Braun Super 8 User manual

-- -- -- -~- -
Braun
SuperB Instructions
for Use
Nizo801
Nizo561
Nizo481
BRRun

Contents Filming with the Nizo 801,
561 and
481
Getting to know your Nizo camera Focal length adjustment 13 We congratulate you on
your choice of the
(brief instructions) 4 Description
of Vario zoom lens 13 Nizo camera, a
product of the pioneer
Varying the focal length 13 German film camera company. From
now
Drive system 7 Manual focal length
control
on, your films will be taken with a Super-8
Drive batteries and battery safety box 7 (on Nizo 801) 14 camera built to the highest international
Electric master switch 7 standards.
The Ni zo 801, 561 and 481
Checking battery voltage 7 Running speeds (image frequency) 14 models differ mainly in the use of zoom
Operating the camera from
an
Slow motion (filming speed switch 1)
14 lenses of differing focal lengths. This
outside
power source or from an Speeded-up action (filming speed manual therefore provides the basic
oper-
storage battery using the Nizo Power Set 8 switch 2)
15
ating instructions for all three Nizo camera
Holding the camera and operating Animation techniques 16 models.
the shutter 8 Flash
illumination for elapsed
Filming with a tripod, using a cable time filrhing 16 If you fold back the
double pages on the
release 8 left and on the right at the end of this
Electric remote
shutter release 9 The variable shutter 17 manual, you will see the controls illustra-
General description of variable shutter 17 ted and numbered. The same
numbers are
The film cassette
10
Fade-ins and fade-outs 17 used below to explain the various
oper-
Film types which may be used
10
Automatic dissolves 18
ating functions briefly, so that you can
Inserting the cassette, checking The Nizo automatic exposure rapidly become familiar with
your camera.
camera I·oading
10
reduction system 19
We have confined ourselves to essential
The built-in
filter
10
Extended exposure times 19
instructions . If you initially set all controls
Automatic extended exposure system
20 to the red dots provided, and do not con-
Exposure control
11
cern yourself with animated filming or
Meter battery
11
Synchronized filming and sound
other special features of your Nizo camera,
Checking voltage of
meter battery
11
recording
21
you will be able to shoot your first film
Automatic exposure
control
11
without giving too much thought to the
Manual operation of lens iris
12
Ultra close-up filming
22
«mechanics» of camera operation, and can
devote
your entire attention to composing
Range finding and focusing
12 Filters
23
the scenes of your film and practising ca-
Adjusting the eyepiece
(diopter
The carrying case
23 mera movements.
compensation)
12
The split-image range finder
12 Minor defects and remedies 24
Making best use of available depth
of focus
13
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Getting to knowyour Nizo camera
1. Cassette compartment
A flap secured by a catch will be found on
the rear end of the camera. Press the catch
down, open the flap and slide the cassette
into the compartment.
The first time: do
not use force if the flap
will not shut. Remove the cassette and turn
it round. The maker 's label should be
visible through the
inspection window .
2. Inspection window
This enables you to check at any time if
your camera is loaded and if so, with what
type of film.
3. Film counter
The counter returns automatically to 0
when you open the cassette compartment
flap.
4. Filter switch
Sup er -8 film stock is designed to match the
color temperature of artificial light. Your
camera has a built-in filter to adapt it for
day light filming.
When filming in da ylight , turn the filter
selector to th e sun symbol, even if using
bl ack a nd white film. If you are filming in
a
rtifici al light, turn the red triangl e on the
switch to face the la
mp symbol.
Warning: when the
artificial light filter is
out of action, a second signal will apear
next to the film feed scale above the
vi ew-
find
er im age.
The
center of the filter switch contains a
spring,loaded button marked «+1 ». If you
keep this button pressed in, the automatic
exposure
control will open up the aperture
by one
additional stop number.
5. Lens iris control
Exposure control is achieved by varying the
iris aperture,
either automatically or by
hand (the iris setting
is shown on a scale
under the image in the viewfinder). In the
center: the
meter battery voltage testing
button
(2 x 1.35 volt cells in the camera
base). Set the master
electric switch 7 to
the red dot. Press the test button. The
aperture
indicator needle should move
across to the figure 8 on the aperture scale
under the viewfinder . The 8 is colored red
for easy identification.
The first
time: leave the aperture control
set to the red dot (= a utomatic exposure
control) .
6. Hand grip lock
The hand grip can be swung back out of
the way. The grip contains a safety box for
the 6 x 1.5 volt AA penlight cells which drive .
the camera
motor .
The first
time: If the camera does not start,
the batteries may ha
ve been inserted
wrongly into the box. Please
insert the
batte
ri es as shown by the symbols on the
box.
7. Electric master switch
0 = all power circuits switched off. This
setting preserves the batteries. Red dot =
all pow er circuits switched on. Black dot =
setting for checking voltage of drive batter -
ies. The switch is spring loaded in this
position. When press
eo in firmly, the aper-
ture
indicator ne ~ dl e on the scale under
the viewfinder should move as far as possi-
ble to the left of the test mark 8. If the poin-
ter remains to the right of the 8, new bat-
teries are required.
The
first time: If the camera does not start,
make sure that the master switch is set to
the
red dot position .
8. Outside power source connection
An storage battery is available as an acces -
sory (in
the Nizo Power Set), and enables
the camera to be driven with a greater re-
serve of energy
or alternatively direct from
the mains
power supply.
9. Shutter release
Can be comfortably operated with the in-
dex finger of the left or right hand. The
drive mechanism is started electromagneti-
cally.
Th e first time: Do not jerk the shutter re-
lease when operating. Do not film in short
bur sts (a good rule of thumb is to allow
each shot to run for 5-6 seconds).
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10. Connection for cable release
This connection is used if you wish to start
the camera motor with a cable release, for
instance if one is built into the control arm
of
your tripod. It can also be used for ani-
mation in
conjunction with the manual
single frame setting of the ca'mera.
11. Connection for electric remote release
The Nizo remote release (available as an
accessory) can be connected here, and the
camera
motor started by a built-in solenoid.
12. Continuous run switch
This switch is needed to operate the auto-
matic single frame filming device. Disen-
gage the switch from its catch, and swing
over ful'ly to the right. The camera will run
until the switch is moved back.
The
first time: Do not forget to set filming
speed switch 2 to the automatic single
frame (time lapse) position before operat -
ing the continuous run switch, or else
valuable film stock may be run through the
camera accidentally. •
13. Adjustable viewfinder eyepiece
This adapts the optical system of your
camera to suit your own eyesight, as on
binoculars.
Turn the
control until the line in the center
of the split image rangefinder in the view-
finder appears sharp. This initial setting is
important for correct through-the-Iens
rangefinding.
14. Lens focusing ring
To measure distance and focus the camera,
turn this ring until the vertical outlines of
the
object being filmed pass smoothly
(without a step) from one
half of the split
, image range finder in the viewfinder to the
other, Always set the zoom lens to the
maximum possible focal length
48, 56 or
80 mm, depending on camera type) before
using the rangefinder.
If you set the lens focusing and focal length
rings to the
red figures (colored for ease
of identification), you will be able to dis-
regard the focusing
problem for most nor -
mal shots. Ample depth
of focus will be
provided for action shots which would
otherwise call for a rapid reaction on your
part while filming.
15. Automatic power zoom
The lens can be zoomed with the built-in
motor by pressing a button while filming,
or alternatively set to the desired focal
length by hand before filming starts. A
word of warning: if you are filming at more
than about
25 mm focal length (tele lens),
you should rest
or lean your hand against
a solid
object or surface, or stand the ca-
mera on its handgrip. For absolutely steady
tele shots, a
tripod is the best solution.
The first time:
Zoom shots should be in-
corporated only sparingly into your film,
and are best avoided until you have time to
experiment.
16. The Nizo 801 model only is provided
with manual override for the power zoom
mechanism
On the Nizo 801 you can disconnect the
power zoom mechanism by turning the
black ring on the lens from the red
dot back
to
O. The long zoom lens lever supplied
with the camera can then be screwed onto
the focal length
control ring, and the focal
length varied as desired by hand while
actually filming.
17. Filming speed switch 1
(for slow-motion effects)
This switch enables you to vary the stand-
ard filming speed of
18 frames per second,
and to film instead at a semi-slow motion
speed
of 24 frames per second, or at 1/3 of
the normal speed, using
54 frames per
second. By pressing the
54 button transi-
tion from
18 or 24 frames per'second to 54
frames per second and back,
for special
slow motion effects.
The
first time: The 54 frames per second
running speed reduces exposure time. The
iris therefore opens
and the depth of focus
is reduced. For this reason you must
try
to focus as accurately as possible.
18. Filming speed switch 2(speeded-up action)
This switch operates the automatic single
frame mechanism, which provides a
conti-
nuously variable time-lapse filming facility
between 6 frames per second and approx.
1 frame per minute.

