Super 8

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Danny
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Evening folks!

Not sure if this should be in Talk Video but never mind.

I've been inspired to try my hand at some Super 8 during an upcoming trip to NYC. Has anyone had any experience shooting and developing Super 8 film? I hear it's quite pricey.

Thinking of using something dead simple like this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Braun-NI...540767?hash=item2f19d03e5f:g:jgoAAOSwh4Ra3haB

This is the video that lit a fire under me if anyone's interested too (from about 40 seconds in) :)

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJRROh1QldE


Thanks!
 
I posted a similar question last year:

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/super-8-super-cool-or-super-stupid.660761/

I figured it would be about £80 to buy a roll and then have it developed and scanned. I never got round to trying it, but strangely I thought about it again this afternoon whilst I was moving camera boxes around in the loft!

Jeez, that's a lot of cash for three minutes of film!

Might just bite the bullet and do it though, I'll only regret it if I don't.
 
Jeez, that's a lot of cash for three minutes of film!

Might just bite the bullet and do it though, I'll only regret it if I don't.
I shot some last year, the first roll in 10 years and really enjoyed it. Give it a go, it’s gteat fun and will give you a 3 minutes of memories that can’t be replicated by digits.
 
Thanks for the link Nick, seems to be a handy one-stop-shop. When they say 'scanning', does that mean converting to digital format or is that something altogether different?
They provide a digital format and use Dropbox I think so you can download it, or you can send a memory stick in with your film for processing.
 
I shot some last year, the first roll in 10 years and really enjoyed it. Give it a go, it’s gteat fun and will give you a 3 minutes of memories that can’t be replicated by digits.

They provide a digital format and use Dropbox I think so you can download it, or you can send a memory stick in with your film for processing.

I'm sold! Now going to try and avoid buying an absolute lemon from an auction site :D
 
Fabulous clip! And very tempting, but costs a bit too much for three minutes of film, must resist..........

Mark
 
I buy my film from Gauge, though I think I bought too fast film (200 reversal) so it's a bit grainier than that clip linked. It's about £65 including scan to digital so you get a little reel of film back and the digital file. I have two full ones shot, one half of one from in and around Manchester and one still to shoot. Just waiting to go somewhere that justifies me doing it.

I love it. Would consider buying another (better?) camera, as I am sure there are ones with higher quality lenses than the little Canon I have. :)
 
I buy my film from Gauge, though I think I bought too fast film (200 reversal) so it's a bit grainier than that clip linked. It's about £65 including scan to digital so you get a little reel of film back and the digital file. I have two full ones shot, one half of one from in and around Manchester and one still to shoot. Just waiting to go somewhere that justifies me doing it.

I love it. Would consider buying another (better?) camera, as I am sure there are ones with higher quality lenses than the little Canon I have. :)

Sorry for the late reply mate, was wedding-ing yesterday.

Gauge definitely seems to be the way to go. As for the equipment itself, I'm aiming for something as simple as possible (like the one linked above). The fewer buttons, knobs & dials the better :D

Dude was it you who did the Super 8 stuff in Iceland? Remember seeing that and loving it.
 
Sorry for the late reply mate, was wedding-ing yesterday.

Gauge definitely seems to be the way to go. As for the equipment itself, I'm aiming for something as simple as possible (like the one linked above). The fewer buttons, knobs & dials the better :D

Dude was it you who did the Super 8 stuff in Iceland? Remember seeing that and loving it.

Ah weddings. I remember those! Hope that’s going well. I actually really wanted to shoot a wedding on Super 8 but couldn’t find anyone to let me come along, even offered it for free!

Yeah the Iceland one was mine. I have another from California in fact but didn’t wanna spam the thread with it.
 
Ah weddings. I remember those! Hope that’s going well. I actually really wanted to shoot a wedding on Super 8 but couldn’t find anyone to let me come along, even offered it for free!

Yeah the Iceland one was mine. I have another from California in fact but didn’t wanna spam the thread with it.
I remember your Iceland film, the perfect example of how to make a Super 8 Film in camera. Would love to see your California film if you have a link and don’t want to post it here.
 
I remember your Iceland film, the perfect example of how to make a Super 8 Film in camera. Would love to see your California film if you have a link and don’t want to post it here.

Very nice of you to say so. Thank you.

By some stroke of luck, I was mooching about today and found this advertised as 'display only'. Such a shame as it came boxed and in much better condition than mine and a much improved model with better optics, clearer viewfinder and different shutter speeds. The cheap price reflected it's non-working condition too, but I couldn't just leave it so nipped to the local pound shop and bought some AA batteries to check and it works!! Meter works, motor runs, shutter works. BOOM!!

IMG_5262.JPG
 
Another great example of how to shoot a Super 8 Film in Camera, makes me want to go to California, cracking piece of music too.
 
:plus1:

Bloody brilliant. :clap:
 
Ah weddings. I remember those! Hope that’s going well. I actually really wanted to shoot a wedding on Super 8 but couldn’t find anyone to let me come along, even offered it for free!

Yeah the Iceland one was mine. I have another from California in fact but didn’t wanna spam the thread with it.

Another great example of how to shoot a Super 8 Film in Camera, makes me want to go to California, cracking piece of music too.

