ELECTRIC-EVE

ZOOM
EIGHT

MOVIE CAMERA
MODEL 409

Here are the important functional parts of your camera. Familiarize
Footage Counter Electric-Eye Window Manual and Automatic Selector
Release Button Selector C::::~"~1Ii Lens Wind Key
Grip Retaining Screwr:;:=:::::::==~ Lens Opening Indicator Pistol Grip _O;;;:;::~___' l=:::::=::::::;;;;::=~TI-il1l1l'r Release
To remove Pistol Grip, just
turn Grip Retaining Screw
counterclockwise.

yourself with them, as they are referred to throughout this book.
able Release Socket

Near-Focus Chart
Release Button
Reflex Viewfinder Eyepiece
Zoom Lens
~=:.:IFilter Dial

Zoom Lever ~:::::::::::::::~-ii Cover Lock
Trigger Release
Pressure Plate
Pistol Grip __::-...~
Take-up Spool
Minor changes in the appear¥
ance of this camera may not be
included in these illustrations.

¥

Load the camera. Open the cover and thread film as shown by the diagram inside camera. Complete directions are on pages 7 and 8. Run camera briefly to check film movement, then lock cover.
Wind the camera fully. Set the film counter to "S" and run camera until "a" appears in window. The counter tells how much film has been exposed.
Set the film speed. Turn the film speed dial on front of camera to the ASA exposure index of your film (see page 6).
Be sure to remove the lens cap
Take the picture. Set the focus on the lens and frame the subject in the viewfinder (see pages 9 and 10). Check the Safety Signal to see it does not show red, then press the Trigger Release (see pages 11 and 12).
For wide-angle and telephoto effects, move the Zoom Lever as described on pages 9 and 10.
For instructions on using the second half of the film and on unloading, see pages 14 and 16.

Functional Parts .........1,2 Condensed Instructions .... 3,4 Using the Filters ...........5 Choosing Your Film .. .... .5,6 Loading Your Camera ... . . 7,8 Viewing and Zooming ...... 9 Focusing the Lens ........10 Taking the Picture ..... 11,12 Tips for Better Movies ..... 13 Using Second Half of Film .. 14 Using Manual Lens Openings.15 Movies Up Close .........16 Unloading the Camera .. .. .16 Care and Cleaning ........17 Specifications ...... .. ... 17 Check List and Wallet Card ..........18
4

Your camera has built-in Haze and Type-A filters which are selected with the Filter Dial on the side of the camera.
Type-A Filter-Use this filter when you are exposing Type-A film outdoors. It is NOT used with Type-A film indoors.
Haze filter-Use this filter when the Type¥A filter is not used. When used outdoors, this filter helps to cut down on haze in dis¥tant scenes and helps eliminate the bluish cast found in shadows. It has no effect when used indoors with Type-A film.

Your Argus Zoom Eight Movie Camera uses standard double 8mm roll film which is available from your photo dealer.
Very probably you will want to start out using color film in your camera. Color films in 8mm size are available in Daylight-type and Type A. Daylight-type films are for use outdoors only. Use Type-A films indoors when taking movies with movie lights or photofloods for illumination.
Type-A films can also be used outdoors with your camera's built-in Type A Conver¥sion Filter. See the section on filters.
Your Zoom Eight is designed to use films that have film speeds (exposure indexes) from ASA 10 to ASA 40, with completely automatic electric-eye operation, when the Manual and Automatic Selector is set to "A". To use the camera with films that are not within this range, the lens openings can be set manually. Just turn the selector dial off "A" (to Manual) and adjust it to the proper lens opening as listed in the information sheet that comes with the film. The lens opening being set is shown on the Lens Opening Indicator on the front of the camera.