Set the red triangle on the switch to the
first black square on the semi-circular
scale. Operate the
continuous running
switch
12, followed by the master switch 7.
Adjust the setting until the desired filming
rate is obtained.
The black square between the end of the
scale and the red
dot is the setting for
manual single frame filming, with the shut-
ter operated by a cable release or the elec-
tric remote release unit.
In the «autom.'8» position, the filming
speed (image frequency) is
contro lled
automatically in
accordance with the
amount of light available (automatic ex-
tended exposure system).
The first time: For
normal filming, leave
the sw
it ch set to the red dot .
19. Variable shutler
If you pull back this spring loaded-lever as
far
as the stop while filming, you will
gradually fade out the picture. If, on the
other hand, you start to film with the lever
moved fully to the rear, and a
llow it to slide
forwards slowly
while the camera is run-
ning, the scene you are
filming will be
faded in gradually.
The first time: Do
not move the fade lever
too rapidly.
Reduced exposure (partially closed shut-
ter): move the lever to the '/2 position, then
pull down. The lever will engage in this
position.
Increased exposure position: move the
lever fully back and press the lock button.
Move the lever across into the shaded zone
and release the lock button. Note that the
film
im age will not be exposed until the
automatic
single frame mechanism advan-
ces the film to the next frame. This in-
creased exposure device operates only in
conjunction with the time lapse filming
speeds made possible by the automatic
single frame mechanism (filming speed
switch 2).
The first time:
After filming with the in-
creased
or reduced exposure time mecha-
nisms, do
not forget to release the variab-
le shutter lever
and move it back to the
normal setting .
20. Automatic dissolves
As you near the end of a shot, press the R
button on the camera. The automatic dis-
so lve mechanism will fade out the scene
you are filming, wind the film back by the
amount used
for the fade and halt the drive
motor.
When you are ready to start the shot form-
ing the second half of the scene containing
the dissolve, press the R button on the
camera
and the shutter release. The cam-
era will start to run and the shutter will
automatically open.
You can check the various phases of the
dissolve in the
window : 0 = ready for
phase 1 of the dissolve (fade-
out and re -
wind); R = ready for phase 2 of the dis-
solve (fade-in).
The
first time: Do not forget that a dissolve
is
intended to provide a smooth transition
between two scenes of your film,
and time
the shots
accordingly . .
21. Connection fo felectronic flash
You can connect a flash gun of adequate
performance to this socket, and use it to
illuminate
ultra s low time lapse shots.
22. On Nizo 801 and 561 only: pilot tone
cable connector
The Nizo 801 and 561 models incorporate
an oscillator, which can be used to trans-
mit a 1000 Hz contro l impulse for each
single or every fourth frame of film, depend-
ing on the sound system and tape recorder
cable in use.
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Drive system
Drive batteries and battery safety box
The camera motor and the power zoom
mechanism are
electric ally powered by six
1.5 volt AA penlight cell batteries. This type
of battery is obtainable everywhere
for use
in
transistor radios. We recommend the
use
of manganese-alkaline cells (for ex-
ample, Mallory MN 1500, Everready E 94,
Ucar E 94). The batteries are housed in a
safety box in the camera handgrip.
To obtain access to the patteries, press the
button beneath the shutter release and
swing down the hal'ldgrip. Pull back the
knurled catch on the upper section of the
handgrip. The battery box
will be partly
ejected. Loosen the knurled
screws on the
under side of the box until the cover can
be removed. Insert the six 1.5 volt cells as
indicated by the symbols. Repl'ace the
cover and tighten the knurled screws. The
studs on the box lid are of
differing lengths
so that the cover can only be replaced in
one position. Insert
the battery box into
the handgrip and
press down
gently until
the knurled catch snaps
into position over
the projection on the
box. If the batteries
have been inserted
incorrectly,the cainera
will not be damaged
but the drive
motor
will not run.
The safety battery
box protects the con-
tacts in the camera against damage caused
by electrolyte leaking from
old batteries.
It is a good idea to obtain a sp'are battery
box (available as an accessory), especially
when filming in extremely cold conditions .
If the batteries in the camera are exhausted
or too cold to drive the motor at full power,
the complete battery box can be replaced
by the spare unit, which should be kept in
your pocket so
that the batteries remain
warm.
Master electric switch
When the master switch is set to 0, the
circuits powered by the drive and meter
batteries are
disconnected . When set to
the running position (red dot), the batteries
supply a very small continuous current and
will therefore slowly become exhausted
Vo lt age
ch ec k
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ff Ope ra tin g
pos iti on
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even if the camera motor is not run. For
this reason, the master switch should al-
ways be turned to °whenever the camera
is
not operated a prolonged period. This
will also prevent the camera from running
if the shutter re·lease
is accidentally oper-
ated. Note, too, that if the handgrip is
swung back
but the master switch not set
to
0, the meter battery will continue to
operate at full
power .
The black
dot indicates the switch setting
for checking the condition of the drive
batteries.
Checking voltage of drive batteries
When moved to the black dot setting, the
master
electric switch is spring loaded so
that it
cannot accidentally be left in this
position. To check battery voltage, push
the master
electric switch along as far as
the black
dot and hold it temporarily in this
position. Examine the aperture scale at the
bottom of the image in the viewfinder; the

