New Kodak Super8 camera finally available after so many years

JParker

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2022
Messages
243
Location
European in Australia
Format
Multi Format
I remember the Kodak announcement of developing a new Super8 camera long before the pandemic. Then nothing really happens over the years, only some comments that the project is not stopped.
So now after so many years it is finally on the market:


I think for the proud price of 5,500$ (!!) this camera is - diplomatically said - underperforming.
 
  • guangong
  • Deleted
  • Reason: irrelevant politics in a thread about Super 8 cameras?

Film-Niko

Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
708
Format
Multi Format

John Salim

Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2014
Messages
238
Location
Southend Essex
Format
Multi Format
I'm really surprised and shocked at the price of the Jobo Super 8mm tank.
To semi-automate super 8mm processing with one of those tanks is a godsend for consistency in processing quality ( compared to Lomo tanks ( and certainly Morse tanks ! )

John S
 

Don_ih

Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
7,400
Location
Ontario
Format
35mm RF
Europan said:
Five and a half thousand dollars for a camera without a finder that allows to focus accurately is a folly.
Click to expand...

The quality of super8 that people like - and the reason people want to use it - is still available from millions of languishing super8 cameras that usually cost less than $10 in a thrift store. The remaining $5490 can be used to buy and process film.

Kodak has forgotten what it used to know (and what the video game industry still knows). In order to sell the consumables, people have to be able to afford the machine.
 

Film-Niko

Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
708
Format
Multi Format
John Salim said:
I'm really surprised and shocked at the price of the Jobo Super 8mm tank.
Click to expand...

At one of the last Photokina fairs I had a talk at the JOBO booth about these tanks of the Expert line: They are all hand-made, and it is extremely difficult to make them. Only very well trained and skilled workers can do it.
And furthermore these are all niche products with very low demand, resulting in very low production numbers.
I think we can all be thankful that such niche products in excellent quality are produced at all.

John Salim said:
To semi-automate super 8mm processing with one of those tanks is a godsend for consistency in processing quality ( compared to Lomo tanks ( and certainly Morse tanks ! )

John S
Click to expand...

JOBO rotary processors are indeed outstanding, and deliver perfect processing quality. I am using one by myself, and I can highly recommend them.
 

Chan Tran

Subscriber
Joined
May 10, 2006
Messages
6,660
Location
Sachse, TX
Format
35mm
If you were to develop them yourself you will have to use Ektachrome. Kodak vision 3 which is the main film they want to sell you is negative and you have problem making positive prints yourself to view. Kodak would scan the negative for you and gives you 4K scan. Also the camera doesn't record sound on the magnetic strip on the film but on a separate SD card. When they scan your film they synchronize the sound track to your film in the video they give you. Also I don't think the film is exactly super 8. I think the frame is a bit larger as they make use of the space where the magnetic sound strip used to be.
What I am really wondering is who makes the camera? where is the factory that makes this camera?
 

guangong

Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
Messages
3,589
Format
Medium Format
I’ll stay with my Beaulieu and Nizo cameras. I shoot silent. These are capable ergonomic cameras with no battery supply problems. The Beaulieu has a rechargeable battery, Nizo uses small battery packs using AA batteries and spares fit easily into pockets. I also have the small Canon mentioned in above video. My Nizo cameras are compact and easy to carry around. I just saved $5,500.
A comment was made about Kodak lacking image stabilization. I am unaware of any Suprer 8 having image stabilization. Even in 16mm the only camera I know of with pin registration is Arriflex.
How long will electronics in Kodak’s $5,500 camera last? I gather from the video that the warranty only covers for a given number of Super 8 rolls…does this mean that the camera contains a counter?
 

Cholentpot

Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2015
Messages
6,661
Format
35mm
It's been teased for so long that $5500 isn't worth the $5500 when it was announced...
 

guangong

Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
Messages
3,589
Format
Medium Format

Kodak sells Ektachrome color reversal film. It is not a Vision film. A black/ white reversal film is also available. When it comes back from processing, need only load into projector.
As I remember, the Vision films were marketed to makers of R&R music videos fo give a “film” look.
 

Chan Tran

Subscriber
Joined
May 10, 2006
Messages
6,660
Location
Sachse, TX
Format
35mm

That is what I said you have to use Ektachrome. You can't use Vision 3 if you were to develop yourself. But Kodak wanted to sell Vision 3 not so much Ektachrome. They offer more choices on Vision 3.
 

Alan Edward Klein

Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2017
Messages
9,283
Location
New Jersey formerly NYC
Format
Multi Format
mshchem said:
I'm holding out for standard 8
Click to expand...

I still have my wind up triple lens turret 8mm Revere from 1958. Seems to be working since it will run when I wind it up. Of course, nothing to test it with.
 

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
51,996
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format

Chan Tran

Subscriber
Joined
May 10, 2006
Messages
6,660
Location
Sachse, TX
Format
35mm

Interesting as I would think Kodak wouldn't do it in house. For most other stuff I think they would contract a Chinese company but the design of this camera doesn't seem Chinese. Not even Europian or Japanese. It does look American.
 

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
51,996
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
I don't know if there is any connection between the people who are involved with the Super 8 camera and the people who were original to Creo - the printing industry company that initially provided the business and technology that is now at the core of Eastman Kodak. They too were originally based in this area - where there is a fair amount of innovative technology.
 

Crysist

Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2012
Messages
71
Location
New York
Format
Multi Format

That's interesting, because this one company that has made some high-end 8mm cameras, Logmar, seems to have evidence of being involved with it on their page. They previously released a 50 unit run of a fancier version they call Chatham that had pin registration and nearly half the things people have requested of the new camera. I guess that was a sort of prototype/alpha for their later work and what got Kodak interest for when they showed up at CES, a simpler user-friendly camera, with it originally slated to be $800.

They made a 5-perf 65mm camera as well and I remember once upon a time they were supposedly trying to make their own IMAX camera, but abandoned it. I still find them a mystery, who is involved, who manufactures, what are they doing now with this third 8mm camera, etc?

Edit: Seems the CEO replying to a thread on cinematography.com tells what the story had been up to about a year ago, but as the last post asks it's still a question of what they're working towards right now.
 
Last edited:

Agulliver

Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2015
Messages
3,459
Location
Luton, United Kingdom
Format
Multi Format
There ought to have been no doubt that the camera was still in development, there have been occasional social media posts from Kodak about test rolls throughout the last few years.

I doubt it makes sense for us. But this will sell to professionals who want a totally reliable, small super 8 camera with video assist. Possibly to film schools though the price is in 16mm territory.

Kodak Vision 3 filmstocks are amazing though of course designed to be scanned, inverted and carefully colour grade electronically. Kodak do still do Ektachrome colour reversal and Tri-X B&W reversal for those of us who sometimes prefer to project. Are Andec in Berlin still doing prints from super 8 negative stock?
 

Hassasin

Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2023
Messages
1,307
Location
Hassasstan
Format
Multi Format
I'm really excited about the articulated screen. Imagine a screen that can articulate, amazing stuff. The word is that Kodak engineers have articulated this screen five thousand four hundred and ninety nine times during pre-release testing.
 

Angarian

Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2018
Messages
231
Location
Europe
Format
Multi Format
perkeleellinen said:
I wonder if the camera is hand made, seems like the target market is film schools or rental places.
Click to expand...

I have always thought that the intended market for that camera are schools / colleges in which cinematography / movie film production is taught.
But:
For that market - regular more "heavy" use by many different students - offering a guarantee for only 20 rolls of film???
That does not make any sense.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…