. . .
~~
~

Color Films Daylight Tungsten
ASA 1 0 Daylight'Films 10 -
ASA 1 6 Type A Films 10* 16
Kodachrome II Daylight 25 -
Kodachrome II Type A 25* 40
Ansco Moviechrome 8 Daylight 20 -
Ansco Moviechrome 8 Type A 10* 16

* Use built-in Type A filter when using this film outdoors.
Set the tungsten film speed on the camera when using movie lights or photofloods.

Your camera should be loaded in subdued light-!!:!l!!!!! in direct, bright sunlight.
Wind the camera fully. Havethe Release Move the Pressure Plate away from the Button Selector on "R". Unlock and open Film Gate by pushing the bottom tab to¥camera cover by lifting lock tab and turn¥ward the rear. The film fits in front of the ing it in direction of arrow. Take empty Pressure Plate. Hold the full spool and spool out of the camera. Remove the new carefully pull out about 8 inches of film film from the box and can and remove the leader. Be careful not to let the film un¥paper band (or tape) from film. wind from the spool while loading.

Place the full spool (four-notch hole facing upward) on the Top Spindle and thread the film as shown by the diagram. Close Pressure Plate after checking to see if film is properly seated. The emulsion (dull) side should be facing the lens.
. Hold the empty take-up spool so that side with figure "I" is facing upward. In¥sert the tip of the film leader into the slot of the take-up spool and wind the film around the spool clockwise; then place the spool on the bottom spindle. Take up the slack by turning the spool with your finger in the direction of the arrow.
With the camera cover open, press the Trigger or Release Button and run off a few inches of film to see if it is moving proper-Iy through the mechanism, then close and lock the cover (clockwise).
¥ Set Film Counter to "S" by turning but¥ton clockwise. Run the camera until "0" shows in window. You are now ready to take movies. As you expose the film, the number shown is the number of feet of film you have exposed on that side of the roll. Continue taking movies until the counter reads "25". You have then com¥pletely exposed one side of the film. Be¥fore you open the cover, run the camera (without taking movies) until "S" appears in the window.
When you have run the film through the camera once, only one-half of it is exposed. Turn the spool over and reload once again as shown here (see pages 14 and 16).

Your camera's Resonar Zoom lens is a single lens which does the work of several. You can take movies from wide-angle to telephoto without taking a single step.
To zoom the lens from one setting to another, just move the Zoom lever up or down. The precision reflex-type viewfinder, which actu¥ally sees through the lens, shows you the exact scene you will have in your movies.
Zooming can be accomplished before you take movies so you can decide on the image size you want, or while you are taking movies so you can vary the scene as you go.
The illustrations at the left show the ap¥proximate coverage for three different lens positions. Of course, any intermediate lens position can also be used.

For average movie-making, just pre-set the lens focus scale to either FAR, MEDIUM, or NEAR, depending on the distance to the subject. The extreme range of sharp¥ness of this lens will take care of any minor differences in actual distance.
If the distance to the subject changes rap¥idly, with no time to adjust for each scene, set the lens to the MEDI UM setting for universal focus. This "universal" setting has some limitations for close subjects, but this is explained on page 16.
To be more exact, you can judge the dis¥tance to the subject and set the actual footage on the lens focus scale.

You can also set the lens focus visually by turning the lens focus scale as you view through the camera's reflex viewfinder. Setting the focus in this way will provide the most exact sharpness when using the lens on the telephoto setting, or when tak¥ing movies up close. Just turn the focus scale until the viewfinder image appears sharp.