pOinter should have moved as far as pos-
sible to the left
(16, 22) and away from the
red-colored
8, which acts as a test mark.
If the pointer remains opposite the 8 or
even to the right of it, all six battery cells
should be removed from the battery box
as
soon as possible.
Connection to an outside power source
or storage battery using the Nizo Power Set
If a great deal of material is to be filmed,
the camera used on a long
journey or the
automatic single frame mechanism oper-
ated
for many days on end to produce
lengthly time-lapse shots, we recommend
the provision of
an outside power supply
using the Nizo Power Set (available as
an
accessory). The Nizo Power Set can be
obtained with
either the Barix storage
battery
or a dry type (NC) storage battery.
The carrying case
contains the recharge-
able storage battery with charging and
mains lead and maintenance equipment,
a special lead to
join the camera to the
storage battery and a special locking plate
to attach the
tripod direct to the camera
base. The storage battery is capable of
running up to 30 Super-8 cassettes through
the camera before recharging is necessary.
By means of the charging/mains lead, the
storage battery can be used in a «buffer.,
circuit to power the camera from the mains
supply, if a
prolonged time-lapse filming
session is being carried out. The storage
battery lead
connection is on the camera
base, next to ·the
variable shutter lever.
Further
details are given in the operating
instructions
for the Power Set
Holding the camera, operating the
shutter release
All Nizo cameras can be operated with
either the right
or the left hand. Past the
hand through the carrying
loop before
taking hold of the grip. The shutter release
can easily be reached and operated with
the index finger.
The large eyepiece
rubber cup supplied with
the camera will normally position the eye
at the
correct distance from the eyepiece
lens. It also helps to prevent extraneous
light from affecting the
quality of the view-
finder image. However, no
light can in any
circumstances reach the film after pene-
trating the viewfinder.
If you normally wear
glasses, you may
prefer to use the padded
eyepiece rubber cup, which provides aflatter
support when using the viewfinder. Either
the cushion rubber cup
or the standard eye-
piece rubber cup can be removed and in-
stalled
without difficulty if pushed over the
projecting rim on the eyepiece.
The hand not holding the camera is used
to operate
the focusing ring or the power
zoom. When actual1y filming, the free hand
can also be used to press the camera
gent-
ly but firmly down into the other hand.
Warning: While filming, do not accidentally
press the voltage check button in the lens
iris control switch, or else incorrect expo-
sures may result.
Using a tripod and cable release
Filming with the camera mounted on the
tripod always g·ives good results, since the
picture on the projection screen is after -
wards much steadier.
In addition, a tripod
greatly simplifies camera pans, zooming in
and out, manually controlled stop-motion
shots using the single frame mechanism
and general filming at focal lengths above
40 mm.
A threaded
hole is provided in the base of
the handgrip for the tripod screw. In other
words, the camera is attached to the tripod
head with the handgrip swung down into
the normal filming pOSition. If the camera
drive is to be operated by a cable release
attached to the tripod arm, the release
should be screwed into the first socket 8

9
from the right on the camera base. If you
wish to film single frames
without using
the automatic single frame mechanism,
you can shoot each frame by operating the
cable release once. In this case, the red
triangle mark on filming speed switch 2
must be turned to coincide with the
first
black square next to the red dot.
• •
timer
If the camera base is to rest directly on the
tripod head, the handgrip containing the
batteries must be swung away.
In this case,
the outside
power supply will be needed
(see section «Nizo Power Set»).
Electric remote release
Instead of a wire cable release, the camera
drive mechanism can also be operated by
means of a Nizo remote release cable
(available as
an accessory). This actuates
Co
nne c tion for
pytp n."nn le ad
!;;::::::~ RE ~ l e , " s e button
an electromagnet installed inside the ca-
mera body, and can also be used
for manu-
ally controlled
single frame filming. The
master switch must first be moved to the
red
dot position. The electric remote re-
lease comprises a 10 m (33 It) reel of
cable, only 1.2 mm (0.05 in) thick, a push
button release and a
connection for attach-
ing another 10 m (33 It) of extension cable.
If necessary, several reels of cable can be
connected
together so that the camera can
be operated from a maximum distance of
100 m (330 It) away.
The
electric remote release permits filming
with a concealed camera,
or shots in which
the cameraman himself appears
on the
screen. The camera should be set up ri-
gidly -preferably on a tripod -in front of
the scene to be filmed, the scene should
be
correctly framed by operating the zoom
lens, and the exposure control set to
«automatic». The electric remote release
plug should be inserted in the second
socket to the
lelt of the carrying loop. The
connection for further reels of extension
cable is located on the remote release reel
next to the push button release.
Conn ec tion for electric remot e release

