Power Filming
Film Loading Semi-automatic loading by power in which the film is inserted into the guide.
Filming Speed 12, 18, 24, 36, 54 fps and single frame
Power Source Eight AA alkaline or manganese batteries (contained in the battery magazine). Used for both exposure control and film drive. Sufficient power for approx. 10 film cartridges under normal temperature at 18 fps.
External battery box: Alkaline, manganese or nickel cadmium batteries adaptable.
Footage Counter Footage counter and zero position adjustable frame counter. Rotates in forward and reverse directions according to film transportation direction.
The frame counter indicates 72 frames (one foot) with every one rotation. Able to count up to the single frame. Automatic reset by opening of the side cover.
Battery Check Push button checking
Rewinding Mechanism Power rewinding. Depress the shutter button while setting the variable shutter control lever at “R”. Overlap shooting possible with rewinding operation.
Shutter Shutter Opening Consecutively variable for 0 – 165 degrees. The variable shutter control lever positions of CLOSE, 4, 2 and OPEN set shutter opening of 0, 41.25, 82.5, 165 degrees respectively. Fading out is possible moving the lever towards CLOSE position.
Running Lock Possible with the lock ring
Sockets Three sockets for single frame, remote control and tape recorder
Remote Control Possible with remote switch
Others Built-in grip, two tripod sockets, built-in film cutter
Dimensions (W x H x D) 103 x 227 x 268 mm
Weight 3,225 g (Body only), 3370 g (With batteries)