Nikon: 8x Super Zoom: Disassembly

Repair

Get your hands on an old Nikon Super Zoom 8, or 8x Super Zoom movie camera.

Remove the four black "handle" screws visible on the bottom. (On my 8X Super Zoom these four were: two visible screws, one hidden inside the hole of the tripod thread, and the fourth hidden under a plastic cover that released a plastic T nut inside the film chamber Reed S.).

Remove the three "left side panel" screws visible in the cartridge chamber. This is enough to remove the left outer panel completely. You may not need to proceed further for simple lubrication of the film drive system.

Four more screws to open the camera entirely. Two at the front of the cartridge chamber, two in the same place on the other side of the camera. You are now ready to pull this puppy right in two!

Here's what will get in your way:

1. Wires for power zoom and auto exposure. Who needs 'em? I don't, but you may want to de-solder as opposed to snip.

2. Trigger mechanism. Depress trigger & put on "run lock".

3. Exposure meter cartridge "reader". Do a little wiggle.

It will feel like you're doing something bad, and the rubber collar around the 85 filter key slot will tug, but just keep working it slowly apart.

Now! The camera's in two pieces in front of you.

To access the shutter, look at the front of the cartridge chamber half. See the shutter cover? Take it off, (4 small screws). If you want to remove the shutter, it is 1 tiny set screw, loosen, do not remove). Now clean and put the camera back together.

(Mitch Perkins describing his idea for a shutterless modification, on www.filmshooting.com forums, paraphrased by Reed S. 17:21, 8 Mar 2005 (PST))

Shutterless mod

The shutterless motion picture image is great for low-low-low light situations where there are no hotspots; the film is in effect flashed, giving low contrast images. Plus the little Nikon has 12fps! Cut away an area of the left side panel to access the main drive gear, and "brake" it with your finger as you shoot>>8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,0fps! The shutterless motion picture image is neat where there are hotspots, too; they streak down the entire frame etc. etc.

You get the picture. Why Nikon Super Zoom 8 or 8x Super Zoom? Because the shutter, unlike in most S8 cams, is not integral to pull-down claw movement.

Shutterless clips: http://www.filmshooting.com/scripts/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9058

(Mitch Perkins describing his idea for a shutterless modification, on www.filmshooting.com forums, paraphrased by Reed S. 17:21, 8 Mar 2005 (PST))