The film cassette
Suitable films for your camera
The Nizo 801, 561 and 481 models are
designed to accept Super-8 film cassettes.
When the camera is loaded, the automatic
exposure control
is set to the film speed of
the film stock inside the cassette. The fol-
lowing film speed ranges are available:
Artificial light color film from 13 to 23 DIN
(= 16 to 160 ASA)
Daylight color ~ilm from 11 to 21 DIN
(= 10 to 100 ASA)
Black-and-white film from
11 to 21 DIN
(= 10 to 100 ASA)
Inserting cassettes, checking camera
loading
Open the flap on the rear end of the ca-
mera and insert the cassette
into the com-
partment with the film aperture at the front.
The
circular recess on the cassette should
be on the control knob side of the camera.
If the cassette is inserted the wrong way
round, the flap will
not close . In this case,
do not use force, but remove the cassette
and insert it the
other way round as de-
scribed.
The cassette itself
automatically adjusts
the exposure
control to suit the type of film
stock being used. The film counter returns
to the start position when the cassette
compartment flap
is openeed. The counter
also runs when there is no cassette in the
camera. The
outer scale indicates the
length of film still available in meters, the
inner scale in feet. The smooth side of the
camera (opposite to the side incorporating
the controls)
includes a window which
enables you to check whether the camera
is loaded and
what film stock is being used.
If film is passing out of the cassette,
through the camera and being returned to
the cassette correctly, a red illuminated
signal
will appear at intervals above the
viewfinder image. As the length of available
film is reduce'd, the intervals between the
light signals will become longer. When the
end of the film is reached, the
indicator
lamp above the viewfinder image will re -
main on continously. You can check
that
the film has been run completely through
the camera by
looking for the word «Ex-
posed .. in the film aperture of the cassette
after removal.
The built-in filter
Super -8 color films are manufactured to
suit the
lower color temperature of artificial
light. A built-in conversion
filter (red) ad -
justs the
color temperature to suit daylight
filming when the red
triangle on the film
switch is turned to face the sun symbol.
When filming in artificial light, the red mark
should be placed opposite the lamp sym-
bol.
The special setting is indicated by a red
lamp symbol on the right, above the view-
finder image, when the camera is running.
Note this
symbol if you film in daylight, to
prevent a heavy blue tinge on your films
when developed.
For all black-and-white film and
daylight
color films, the filter switch mark should
always be
left against the sun symbol.
10

11
Exposure control
By pressing the button marked" + 1» in the
center of the filter switch, you can film with
the automatic exposure
control still in
operation, but with the lens
aperture 1 stop
wider open than normal. This corrected
setting remains in effect only when the
spring-loaded button is pressed.
The button should be used when the more
important elements in the scene you are
filming are in shadow, and other areas
brightly lit. This will usually occur when
filming against the sun. The 'plus-one' ex-
posure
correction device is also useful
when attempting to film particularly dark
subjects in overcast conditions.
Meter battery
The CdS automatic exposure control is
powered by two 1.35
volt Mallory PX 625
cells . The battery
compartment is in the
camera base and can
be reached by swing-
ing back the handgrip.
The compartment
catch can be opened
by using a coin in the
screw slot. The plus
(+) symbol on the
first battery to be in
serted should face to-
wards the base of the
battery compartment,
the + symbol on the second cell should be
touching the end of the first battery; if the
cells are incorrectly inserted, the automatic
lens iris mechanism will not operate. Sym-
bols are provided in the battery compart-
ment to show how the batteries should be
inserted correctly.
Checking voltage of meter batteries
First set the master electric switch to the
red dot, then press the button in the
center
of the exposure control knob. The pOinter
a utom.
ma nu al
Checking
meter battery
on the scale below the
viewfinder image
should move across as far as the figure 8
(colored red for ease of identification). If
the pointer remains more than its own width
to the right of the
8, two new meter battery
cells should be inserted. If the pointer
comes to rest to the left of the figure 8, un-
suitable (e.g. 1.5 volt) cells must have been
inserted. In each case,
incorrect film expo-
sures will result.
Automatic exposure control
The CdS automatic exposure system of the
Ni zo camera measures light passing
through the lens. The meter readings can
be seen on the scale beneath the view-
finder image. Note that the automatic ex-
posure
control system only operates accu-
rately when the camera is loaded with a
film cassette. Furthermore, it is impossible
to compare the reading shown on the built-
in scale with those obtained using a sepa-
rate exposure meter (even a good quality
unit from the same manufacturer, Gossen).
This
is because the Nizo exposure meter
takes into
account the varying focal lengths
of the zoom lens, the light absorbed by the
numerous elements in the zoom lens and
the camera
viewfinder prism. In other
words, the built-in exposure
control system
has been
accurately matcheQ to record the
light actually falling on the film in the Nizo·
camera.
If the pointer is opposite the left or right
warning marks at
either end of the scale,
the filmed results may still be satisfactory,
but
correct exposure cannot be guaranteed.
If the light is too strong, remember that
your camera has a reduced exposure time
facility; if very little light is available, the
corresponding extended exposure device
can be used (both
of these systems are
described in
the section covering use of
the variable shutter). Alternatively, more
sensitive stock such as Ektachrome 160