Sight through the viewfinder and frame your subject. Preselect your view by moving the Zoom Lever up or down. Hold the camera steady with the Pistol Grip in your right hand, and use your left hand to zoom the lens and change focus. Sfart taking movies by pressing the Trig¥ger Release. If you wish to change the view, just move the Zoom Lever up or down slowly. You can also set the camera to run continu¥ously. Just push down on the Release Button (on top of camera) and turn it clockwise until the red dot is opposite the letters "RL". This will lock the button down. To release it, press down and turn it counterclockwise. This feature allows you to get into your own movies if you have the camera mounted on a tripod (remove Pistol Grip to mount camera on tripod).
The Safety Signal appears as a circle just below the rectangular viewfinder frame. If the light level is too low for good exposures (as on a very dark day), the circle will show red. Take movies on the Automatic setting only when this circle shows clear, for if it shows red, your movies will be underexposed (too dark).
The Release Button Selector should be set to the "R" position for regular movies. When set to the "S" position, the camera takes just a single frame each time the Re¥lease Button or Trigger Release is pressed. Single frame operation is used for special effects such as animations, titles, and time-lapse photography. Have the camera on a tripod when taking single-frame movies. See your photo dealer for additional information on this type of photog¥raphy. The "L" position locks the camera and prevents accidental exposures.
The Cable Release Socket on top of the camera is threaded to accept standard tapered-tip cable releases.

: . ¥

Always hold the camera as steady as pos¥sible when taking movies. Any slight wavering of the camera will be very ob¥vious in your movies when projected on the screen. A tripod can be used with your camera by removing the Pistol Grip.
Take pictures with the sun behind you whenever possible. The electric eye can "read" the scene more accurately if this rule is followed.
"Panning" is the term used when the camera is moved horizontally or vertically when making movies. This should be done slowly and carefully to avoid un¥wanted effects as jerking movements and blurring of the projected picture.

Time your scenes so that they are at least five seconds in length. It is better to shoot longer scenes since they can always be cut when editing.
Plan your movies in advance to add a feeling of continuity to them. Try filming your movies in a story sequence instead of a series of unrelated scenes.
When taking movies indoors with movie I ights or photofloods, be sure you have indoor Type A film in the camera and the film speed is set correctly. Turn the Filter Dial to the "H" position. You do not use the Type A filter when taking indoor mov¥ies. The electric eye will set the exposure for you. Keep your subject closer to the background than to the camera to assure even lighting.
Using Second Half of

Film

When the Footage Counter points to "25", you have completely exposed that side of the film. Do not take any more movies. However you must run the camera until the indicator reads "S" before you open the cover. In subdued light, carefully re¥move both spools and transfer the empty spool to the lower spindle. Turn over the spool containing the film and reload the camera as before (see page 7). When the entire film is exposed, unload camera as described on page 16.
14

When your subject is against an extremely light or dark background, better movies can be obtained by setting the lens manu¥ally as follows:
With the Manual and Automatic Selec¥tor on "A" (Automatic), step up close to your subject, within several feet if pos¥sible, and hold the camera so the lens is aimed at the subject. While holding the camera in this position, note the lens opening indicated on the Lens Opening Indicator on the front of the camera.
Step back to the original position and turn the Manual and Automatic Selector off "A" (to Manual) and adjust it to the number that was noted in step 1. This will set the lens to the correct lens opening for the subject only.

There may be other times where you wish to use man¥ual lens openings instead of the electric eye. This Film ASA 10 Daylight Films Bright SUR f/8 Hazy Sun f/5.6 Cloudy Bright f/4 Cloudy Dull f/2.S
chart gives the lens open¥ings to use for average subjects under different Kodachrome II Dayl ight Ansco Moviechrome S f/l1 f/ll f/S f/S f/5.6 f/5.6 f/4 f/4
15 lighting conditions. ASA40 Film f/16 f/ll f/8 f/5.6

Movies Up Close
Your camera's lens will focus as close as 3% feet. To get even closer for very small objects, use a close-up lens on the front of the cam¥era lens. Close-up lenses and the necessary screw-in adapter ring are made by different manufacturers (see your photo dealer). When using close-up lenses, be sure to focus very carefully and use a tripod whenever possible.
The Near-Focus Chart on the camera top gives you the closest distance your regular movies will be sharp when the lens is set on the "universal" focus setting of 23 feet (see page 10). To find the closest distance for sharp movies when using this setting, follow the line down from the lens opening being set by the electric eye, and over from the focal length set on the zoom lens. Where these two lines intersect will be the nearest point in focus.
After the second half of the film has been exposed and the counter reads "S", open the cover in subdued light and carefully remove the full spool. Replace the paper band that came with it or secure it with a rubber band and place the spool in the metal can. Then promptly take it to your dealer for processing. Put the empty spool back on the lower spindle and you are ready for your next roll of film.

