A common question we often get is what is the difference between a Pro8mm camera and one I can buy on Ebay?

One of the main differences is the R&D team behind Pro8mm, not only looking to 'fix' cameras, but improve them. In some cases, this means re-working original parts and systems from the camera that could be improved upon.

A classic example of this is the light meter battery system in the Canon 814AZ. The camera requires AA batteries to run, and then 2 additional 1.35V light meter batteries for the light meter. When the camera was manufactured in 1967, these batteries were easy to find. Today, trying to find these batteries is no easy task and the voltages are very inconsistent. This can be a huge issue for filmmakers, as the meter is based on the consistency of the voltage. 

Pro8mm started to improve this system in 2010. We used a voltage regulator which worked really well to provide a consistent voltage to the meter, and eliminate the use for light meter batteries.

Over 10 years later, we've decided to take the system another step further. We've upgraded to a better voltage regulator, which is a Texas Instrument TPS70927 voltage regulator IC. With this new circuit, we added a trim resister, so that we could precisely dial in the calibration of the meter. With this improved system, users will find more consistency in their exposures. 

This advancement was made possible with collaboration from Patrick Steemers, an engineer and Super 8 enthusiast based in the Netherlands.

This improvement has been made in all Pro814 cameras available for purchase and rental. If you own an 814 and would like to improve your own camera, you can contact us for pricing. 

(C) Pro8mm 2021. Al rights reserved.