may be used or the scene illuminated with
halogen floodlights.
Manual control of lens aperture
The automatic system can be switched off
and any desired aperture setting selected
by hand. The exposure control knob must
first be turned from «automatic» to «manu-
al». The pointer on the exposure scale in
the
viewfinder will now respond to rotary
movement of
t~e control knob.
In this way the exposure values calculated
by the automatic system can be corrected,
for example if the most important part of
the scene
is considerably lighter or darker
than the surroundings. The light emitted by
the
object to be filmed should then be
measured with the automatic exposure sy-
stem by bringing the camera much closer,
or else by zooming in on the object before
taking a reading, so that the
surroundings
are eliminated. The iris setting recorded by
the exposure meter in the
viewfinder should
then be selected by hand.
Example: The automatic exposure system
indicates figure
16 when filming a subject
in the middle of an area covered with snow
and in
bright sunlight. If the scene is actu-
ally filmed at this exposure setting, the sub-
ject will be far too dark, as the camera will
expose the surrounding snow area correct-
ly. In other words, the exposure requires
correction for best resuIts.
Another example: When filming subjects
against the lig'ht, they will normally appear
as silhouettes; if you wish to bring out the
full details of your subject on the screen,
turn round before starting to film and mea-
sure exposure 'with the light'. Select this
exposure value manually and then film
your scene against the light.
Always remember to return the exposure
control knob from «manual» to «automatic»
after you have completed a specially ex-
posed shot
0; this kind.
In most cases requiring additional expo-
sure, the «plus 1
II control (described in the
previous section)
will normally enable the
desired results to be obtained.
Rangefinding and focusing
Viewfinder eyepiece adjustment
(diopter compensation)
Before the through-the-Iens rangefinding
system can be used, the viewfinder must be
adjusted to
suit the cameraman's eyesight
(as with binoculars). The eyepiece of the
Nizo camera is provided with a knurled
ring. Turn this ring'until the horizontal divi-
sion across the center to the rangefinder
appears
perfectly sharp. This wHI be easier
if the camera is kept pointed at a plain
background (walls, sky). The adjustment
can be carried out at any focal length or
focus setting.
The split image rangefinder
The split image rangefinder operates with
two measuring prisms which appear in the
center of the viewfinder as a circle divided
by a horizontal line.
If the vertical outlines
of the subject being filmed are displaced
to one side as they cross the horizontal
line of the rangefinder, the focusing ring on
12

13
the lens should be turned until the vertical
outlines appear uninterrupted.
Before using the rangefinder, always select
the longe st available focal length (80, 56
or 48 mm, depending on the zoom lens
fitted to your Ni zo camera).
Accurate rangefinding and focusing is of
particular importance when filming at long
focal lengths (from about
30 mm upwards),
filming closeups at less than 3 m (10 ft)
distance, using add-on adapter lenses
or
shooting in bad light (with the lens iris
wide open).
Making best use of available depth
of focus
The Super-8 film format has been designed
to provide ample depth of focus. This can
be seen from the depth of focus chart sup-
plied with camera. At its widest angle
(7 or
8 mm), and up to average focal lengths of
about 15 mm, the depth of focus of the
zoom lens makes absolutely accurate fo-
cusing unnecessary
for average shots
(even when filming at
wide apertures). The
4 m mark in the lens focusing ring and the
15 mm mark on the zoom lens focal length
scale are
colored red. If you fi .lm at these
settings, your pictures
will be sharp from a
distance of 1.
74 m (5 .7 ft) to infinity, even
if
poor l ight conditions cause the automa-
tic exposure system to open up to aperture
setting
4. This generous depth of focus will
prove of great value when you have no time
left to take
an accurate reading on the
rangefinder.
At shorter focal lengths the
depth of focus is
incr eased, whereas longer
focal lengths have very
little depth of focus.
This is the reason why
your shots may not
remain sharp if you zoom from wide angle
to telephoto end of the focal length scale.
Selecting focal length
General description of zoom lens
The zoom lens (actually a «variable focal
length lens») enables you to film entire
sequences
incorpor ating general wide-
angle shots, semi-closeups and extreme
closeups if required,
without changing the
position of the camera. The zoom lens uses
special individual lens c
lu sters to provide
a variety of focal lengths and filming
angles.
On the Nizo S 800 zoom lens, the
acceptance angle of the lens varies be-
tween
42 ° and 3°50'. The longer the focal
length at which you are filming, the more
important it becomes to hold the camera
absolutely steady.
At focal lengths above
approximately
40 mm, you must support the
camera
or your hand absolutely firmly if
you are not using a tripod.
In addition, the
automatic
power zoom enables you to imi-
tate tracking shots,
for which the camera is
normally mounted on a mobile dolly.
Varying the focal length
You can sel ect the desired focal length be-
fore
start ing to film by moving the small
handle of the focal length scale. This ena-
bles you to
start your shot at the desired
focal length
without wasting film.
The
control buttons for the automatic
power zoom are locat ed on the housing of
the Nizo camera. The black knob nearer the
lens reduces the focal length (wide angle),
the green
knob on the eyepiece side in-
creases the focal length (telephoto).

There are two power zooming speeds. If
either of the power zoom control knobs is
pressed only lightly, the focal length
will
change slower than if the knob is pressed
more firmly. Tracking and zooming appears
still smoother on the screen if you film
these shots as 24 frames per second.
Manual zoom control (on Nizo 801)
A special feature of this Nizo model is the
ability to switch,off the automatic power
zoom and vary the focal leng·th with a lever
(supplied with the camera). Hand zooming
enables you to determine the speed of
apparent movement accurately, and also
permits very rapid zooms during a shot by
moving the lever round
as fast as possible.
The lever should be screwed to the mount-
ing on the focal length scale. The power
zoom mechanism is switched off (and the
lever becomes easier to move) when the
mark on the black knurled ring between the
focal length scale and the camera body is
turned fully
clockwise until opposite the 0
mark on the body.
Camera running speeds
Slow motion facilities (filming speed
switch 1)
The normal running speed of the camera
is 18 frames
per second, each frame being
exposed
for '/ 43rd of a second. Any filming
speed above 18 frames per second setting,
will result in a slow motion effect, and all
filming speeds below 18 frames per second
wil'l produce a speeded-up effect if projec-
ted at the normal setting.
With the aid
of filming speed switch 1, you
can change from the standard running
speed of
18 frames per second to the slow
motion speeds of 24 or 54 frames per se-
cond . If film shot at 24 frames per second
is
projected at normal speed, all move-
ments will appear '
/J rd slower. This is not
the same as genuine slow motion, but is
useful if the camera is moved over a long
distance, for example during a long pan or
when filming from a car being driven along
a rough road.
54 frames per second is a genuine slow
motion speed. When projected at 18 frames
per second, scenes
win be prolonged to
three times
their original length. Fast move-
ments filmed in this way can be studied at
leisure during projection. Since one se-
cond's filming time yields three seconds
on the screen, filming at the slow motion
speed is sometimes a way to gain a better
impression of sudden
or very brief events.
The automatic slow motion device on
your 14

