Canon Super 8 Auto Zoom 518 movie camera: Corporal Graham Lloyd Hale, 9 Squadron, RAAF

Aluminium, plastic and steel Canon Super 8 Auto Zoom 518 movie camera, the right hand side equipped with a sliding button for access to the door for loading the film cannister; this has clear plastic window allow quick identification of the film type. There is an idenification plate with a cable release socket, alongside a shutter lock dial (marked R for running and L for lock), below which is a film speed selector switch (SLOW MOTION or 18 feet per second). Above this are two plastic buttons - T for telephoto or W for wide angle; selecting these engages the power zoom. The owner has placed a green Dynotape label (G.L. HALE) on the top battery cover.

The right hand side is equipped with a film footage indicator; a nameplate (CANON INC. JAPAN) which serves as a battery cover; a small circular window containing a film transport indicator; a remote control socket with a battery testing window; and underneath the base two buttons for testing the batteries (the red one tests the AA batteries; the white one tests the button mercury batteries).

At the rear top of the case is the view finder and a screw knob for releasing the AA battery cover.

The black plastic handle contains the wheel for selecting AUTO and MANUAL apeture controls and at the rear a sliding control for the CAA (colour conversion filter for tungstan film) mechanism. The base of the handle contains a battery cover and a tripod fitting. The front is equipped with a trigger.

The F1.8 zoom lens is fitted with a manual zoom button and a removeable Hoya combined UV filter / rubber light cup.

There is a Super 8 Koachrome 40 film cannister in the camera, with 22 feet of film exposed - DO NOT REMOVE.

Canon Super 8 movie camera used by Corporal (later Warrant Officer) Graham Lloyd Hale, born Brisbane on 14 July 1938, while serving with 9 Squadron RAAF at Vung Tau, South Vietnam from May 1968 to May 1969; he bought the camera in Hong Kong while on R&R leave in November 1968. Hale had previously served with 79 Squadron, based at Ubon, Thailand operating CAC Sabres from November 1965 until October 1966 under service number A15512 and was mustered as an electrical fitter with the rank of corporal.

Hale mainly used the Canon Super 8 at work while maintaining UH-1H Iroquois helicopters and modifying Iroquois to "Bushranger" gunship configuration. This camera was used to film footage which was used in the 1987 Channel 0 Brisbane production "Brothers in Arms". An example of a UH1-H Iroquois Bushranger gunship helicopter which served with 9 Squadron is held in the collection at REL45529.

Because of it ease of use, the zoom facility and the cassettes used for replacement film, the Canon Super 8 enjoyed a much popularity after its release in 1967, and was used by a number of servicemen in Vietnam.