Sorry dude, just got a minute to sit down and reply. So glad you posted the California film, that combined with the Iceland one tipped my over the edge and I'm eBaying as we speak :D I can feel the pennies just draining away already!
 
Another great example of how to shoot a Super 8 Film in Camera, makes me want to go to California, cracking piece of music too.

:plus1:

Bloody brilliant. :clap:

Sorry dude, just got a minute to sit down and reply. So glad you posted the California film, that combined with the Iceland one tipped my over the edge and I'm eBaying as we speak :D I can feel the pennies just draining away already!

You guys are too kind, thank you. :)

Danny, I was tempted to offer you the one I used to make the last two films, but I don't want to let it go before making sure the new one works as it should. It may tale a while and I am sure you will have found one by then.
 
You guys are too kind, thank you. :)

Danny, I was tempted to offer you the one I used to make the last two films, but I don't want to let it go before making sure the new one works as it should. It may tale a while and I am sure you will have found one by then.

Ah thanks for the thought mate, appreciate it!

I've linked to one I fancy in the original post, not sure if it's a little bit simple/basic though. Motor works, light meter works etc. but not sure how much it'll be let down by poor optics compared to more expensive models.
 
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Ah thanks for the thought mate, appreciate it!

I've linked to one I fancy in the original post, not sure if it's a little bit simple/basic though. Motor works, light meter works etc. but not sure how much it'll be let down by poor optics compared to more expensive models.
Braun Nizo's are very good cameras, high end and quality even at the basic end of the range, you certainly won't be let down. Much favoured by pop promo makers and very popular amongst film students back in the day.
 
Hmm, My other half has a Bolex Super 8 Camera in the loft.

She's always wanted to run a film through it.

Excellent links thanks.
 
I have an 8mm projector in the garage - I don't know if it's any use to anyone but I would rather it not go to the tip. I don't want anything for it.
 
Hmm, My other half has a Bolex Super 8 Camera in the loft.

She's always wanted to run a film through it.

Excellent links thanks.
I have a Bolex Super 8 cracking cameras but mines a bit on the large size compared with some of the Nizos and Canons.
 
I have a Bolex Super 8 cracking cameras but mines a bit on the large size compared with some of the Nizos and Canons.

Thats a lot of Bolex mate. :D
 
Haha I was waiting for someone to do that :D

Yeah it's a looker, just got to wait for a few days to test it out and see if it actually does work.

If it doesn't, it will look pretty on a shelf somewhere. That's where the very first Super 8 I bought is. The meter didn't work in it. :(
 
I really enjoyed watching that Gaz, and the music really makes it. I give up on trying to find the track and artist though, so please put me out of my misery! It's certainly got that Dr John, Professor Longhair, James Booker type New Orleans feel to it. :)
 
I really enjoyed watching that Gaz, and the music really makes it. I give up on trying to find the track and artist though, so please put me out of my misery! It's certainly got that Dr John, Professor Longhair, James Booker type New Orleans feel to it. :)

Too kind, thank you. I forget the artist. I paid for it from a music site. Will find the track details when I’m back in front of the computer if you like?
 
Just wondering...

Why super 8 in particular? I was looking at the Gauge site, and 16mm isn't all that much more expensive at about £25 extra for a film/dev/scan deal. I realise 16mm gear will be bigger and heavier, but wouldn't it be a step up in quality?
 
Just wondering...

Why super 8 in particular? I was looking at the Gauge site, and 16mm isn't all that much more expensive at about £25 extra for a film/dev/scan deal. I realise 16mm gear will be bigger and heavier, but wouldn't it be a step up in quality?

The cameras are a fair bit more expensive, you're looking at £150 for a basic Krasnogorsk 3 all the way up to £600-1K for a recent Bolex H16 with a bigger 13x finder + lenses.
 
Well, after much researching and trawling of eBay, I've taken the plunge...

Bolex H16 Reflex + Tamron 18-108mm f2.5.jpg

Bolex H16 Reflex, original model, in what looks like excellent all-round condition. It runs for the spec 28 seconds at 24fps. The only possible thing I can find that might be amiss is the mask on top of the beam splitter is sitting to the side in the viewfinder. (To be checked when I've read enough to be confident about opening the front up - can't get to one of the retaining screws just by opening the prism out. Could also be alignment of the parallelogram-shaped prism in the reflex system.)

It came in a Bolex case with the rewind crank, one empty filter holder, a handgrip, cable release with the little end attachment, three screw-in covers and three filters, and had an empty spool inside. No Octameter, but I've since scored one on eBay with the 10mm auxiliary lens thingy. Also just won a set of 5 filter holders with gelatin filters and a rubber eyecup. No turret lock yet.

The lens is a Tamron 18-108mm f2.5 TV lens, which all seems to work and looks clean (apparently a known 1" lens, and no sign of vignetting). There's a lever on the zoom ring that can't be seen in this photo. Don't know yet whether it will have the spherical aberration thing at short focal lengths, but I expect to be stopped down a fair bit most of the time. I might play around with bits of printing paper to check this before I run some film through it, which would also let me compare what the viewfinder sees compared to what hits the film (should give a clue as to what's amiss).

Fortunately, I already have a decent tripod to go with it (Manfrotto 055 legs, with the add-on leveller thing and a 128RC damped head). After some dry runs of pans and zooms, I think I should get decently steady shots.
 
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