15
Nizo camera means that you can select the
slow motion filming speed without the
slightest delay when you need it. The black
button in the center of filming speed switch
1 enables you to pass smoothly from 18 or
24 frames per second to 54 frames per se-
cond and back.
At 54 frames per second, the individual,
frames are'exposed for only l/129th of a
second. To compensate for this, the iris
opens by approximately 1.5 numbers. Un-
der difficult exposure conditions this could
mean that inadequate depth of focus is
available. If you have sufficient time avail-
able,
it is therefore best to take a quick
rangefinding reading at the maximum focal
length you intend to use.
Speeded-up filming (filming speed switch 2)
With the aid of filming speed switch 2 (an
automatic single frame filming device)
your
Nizo camera provides facilities for time
Automatic si ngle- Sing le frames u si ng ca bl e
fr ame ex p os u re wi th or re mote re l ease
au to m at ic ex ten de d /
exposu
re co ntr ol • . -- S ta nd ar d sp ee d
\
au to m.B ®
t im er
a ppr ox .1f ra me
per mi
nut e
a
ppro x.
6 fram es
pe r seco nd
lapse filming at any speed between 6 fra-
mes per second and 1 frame per minute
(minimum). Note however
that tolerances
in manufacture may vary between indivi-
dual cameras, and result in a slight further
increase in the interval between exposures.
For this reason the scale
for filming speed
switch 2 cannot be
accurately 'calibrated in
frames per minute. For
practical time-lapse
filming, it is so easy to establish the inter-
val between one or two frames that the
extra cost of
an absolutely accurate timing
device has not been passed onto you.
The fully-automatic Nizo time-lapse filming
system not only takes care of the actual
film
transport but also controls exposure
accurately. For this purpose,
filming speed
switch 1 must
be set to 18. After this, the
Nizo camera can be left to operate entirely
unattended, provided that ample electric
power and film stock is available.
When the mark on speed switch 2 is oppo-
site the first black rectangle on the semi-
circular scale (not the separate black rec-
tangle, which identifies the position for
manual single frame filming using the cabl'e
release,
nor the «autom. 8» position, which
is for automatic extended exposure con-
trol). running speed will be six frames per
second and the action on the screen will
appear to take place at three times its nor -
mal speed. The Nizo camera will beg'in to
operate in this case as soon
as the contin-
uous run release on the base next to the
carrying
loop attachment is lifted away
from its catch and swung fully to the right.
The normal
shutter release on the hand-
grip need not be pressed.
• •
;--". ~ 0· III
. 'I ,
• . I
' . . .... ';C~" f. ' .
)1
., .. ' ... \' .. \\ ' ,
. ,.
As you turn filming speed switch 2 further
to the right, the interval between frames in-
creases.
Two frames per second, for exam-
ple, represent action speeded up nine
times in relation to the original scene, If the
Nizo is used to film
only one frame per

minute, the complete action taking place
during one hour will be shown on the
screen in 3.3 seconds
if the projector is
running at
18 frames per second (speeded
up 1080 times).
If you use a filming speed between 6 and
approximately 2 frames
per second, it is
.
not absolutely necessary for the camera to
be attached to the
tripod . However, you
must
hold the camera very steady, avoid
panning
or tracking with the zoom lens and
remember that
in order to obtain 1 second
of viewing time
on the screen you must
shoot for
3-9 seconds.
Genuine time lapse cine photography, on
the
other hand, calls for the camera to be
mounted absolutely rigidly on a tripod. As
a temporary measure, the Nizo can be
rested on its handgrip, but remember that
this will
limit you to the field of view ob-
tained where the camera happens to be
resting.
Animation
If Single frames are exposed at prolonged
intervals, you will have time to rearrange
the position
of inanimate objects between
each exposure. For instance, you could
raise or lower the arm of doll by a small
amount each time or push a matchbox a
small distance further across a table -
these are just two simple examples. When
these single exposures are
projected at the
normal continuous speed of 18 frames per
second, the inanimate
objects come to life
on the screen. The doll waves her arm and
the match box travels to and fro across the
table.
For all shots of this type, the camera must
be mounted absolutely rigidly. It
is best for
it to be attached to a substantial tripod. If
the camera position is moved accidentally
halfway through a shot, it is best to change
to a
shot taken from another viewpoint or
at another focal length in order to disguise
the
jump in the action. The camera shutter
can be
operated manually with a cable'
release
or by means of the electric remote
release. However, you can also set the
automatic single frame device to make ex-
posures at suitable intervals, so that you
need not move backwards and forwards
constantly between the camera (to expose
each single frame) and the
object you are
filming (to alter its position slightly). All you
need to do is to
select a filming interval at
filming speed switch 2 which gives you
sufficient
time to rearrange or move the
object you are filming.
Flash illumination for time lapse filming
Since the interval between exposures in
this type of single frame
filming is quite
long, each separate exposure can quite
easily be illuminated by means of an elec-
tronic flash gun of adequate power, which
at the same time supplies a natural
light at
a
color temperature similar to that of day-
light. A further advantage is that objects
sensitive to heat (plants, thin gels for ani-
mated films, etc.) are not continually ex-
posed to the heat of spotlights
or photo-
floods. Your Nizo camera is therefore pro-
vided with a connection for the flash gun
synchronizing cable (at far left of camera
base).
Connection for el ec tronic flash
The electronic flash unit must be of ample
capacity since 18 flashes are required to
illuminate one second's filming and should
also be capable of repeating its flashes
frequently enough for lengthly series of
single shots to be filmed. The flash gun
must have recycled, ready for the next shot,
before the camera
timer has advan.ced the
film.
Braun offers three electronic flash guns (all
equipped with a swivel reflector) which
meet the requirements. The Braun F
800 is
a large, two-section professional
unit which
can supply
up to 400 flashes (depending on
the storage battery used) at minimum inter-
16

