The EUMIG C5 is an 8mm film camera made in Austria. It came to us with its case, two lens caps, a pistol grip, and full instructions.
Before we get too deep into the C5 I should mention another instruction book we got at the same time. It was for the 8 Crown Optical Company of Japan zoom model EZS. This is also an 8mm movie camera. If the instructions and camera came from the same source, I suspect there could have been a progression from the EZS to the C5.
Here are the reason I suspect an evolution—
the EZS is spring driven from 1960
the C5 is electrical motor driven from 1961
How is that for being a detective!
The Eumig C5 Lens and Light Sensor
The two cameras are remarkably similar. Note the arrangement of light sensor and zoom lens on the two cameras.
Speaking of the zoom lens, the C5 lens/focus system is quite complicated. It allows you to focus and see through the zoom while filming or not.
It does make the film path a little complicated compared to the more traditional threading of the EZS.
The EZS has the film spools stacked one above the other while the C5 has the spools lined up horizontally.
The C5’s batteries are held in a plastic clip inserted into the bottom front of the camera. This camera is missing its battery door.
The battery clip has two side contacts.
The clip holds five AA batteries. Note the clean contacts. It was mentioned in the instructions the batteries should be removed from the clip if the camera is not being used for awhile and obviously whoever owed this camera took care of it.
The handgrip attachment system is not working. You are supposed to pull the metal tang out, place the orientating post in the camera’s bottom and when pushed up the other socket will grip the protruding post. (Addendum–I took the two screws out and managed to get the handgrip working)
Unlike a lot of camera instructions Eumig seems proud to show you what they have stuck under the hood. Note—
the relay contact for a tape recorder (top)
change-over switches for indoor/outdoor exposure and filming speeds
control mechanism for the focus/zoom
a battery tester
change over switch from single exposure / off / continuous filming
The cap for the light sensor…
Hides a ASA/DIN conversion needed to correctly set the scale (-2 to 6+) on the sensor
The instruction book is illustrated with whimsical drawings. The instructions are pretty cute too!
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