Your Argus Zoom Eight Movie Camera is a fine precision instrument and deserves the best care. Protect it from jarring or vibration and from ex¥tremes of heat, moisture, and dust. Keep the cam¥era in the carrying case when not in use.
Clean out the interior of the camera occasionally with a small camel's hair brush. Be sure to brush away any dirt or particles that may be underneath the pressure plate and in the film gate as they may show up in your movies. Do not attempt to remove the pressure plate from the camera. Never oil any part of your camera.
To clean the front of the camera lens, blow the dust off first, then use a camel's hair brush or lens tissue. Use lens cleaning fluid sparingly and only if it becomes necessary. Lens cleaning materials are available from photo dealers.
Specifications
Lens: f /l.8 Resonar Zoom Lens, 10-ele¥ment, focal length variable from 1l.5mm to 32mm.
Lens Openings: f/l.8 to f/16; automati¥cally controlled by the electric eye or can be set manually if desired.
Shutter: Governor-controlled rotary type, 16 frames per second, 1/36 second shut¥te r speed.
Film Speeds: Electric eye can be set for films from ASA 10 to ASA 40.
Construction: Die-cast metal throughout. Dimensions: 5'l'a" x65fs" x 21/4". Weight: 3 lb. 11 oz.
Viewfinder: Reflex-type, prism-reflected viewfinder image.

Cut off this card, fold it on dotted line,
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Camera Serial Number
Owner's Name
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City & State
Phone
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1.
Wind the camera fully with the wind key.

2.
Load the camera and run the film until counter shows "0".

3.
Set the speed of your film on the ASAfilm speed dial.

4.
Preview picture by moving the zoom lever, set the focus.

5.
Hold the camera steady and press the release.

Remember, when the film has been through the camera only once, it is just halfáexposed. Turn spool over and reload. When completely exposed, film will be back on its original spool.

Argus unconditional guarantee
Your Argus Zoom Eight camera is unconditionally guaranteed by the manufacturer to operate properly for a period of one year from date of original purchase. If. during this period, your camera fails to operate for any reason. Argus. Incorporated. will restore it to operating condition at no charge to you.(This includes all parts and labor.)
This unconditional guarantee applies to the product itself. We regret that we are unable to assume liability for loss of film or for other expense or inconvenience.
This unconditional guarantee is valid only for the original retail purchaser and only if the product is returned prepaid. directly or through an Argus dealer. to the Customer Service Department. Argus. Incorporated. Ann Arbor. MiChigan. or their authorized service location listed below. The date and place of original purchase must be included. along with a description of the difficulties encountered.
Many apparent product difficulties are actually a matter of incorrect usage. It is always wise to see your Argus dealer before returning the product for servicing.
CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. ARGUS. INCORPORATED
MAIN OFFICE 424 Fourth Street. Ann Arbor. Michigan
METROPO LITAN NEW YORK 106 West 32nd Street. New York 1. New York
IN CANADA 1231 Martingrove Road. Rexdale. Ontario
argusI NCORPORATED
CHICAGO 4 8 , ILLINOIS

For further information on the operation of your camera, or for servicing or replacement parts, see your Argus dealer or authorized service location, or write to:
CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT.
ARGUS, INCORPORATED
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN

When writing, mention you have the Argus Electric-Eye Zoom Eight Movie Camera, and list the serial number found on the bottom of the camera under the pistol grip.
PART NO. 41328-628 LITHO IN U.S.A.