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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

8MM advise needed

T

T. vd Hoff

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Hello all.

Even the off topic area seems still not remotely far enough to talk about 8mm film, but I guess many of you have ample experience with the format, which then does justify my asking here. :tongue:

For a shoot I want to have this typical 8mm kodachrome kinda look. And what would be a better option to 'emulate' this, then using the actual stuff, right?

I've seen cameras on offer for very little and the film costs are well within reach, so no problems there. I just would like to know if there's very significant things to look for when buying an 8mm camera? I mean: the intended look may have all the 'shoddy' effects of a seventies home movie, but it would be nice if the camera performs the way a good quality 8mm camera should.

That said, I'm thinking about bidding on a never used Chinon 805S camera, which is in mint condition. I've researched some archives but I can't make out whether this is a decent cam and what I should offer for it.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
 
Super-8 is a nice format and the quality can vary from camera to camera, but anything above a certain price will probably be good. I used to use the Canons and the Sanyos and got good results.

I made sure my cameras had manual controls over exposure though.

Kodak stopped making Kodachrome 40T, here's what they now sell in Super-8:
http://motion.kodak.com/US/en/motio...light_on_Super_8/Super_8mm_Products/index.htm

They replaced K40T with E64T, which is not as good but it was their only slow tungsten-balanced E6 stock. They really should put out Ektachrome 100D (5285), which is closer to the look of Kodachrome.

You can get E100D (which is E6 reversal) and other neg stocks loaded into Super-8 cartridges at higher costs from companies like Pro8mm.

http://www.pro8mm.com/

There are different online resources for Super-8 filmmakers that you should check out. They can probably answer your questions on a certain camera.

The real question or challenge is getting the footage into a good digital form.
 
T. vd Hoff said:
Thanks, David!
Would you happen to know some of these resources?
I haven't come across any 'authoritive' sites so far...

Best,
Tim
Click to expand...

Google Super 8mm.

As far as camera, try the Canon Autozoom 814. It is a little heavy, but that is because it is built like a tank. Great little camera. You can find them on Ebay for as little as $150.

The Elmo 1012XL-2 is another great camera. They are around $200-400.

There are other great cameras, but they cost more. I think these two are your best bets for a good. low cost Super 8.
 
Hey Jim,

Thanks for the research! As I'm based in Europe, I've tried locating some similarly priced cams here and found a nice shop (http://www.super8camera-shop.com/shop/) which sells all sorts of camera's in excellent condition at fair prices. I think I'm going to follow your advice on the Canon 814 as I'm drawn to the 'built like a tank' argument. Seems to complement my own physic and way of handling my stuff :)

However, I've also found some Bauer (and Beaulieu) cameras sporting Angenieux lenses and also with sound recording options. While I'm not particularly concerned with audio, nice image quality gets my full attention. Any thought on the quality difference? Wouldn't it be a hassle to get 8mm film stock with sound or can those cameras handle 'silent' film as well?

One final question: I've also found some old Kodachrome stock which had to be exposed by '74. The sequence I want to use 8mm film for is about how memory gets molded by time and by others and shows a particular scene set at the 1974 European soccer championship. I thought it might be a nice experiment to actually use stock from that same year and see just how the medium itself gets warped too. I'll also use some new stock (Wittnerchrome 40T) for backup, but I'm really curious what the results the old Kodachrome would yield. Any thoughts on how to handle this? How much over exposure would you recommend?

Thanks a bunch!

Tim
 
T. vd Hoff said:
For a shoot I want to have this typical 8mm kodachrome kinda look. And what would be a better option to 'emulate' this, then using the actual stuff, right?
Click to expand...

Just get a s8 camera, give it to 'uncle Bob' or 'cousin Dave' to shoot under your supervision. Couple of beers wouldn't go astray. Ouch!
:biggrin:
 
Valeriu Campan said:
Just get a s8 camera, give it to 'uncle Bob' or 'cousin Dave' to shoot under your supervision. Couple of beers wouldn't go astray. Ouch!
:biggrin:
Click to expand...

Good plan! :)

As for that lattitude: you're right about that. Makes me wonder just how usuable the old stock will be... Will have to try it out to know, I guess!
 
I've got a 814 - it was my Dad's. Lot's of footage from the 60's and 70's with that cam and it still looks great - some even underwater!

As for telecine - well, you can try the poor man's film to tape: load the footage into a projector and shoot the screen with the RED! You can even zoom in and re-frame during this procedure. You might have to experiment with shutter angles and speed changes in the RED to get a non-flickering image. I modified a Bell and Howell projector with a 5 bladed shutter a few years ago to reduce flicker, worked fine.

Fun.
 
Hey guys,

Just put together a (somewhat lengthy) teaser for the multidisciplinary theatre play 'Lucia's Love', that started my inquiry on 8mm film on this board. In the end I bought two Canon 814's and quite a lot of expired Kodachrome stock and fresh Wittnerchrome (which is the last batch of 40T Kodak ever made). Processing was done by Dwayne's Photo; telecine on a MWA Flashscan8.

One of the play's main themes is the malleability of stories/memories and it's centered around a group of old friends retelling their summer of '74. The different characteristics of the expired stock certainly contributed in a material sense to that fading/fermenting effect. The style of filming was chosen to resemble Super-8 home movies I've seen, so no top-notch cinematography here :) :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smiZVoQPPmo (excuse the quality)

Thanks for the help!

Tim
 
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