super 8mm

[WeightOnWheels]

Hello all!

Just got 2 super 8mm cameras as a gift, have not had time to use them yet but they tell me they work perfectly. Just wondering if anyone knows anything about these cameras, please any information will be great.

1) Canon Super 8 Autozoom 814
2) Bell & Howell Focus Matic Autoload 309

ps: should i get a 8mm projector?

[indietalk]

canon 814 is nice, you will get a nice image with that.

[EDM17]

no but its nice to hear of more people around here using super 8! ive shot super 8 for a couple of years now. i think its a great format. 8)

as far as the projector goes, if i were you, i would not project my film, because of the chances of the film getting scratched and dirty. a year or so ago i got a portable projector on ebay, and it did scratch up my film. but i also hear a good amount of people saying they have had the same problems with a normal projector. i just get my film transfered to a raw avi file on a dvd-r so i can edit on the computer.

[scottspears]

The Canon is a good little camera. My main complaint is that they are noisy. Super-8 is a great little format and I think film teaches dicipline because of the cost. Video you can shoot and shoot for very little cost.

I agree with EDM, you should transfer your film to video to edit it. www.the transferstation.com or www.moviestuff.tv are a couple places to consider for this.

Scott

[HailtotheKing]

Great to see someone else doing film and getting into Super8!
Let us know how your shoot comes out with your new cameras.

[GREATwarEAGLE]

The projector scratching your film is an important consideration. But also consider this:

you can still project your film AFTER you have it transferred - and nothing inspires you more to shoot film rather than video like seeing your film projected as a large image in the dark.

So I say YES - buy a projector. Just make sure it's a SUPER 8 , not regular 8.

[christdrinkspee]

is there a diff between super8 and hi8 if so what is better to use?

[indietalk]

Originally Posted by christdrinkspee

is there a diff between super8 and hi8 if so what is better to use?

super8 = film
hi8 = video

[christdrinkspee]

alright what one would u suggest to use.becuse for my doucmentery i am filming were planing on useing hi8

[Demosthenes X]

Considering that Super 8 doesn't record audio, doing a Documentary in that format would be quite difficult. It would certainly make for an nice look, but the sync problems would be enourmous. Hi8 is the predessecor to Digital8 and MiniDV - if you can use MiniDV or even Digital8, do so. But don't let your camera limitations stand in the way of making a great video.

Something to consider about Super 8, though - I'm interning this summer at a local film school/camp in their Super 8 unit. I did it last year, and the way they do it actually makes for quite an interesting and unique experiance. We shoot with crappy old Super 8 cameras, hand process it, and digitize by projecting it and recording the projection with a MiniDV camera. The end result is a terribly choppy, grainy film - but the look is unlike anything I've ever seen. It's experimental filmmaking at its best. The only downfall of the process is that it's expensive - Super 8 film isn't cheap, and if you want it processed well it can be pretty costly too. Locally, we have a three-week turnaround for Super 8 processing, since it has to be sent to Switzerland. Hence why the school does hand processing. You can also use blank film and do some pretty cool scratch animation and effects with it - though you'd want 16mm+ for that, and that requires another projector.

All that said, Super 8 is great fun no matter which path you take with it.