Shooting Super 8 with Ektachrome 64T or Kodak Vision

[filmamigo]

How are you processing your film, and are you getting good results? Assuming you're aiming for clean film.

Tom.

I'm finally processing 35mm and 120. I'm starting with AGFA Ilfosol 3.

I'm happy with the results so far. I'm just getting the darkroom light tight, so I haven't made any prints from the negs yet. Looking forward to that soon.

I'm also about to start tray processing 4x5 black and white... talk about a difference in format between Super 8 and 4x5!

 

[nickandre]

I've had the worst luck with regular 8. The first camera I used was a Canon with electric eye metering that used the famed mercury cells. I got an alkaline replacement and wasn't convinced the meter was working. I ran a bit through that and gave up. My second adventure was using a bolex model, which was cool. The first run worked wonders, but when I went to take the film out after the second run I discovered that the takeup reel had failed. I got a giant accordian of ruined film spread throughout the camera. On my next try the camera had corrosion in the battery compartment and I can only get it to run using paper clips. I think the gods of regular 8 hate me.

 

[Ektagraphic]

I don't think the regular 8 gods hate you . Maybe just the old canon movie camera gods hate you....Try getting an old regular 8 camera that winds up and does not need any batteries. My old Keystone takes no batteries and reccomends what exp. to use on a chart. It is great!

 

[Ektagraphic]

Does anyone know if you must have a darkroom to use a 16mm camera?

 

[Fredrik Sandstrom]

Does anyone know if you must have a darkroom to use a 16mm camera?

No you don't. Most 16mm cameras take 100 ft so called "daylight" spools, that should be loaded in subdued light but don't need total darkness. The larger 400 ft spools must be loaded in darkness though. (Even so, you could probably use a changing bag and get by without a darkroom.)

 

[Ektagraphic]

Thank. Maybe I will give 16mm a try...It is a little expensive though. Do you know how long a 100' 16mm movie runs?

 

[Fredrik Sandstrom]

Do you know how long a 100' 16mm movie runs?

A little under three minutes at sound speed (24 fps).

 

[Ektagraphic]

Only three minutes for 100 feet . That is way to expensive for me. Dwayne's is getting $40 for 100 feet of E100D, which is what I would shoot. I think I stick with super 8 and 8mm

 

[stwb]

Kind of an old thread, I know, but it seemed like the best place to ask my question re: super8 movie film/cameras. Maybe APUG needs a new forum for Super Eight. Anyway, I recently discovered my dad's old Argus/Cosina Model 708 Super8 camera and I'm trying to figure out how it works. Most things seem pretty basic: ie. zoom, manual focus, viewfinder focus. What I'm having trouble with is how to set the aperature?? Also, when would a person switch to a slower frame rate?
I've searched everywhere for info on this camera with hardly any luck at all. Does anyone out there in APUG land have this camera?
Thanks.

 

[PHOTOTONE]

Kind of an old thread, I know, but it seemed like the best place to ask my question re: super8 movie film/cameras. Maybe APUG needs a new forum for Super Eight. Anyway, I recently discovered my dad's old Argus/Cosina Model 708 Super8 camera and I'm trying to figure out how it works. Most things seem pretty basic: ie. zoom, manual focus, viewfinder focus. What I'm having trouble with is how to set the aperature?? Also, when would a person switch to a slower frame rate?
I've searched everywhere for info on this camera with hardly any luck at all. Does anyone out there in APUG land have this camera?
Thanks.

I don't have this camera, but I have had a bunch of cameras like it. I can tell you that many, many super 8 cameras only did auto-iris, there was no way to manually set the aperture. The ISO of the film is set by notches on the super 8 cartridge. Switching frame rates. If you want natural looking movement you shoot at the same frame rate that you project the film at. Most silent home movies were shot and projected at 18 frames per second, and some sound home movies were also shot at 18 frames per second, but all professional films are shot at 24 frames per second, which since the middle 1920's has been the standard. You might want to change frame rates because of a special effect you want. For slow-motion you shoot at a higher frame-rate than you will be projecting the film. For speeded-up action you shoot at a slower frame-rate than you project.

These consumer cameras, such as yours, attempted to be as fully automatic as the technology and price-point allowed them to be. Point and shoot. This is why you don't find all the controls you find on professional cameras.

 

[stwb]

Forgot about this thread. Thanks for the info phototone. I got some great info from Ektagraphic as well, thanks again.
Update: I got a new battery so the light meter seems to work now. There is indeed a manual control for the aperature on this model. After further playing around I noticed that for some reason I have to put pressure on the knob while turning to change the aperature manually but as soon as I let go of the knob the aperature doesn't stay where I set it. I think something is wrong with the contacts or wiring. Automode seems to work fine. It's a bummer because I would think manual control of aperature would allow more creative shots. Oh well. Can't have everything. Keeping my eyes peeled for used cameras that are fully functional.

 

[Ektagraphic]

Have you had a chance to shoot any film yet?

 

[Matt5791]

I think if you look into it, you might find that 16mm colour neg is cheaper to shoot than Super8 because many more labs process 16mm. $40 sounds expensive for 100'. Traditionally motion picture film has always been sold direct by Kodak and Fuji - phone up the requisite department and tell them you are a small time, low/no budget film maker student.

In the UK certainly, it is cheaper to shoot 16mm. Unless of course you are content with shooting reversal and projecting the processed camera original through the projector without sound.

If you want Super8 or 16mm from Kodak in the UK phone Hemel Hempstead and ask for Entertainment Imaging. For Fuji 16mm phone Fuji motion picture and, again, they will sell it to you. The last time i bought Fuji 16mm it was £16 for 100'.

Matt

 

[PHOTOTONE]

16mm color neg is for sure cheaper to shoot, but I think more expensive in the long run as you will have to have a scan to digitize it, or have a workprint made to project it. Reversal has always been best for the hobbiest, as the film you shoot, when processed can be put directly in your projector and watched.

 

[Matt5791]

16mm color neg is for sure cheaper to shoot, but I think more expensive in the long run as you will have to have a scan to digitize it, or have a workprint made to project it. Reversal has always been best for the hobbiest, as the film you shoot, when processed can be put directly in your projector and watched.

Absolutely - it's just if you plan to add sound etc. really the only practical, and the cheapest way, these days is to telecine to a digital format, edit in one of the numerous pieces of software that are very inexpensive now, and then view from DVD. This way you of course get the look of film with the convenience of digital. And you can easily distribute you film to whoever you want.

I would love to be able to project, with sound, in a traditional projector, but it's just not practical and too expensive. And I dont like projecting the camera original.

Colour neg, be it Fuji or Kodak, is incredible these days too. I've shot Vision 500T at night, in night clubs etc. in very low light indeed with amazing results. The felxibility of these modern emulsions is amazing with incredible over/under latitude.

 

[stwb]

Have you had a chance to shoot any film yet?

Not yet, in fact I haven't even purchased any yet. Phoned Kodak, and I can get the film a bit cheaper from them than from B & H. Kodak says around $17 CDN per 50 feet of the Ektachrome T or Vision 2.
In the mean time my dad has sent me all of his processed film from the late 60's early 70's (mostly Kodachrome, Kodachrome II) which I'm anxiously awaiting to go through, catalogue and convert to digital (DIY style). Saw a cheap projector at the flea market last week. If it's there today, and it works, I'm gonna snag it.


peace