For camera-related issues, refer to your camera user documentation for guidance and best practices on film shooting. If you are using a KODAK Super 8 Camera, visit our support site for user manual and troubleshooting steps.
If the film is black, with no pictures at all:
- Double check you’ve removed the lens cover.
- The camera's lens opening or metering mechanism may be malfunctioning.
- Check the aperture on the lens, to see if it is opening correctly.
If the film is very dark, with only faint indications of pictures, there may be:
- Not enough light when shooting (under-exposed)
- A malfunction of the camera lens opening or metering mechanism
- A weak or dead meter battery
- Something unusual in the processing or manufacturing of the film
If film is almost clear, with only faint indications of pictures, there may be:
- A malfunction of the camera lens opening or metering mechanism
If the film is clear, with no pictures at all, there may be:
- Something unusual in processing of the film
If film has pictures, but no sound, there may be:
- A weak or dead sound battery
- A microphone-related difficulty; either it’s not plugged in, there’s a loose plug, there’s a broken wire in the cord, or a defective microphone
- A camera problem
If the film appears to "jump" or "chatter", there may be:
- Not enough lubrication on the film, which often causes unsteady projection. If the film isn’t lubricated, some projectors can damage the film perforations. (When we process Kodak Film we automatically lubricate it during processing.) Once the perforations are damaged, lubrication won’t solve the unsteadiness problem; you’ll need to splice out or duplicate the damaged areas. Lubrication also helps prevent the film from drying and warping. For protection and long life, you should periodically clean and lubricate the film.
For more Super 8 film tips, visit www.kodak.com/go/Super8Tips.