Nikon R10 Super 8 camera

I have just acquired a Nikon R10 (super 8) camera. The shutter control knob appears to be working ok in that it opens and closes the shutter. However, the knob is appears to be in the upward position i.e. not locked in close to the camera body. Is this the normal position? Also, does anyone know what the two small black button controls are to the right of the film meter?

Any advice or information on using the R10 would be very welcome.

-) you have to depress that shutter control dial, to twist it


-) you made not clear which buttons you refer to.

In case you refer to the switches right above and right from the shutter control:
These are for the automadted fade-out/fade-in between takes.
One sets that automatic, the other is used for rewind between takes


I'm not quite sure why one would use that first button anyway. All those overlap controls at S-8 cameray seem weird. And I ruined one of my best cameras by playing with such control...

AgX said:

-)All those overlap controls at S-8 cameray seem weird. And I ruined one of my best cameras by playing with such control...

Click to expand...

AgX, in camera fades and dissolves are sometimes very useful. Fades are easy to plan for and set up. I never tried in camera dissolves, rarely shot scenes in the order in which they'd be projected. Of all the S8 cameras I used, R8/R10 had the easiest to use auto dissolve/auto fade.

Well, I now understand that you mean the two "button controls" right above the shuttee dial in the corner.

Actually these are no buttons or controls, but caps, covering female sockets.

The left one (with the flash-symbol) is connected to a shutter contact (as with a still camera) closing when is full open. By this you gain a synchronisation to use a flashlight when the camera is set to single-frame mode. This can be used for stop-Motion Animation or takes at very low ambient lighting.

The right one (with that two-reels symbol) is connected to the release contact. By this starting and stopping a tape-recorder during the take. Thus one can use the unedited audio-tape together with an unedited movie. The tape-recorder needs to have a remote control socket/contact.

This does NOT gurantee lip-synchronous audio-recording, though Nikon speaks of synchro-contact. This would either need a link between the motors of the camera and recorder or motors each frequency controlled to highest degree.

Brilliant! Thank you. So the shutter control stands proud and has to be pressed in to control the shutter. It all makes sense now. To begin with at least, I am leaving the fade in/out/dissolve functions alone. I want to have fun with this camera so will probably try those functions out later.

There is a slot at the top of the camera which I am assuming is the for the filter key. However, I don't seem to have a filter key with the camera. Any ideas where I could obtain one please? or even a photo so I can see if I could make one would be great.

The camera is designed to use Tungsten-light balanced and its basic state it uses a correcting orange filter to use the camera outdoors under sky-light. (Yes, sounds weird...)
When using indoors with a dedicated tungsten-light fixing that light automatically swings off that filter. If you don't use a dedicated light but still expose with tungsten light, a substituting filter-key is used.
The same if you use daylight balanced film under sky-light.

The filter key is basically a small plate inserted in that slot. Any plate from plastic or metal should work.

Cut to size your credit card, keeps you from spending too much money...

The working of that filter swinging mechanism typically can be checked via the lens.

Good luck with this. I have always wanted one of these cameras. The closest I came was a fitted case which I later sold to someone who had the camera. I have made lap dissolves and fades before and they look great on screen.
Alex