FILM TESTED Braun Nizo S560 Super-8 movie camera

One of the most elegant and capable Super-8 cameras available.

The Nizo S560 is a compact camera with simple controls and a lovely example of 1970s German industrial design, yet it hides one of the most comprehensive set of specifications among its peers.

See the gallery for a short test video we shot with this camera.

Made in Germany in 1977 the body is stunning, with a brushed aluminium finish and lovely machined aluminium controls.

It comes with a 7-56mm f/1.8 Schneider lens (8x zoom).

This particular example also comes with the original leather (real leather - not imitation) soft case and a 0.5x add-on wide-angle adaptor.

The controls on the camera give the following capabilities:

• Automatic and manual exposure control
• Single frame + 18 / 24 / 54 frames-per-second shooting speeds
• Intervalometer - whereby the camera takes a single shot automatically at a pre-set interval (selectable from around 5 frames per second to 1 frame per minute)
• Daylight / tungsten filter switch
• Variable shutter - for manual fade-out and fade-in control
• Automatic lap dissolve - to seamlessly merge from one scene to another. The Nizo automates this by automatically fading out the first scene, rewinding the film, then fading in to the second scene). This is the simplest and cleverest lap dissolve function we have seen on a Super-8.
• Folding hand grip containing the batteries (6 x AA)
• Remote cable release socket
• Takes ISO 16-160 (tungsten) and 10-100 (daylight) film
• Sound-sync pulse output for synchronized sound recording (with the appropriate equipment).

In full working order, this camera has a crystal-clear viewfinder and lens, and the split prism focusing is very clear for great focusing accuracy.