17
vals of two seconds. Special features: the
Braun F
800 can be operated by the so-
called duplex system from the mains when
making animated
or time lapsed films; this
greatly increases its capacity. In addition ,
its storage battery cari be used
as an out-
side power source together with the camera
supply lead, if the Nizo ZSSA cable is in-
corporated into the setup.
The single- unit Braun 2000 VarioComputer
flash gun is currently available in three mo-
dels: F 022, F 027 and 40 VCR. The only
difference between these is in the guide
numbers of 31 , 38 and 40 respectively for
21 DIN film. The power consumed by these
flash units depends on the filming distance
and also by the amount of light absorbed
by the
objects being filmed. At a filming
distance of 1 meter and with a background
which does not absorb too much light, flash
intervals of approx. 1 second can be re-
peated about 1000 times (type F 027).
Practical hints
for Nizo filming using elec-
tronic flash: The light produced by the
electronic flash gun has the same color
temperature as daylight. The filter switch
on
your Nizo camera should therefore point
to the sun symbol.
The flash intervals must be shorter than the
time lapse interval selected at filming
speed switch 2. .
The lens iris on
your camera must be
opened by one stop more than the expo-
sure
calculator on the flash unit states,
since the
light splitting prism in the Nizo
camera and the
exceptionally large number
of elements in the zoom lens must be taken
into
account (see «manual control of lens
aperture»).
The variable shutter
General description of variable shutter
mechanism
The variable shutter is the <<light trap» of
your film camera. It is a disc rotating in
front of the film gate. While the disc is cov-
ering the gate, the film
is advanced by one
frame. When the
cutout in the disc is oppo -
site the gate,
light can strike the surface of
the film. On the Nizo cameras the cutout on
the shutter
disc can be con·tinuously varied
in size while the
shutter is operating, so
that fade-in and fade-out effects can be
produced . In addition, deliberate reduction
of. the shutter area (size of cutout) reduces
the exposure
time if this proves necessary,
or alternatively the exposure time can be
prolonged by stopping the shutter in the
open position in
front of the film gate.
Fade-in and fade-out effects
To fade out a scene, hold the camera han-
dle in the right hand. With the other hand,

move the variable shutter lever (at left of
camera base, next to shutter release)
smoothly and slowly back
as far as the rear
stop, while the camera
is still running. After
this, stop the camera
motor by removing
your
finger from the shutter release. Only
then should the variable shutter control
lever be allowed to return to its original
position.
To produce a fade-in effect, the variable
shutter lever shCluld be pulled fully to the
rear before the camera
motor is started.
Next, press the shutter release and
allow
the variable shutter lever to move fully for-
wards at much the same slow, smooth rate
as used
for the fade-out. In most cases, the
fade-out of one scene will be followed by
the fade-in of the next scene.
Automatic dissolves
A smooth transition between two scenes
can be obtained by fading out, rewinding
the length of film used for the fade and
fading in the new scene over the top of the
last few frames of the previous scene. The
automatic dissolve mechanism on
your Nizo
camera ensures that the fade-out and fade-
in sections of the dissolve
coincide exactly,
and
is thus capable of producing reliable
and smooth dissolves entirely automatical-
ly.
Dissolves
should be performed only at 18
or 24 frames per second running speed.
You must operate two
controls to produce
a dissolve. To start the process, press the
R button on the camera
for at least 1 se-
cond at the end of a scene. Then release
this rewind button and also the shutter
release. The
next stage in the process is
automatic: the scene is faded out in 3.5
seconds (63 frames) and this precise length
of film rewound into the camera. Finally,
the
motor stops automatically.
The camera
will not restart unless the R
button is
pressed in addition to the shutter
release.
In other words, the next scene must beg'in
with a fade-in, and this should be taken into
account when determining the length of
the shot.
You will
appreciate that after a fade-out
has been filmed and the film rewound, the
necessary fade-in
to complete the dissolve
must
follow or else the filni will be over-
exposed and spoiled. The automatic mech-
anism on the Nizo camera ensures that you
do not forget to
complete the dissolve. A
further indication is provided in the
window
above the film counter: if a R is visible on
black background, the film has been
re -
wound, and is ready
for the fade-in forming
the second part of the dissolve.
D
on a white background indicates normal
camera operation. A dissolve can then be
produced at any time by the fade-out and
rewound
proces s described above.
Instead of the control button, a camera
release can be used: this is screwed into
the socket
next to the button.
Warning: Always avoid starting a dissolve
at the end of the film run, as it cannot be
guaranteed that the complete dissolve will
take place correctly..
This is explained by the fact
that for each
dissolve the camera rewinds a section of
film approx. 27 cm (10.6 in) long into the
Super-8 cassette. However, at the end
of
each film there is insuff' icient room in the
cassette
for the rewound film to be inser-
ted.
The film rewound into the cassette is then
bent back upon itself several times. If the
film stock does
not slide smoothly, the cas-
sette may jam
or damage be caused to the
film.
If this occurs, interrupt the power supply
to the camera
motor immediately by swing-
ing back the handgrip, pulling
out the ac-
cumulator plug or setting the master elec-
tric switch to figure O. Open the cassette
compartment and loosen the casseHe
slightly, preferably, by pulling it out by
about 1 cm (approx.
'j, in). Reconnect the
power supply or switch on the camera mo-
tor again so that the dissolve cycle can be
completed. Then
re -insert the cassette and
close the cover.
Do not attempt any further
dissolves using this cassette. If a particular
film stock regularly gives trouble when dis- 18

