Let’s take stuff apart: Super-8 Cartridge

Now I realise I’m ruining a now reasonably rare Kodachrome Super-8 cartridge here, but it was flooded when my fridge decided to defrost itself and I’m pretty sure it’s ruined, full of water when I got to it. I found it in a broken super-8 camera someone gave me and it’s been in my draw for 2 years, so I decided to crack it open and have a look. Why not?
I’d been curious for a while, since I knew that the film wound from one side to the other as it was used, I wanted to see how it managed that efficiently. Grab a knife and do some jimmying, there you go.

Before being ruined

Rather flimsy knife, couldn’t find my good one. The “EXPOSED” lettering obviously indicates it’s exposed. That’s the film gate, built into the cartridge, so film flatness is quite good.

The bottom half of the cartridge, where the film is wound into as it’s used. It passes through the gate to be exposed, and is then wound safely into this compartment.

There’s a lot of film in there. 50ft/15-ish meters/a few minute’s worth.

A closer look at the lower section, without the spool of exposed film

A roll of 35mm for size comparison

The upper section. The film is just wound up, it’s not attached to anything here, so it rolls to the lower section freely.

All the bits

Back together…totally fine, right?

So my curiosity is satisfied, and I’m reminded that I really do need to get a decent digital camera one of these days.

Fun fact: I stabbed myself in the thumb twice doing this. Once would be acceptable, twice is just silly. Where the hell is my good knife.