19
solves are attempted, they should be avoid-
ed when this type
of film is used in the
camera.
Nizo automatic exposure time reduction
system
About midway between the front and rear
stops on the variable shutter mechanism at
the 112 marking, the lever can be retained
by a
detent if the lever knob is pulled down
sli ghtly and released.
In this
position the exposure time per frame
is reduced by half, from the normal
1/
43r
d
second at 18 frames per second to approxi-
mately I/ S6th second. In the same way, each
frame at the 24 frames per second speed
is exposed for
only 1/115th second instead
of I/S7th second.
Do not use the automatic exposure time
reduction system when filming at 54 frames
per second, since the lens aperture control
cannot accommodate t'1e resulting high
shutter speed .
At the two slower filming speeds, the expo-
sure contro l will automatically respond to
the reduction in exposure time of one half
by opening the lens iris by one comp lete
stop. Automatic exposure correction then
continues normally. This provides you with
the following additional fi · lming facilities:
1. You can continue filming when the avail-
able light is so bright that the exposure
meter needle in the viewfinder has already
reached the warning symbol (grey filter 's
need not be fitted to the lens). 2. A delib-
erate reduction in depth of focus by halv-
ing shutter speed and opening the lens iris
by one shot enables you to film
objects
against an indistinct, partly out-of-focus
background. 3. Moving objects are more
sharply outlined at the increased shutter
speed. However, it is then particularly im-
portant to film fast moving objects at an
acute angl
e, or else their movement will
appear jerky.
After filming with the Nizo automatically
reduced exposure time system in use, do
not forget to disengage the variable shutter
lever and allow it to return to its normal
position.
Increased exposure times
If you are filming single frames (time lapse
filming), the
periods of time between the
exposure and
transport of the in dividual
frames are, of course, much larger than at
the normal 18 frames
per second filming
speed. You can make use of the increased
intervals by increasing the exposure time of
the
single frame. This combination of auto-
matic time lapse filming and increased
exposure time enables a
satisfactory film
to be made of objects in extremely poor
light conditions. For examp l e, shots taken
inside museums, churches
or other poorly-
lit buildings can be carried out success-
fully without recourse to filming still photo-
graphs, slides or other material.
Depending on the single frame filming rate
chosen,
the exposure time will vary be-
tween l/sth
second (at 6 frames per second)
and 1 minute (at 1 frame
per minute). As
soon as you move the variable
shutter lever
past the safety catch into the shaded area
marked on the
camera base (by pushing
down
the lever knob), the cutout in the
shutter disc will remain stationary in front
of the film gate. The film will be exposed
until the automatic mechanism controlled
by filming speed switch 2 transports the
next frame
of the film into position in front
of the gate, whereupon the shutter will
rotate once to prevent light from striking
the film
as it is advanced. Move the vari-
able shutter lever back to the rear stop.
Press the safety catch in (marked with a
white dot).
This will enable the lever to be
moved
further into the shaded area on the
camera base. Release the catch. The lever
is then locked into position.
Warning: With the variable shutter lever in
this position, the film frame in the gate
will be exposed at once. You shou ld there-
fore
only engage the increased exposure
mechanism
after the camera and the scene
to be
filmed have been fully prepared.
As for all filming at extreme time-lapse
speeds, the Nizo camera should be screw-

ed firmly to the tripod or rested on the
handgrip on a surface free from vibration.
The time-lapse intervals should then be ad-
justed -longer
or shorter -to suit light
conditions. As
in still photography, an
approximate estimate of exposure is usual-
ly sufNcient, since long exposures are em-
ployed in
light conditions which rule out
the possibility of an accidental overexpo-
sure and indeed in which any extra
light
can only help to improve picture quality.
The automatic exposure
control on the
Nizo camera can
therefore be allowed to
remain in operation.
After filming at increased exposure, do not
forget to return the variable shutter lever
to its
normal condition, or else the first
frames of all succeeding shots filmed under
normal light conditions will be so severely
overexposed as to
appear white on the
screen.
Automatic extended exposure system
If you none the less wish to employ the
automatic exposure control, place the
marking on filming speed switch 2 against
the setting «autom.
B», and remove the
lens hood from the front of the lens barrel.
In these light conditions the lens hood is
not required in any case. Next, pull the
variable shutter lever past the detent button
into the shaded area, as
described in the
preceding
section of this manual.
If you now move the continuous-run re -
lease on the
opposite s.ide of the camera
base
to the operating position, the sepa-
rate automatic exposure system
will deter-
mine the elapsed-time filming speed (rate
of exposure of individual frames). You will
appreciate
that use of the automatic ex-
tended exposure
control is worthwhile only
in poor light conditions.
Warning: Make sure that the window below
the namepl'ate on the
front of the camera is
not obscured:
as it conceals the special
automatic exposure
control cell. This is
provided so
that your Nizo camera can (un-
like the normal through-the-Iens exposure
measurement system) measure general
exposure levels
without being unduly in-
fluenced by individual small-area
light
sources, for instance lamps or candles.
Synchronized sound recording
and filming
To the left of the carrying loop attachment
on the base of the Nizo cameras
will be
found a
connecting socket for the pilot-
tone lead to a tape recorder. These Nizo
camera models
incorporate oscillators
(impulse transmitters) which transmit a
1000 Hz impulse for every fourth frame
passing the gate. These are recorded by
way of the connecting lead on one track
of
the tape. The remaining tracks of the tape
are available for the actual sound
record-
ings.
The impulses control (in
accordance with
the standardized sound system) the run-
ning speed of the
projector when the film
is screened, and thus keep the film images
and the sound on tape synchronized. The
Synton FP tape coupler, supplied by the
Braun AG company, should be inserted
between the tape
recorder and the Braun
FP 7 projector , which is provided with the
necessary connections.
20