A beginners guide to shooting on FILM?

I don't think there will be anything economical about shooting on film, especially if you're talking about a 20 minute film. Rough estimate is $20/3 minutes of film stock including processing. Just a wag would be for a 20 minute film you'll be shooting approx. 120 minutes of film. That adds up to about $800 in film costs. Doesn't include the cost of the camera and lens or a cutter to edit with.

How are you going to address your sound requirements?

chokingthealligator said:

Hi guys. I would really like to shoot on film (either 8/16/35mm - not fussed). The thing is I have no idea where to start.

I do not have a camera yet - I have been looking on eBay but I'm not sure what is good/reliable....

Also, if I were to buy a camera where does one buy film these days? Can it be bought online for cheap?

How much film would I need for a 20 minute film?

I live in the UK so any reccomendations as to where to purchase both camera and film would be really appreciated, along with any other info that you think a beginner should know when attempting to get film equipment. I don't have much money and realise shooting on film is expensive but I really would like to try on a budget for a short film.

Thanks guys

Click to expand...

chokingthealligator said:

Hi guys. I would really like to shoot on film (either 8/16/35mm - not fussed). The thing is I have no idea where to start.

I do not have a camera yet - I have been looking on eBay but I'm not sure what is good/reliable....

Click to expand...

Start with super 8. However, starting in 16mm is also fine. More
expensive, but still a good place to start using film.

Super 8
Any camera from Canon, Elmo or Bauer will be good and reliable.
The three best:
Beaulieu 4008 ZM II - I shot two features with this camera.
Nikon R10 - the first camera I ever bought
Canon 1041 XL-S - a solid camera with a great lens and pretty
good under low light conditions.

16mm

Bell & Howell - old cameras, usually spring wound. Good solid
cameras to start with and very inexpensive.

Krasnogorsk a Russian made camera that many first timers use.
It takes 100’ daylight spools - about two and a half minutes. It runs
loud so that makes it difficult when recording sound and that 100' spool
makes for short takes and lots of reloading.

Bolex - the great workhorse of 16mm. Many different models to
choose from. The "H-16" is the first 16mm camera I bought and I still
use it. You can usually find them for not much money.

Beaulieu - the "R16" is one of my favorites. They are great cameras
with a beautiful lens and used are very inexpensive. It’s a little loud, but
can be quited with a barney.

Eclair - the NPR is the camera many film schools use. Rugged, solid
and quiet.

Canon - the Scoopic was the standard in TV news cameras in the
1970's. Easy to use. Another film school staple. Before video, every film
student used the reliable Scoopic before moving up to the Eclair.

CP-16 - a really nice, solid camera with crystal sync and most come
with an excellent Angenieuz zoom lens. These were used for news gathering
for decades.

chokingthealligator said:

Also, if I were to buy a camera where does one buy film these days? Can it be bought online for cheap?

Click to expand...

Film can be bought on line. Film is not cheap.

chokingthealligator said:

How much film would I need for a 20 minute film?

Click to expand...

In general it is recommended you shoot at least 8 to 1. And that is very low.
That means you will shoot 8 feet for ever finished foot of film. On super 8 runs
20ft per minute. So a 20 minute film will be 400ft. You will need to shoot at
least 3,200ft. That's 64 cartridges.

16mm runs 36ft per minute. So you would need to shoot a minimum of
5,760ft.

chokingthealligator said:

I live in the UK so any reccomendations as to where to purchase both camera and film would be really appreciated,

Click to expand...

I can't help with where to buy cameras, but I can do an on line search for
places in the UK that sell film. You can, too. I'll do it if you can't - just tell
me where in the UK you are so I can narrow down my search.

directorik said:

Start with super 8. However, starting in 16mm is also fine. More
expensive, but still a good place to start using film.

Super 8
Any camera from Canon, Elmo or Bauer will be good and reliable.
The three best:
Beaulieu 4008 ZM II - I shot two features with this camera.
Nikon R10 - the first camera I ever bought
Canon 1041 XL-S - a solid camera with a great lens and pretty
good under low light conditions.

16mm

Bell & Howell - old cameras, usually spring wound. Good solid
cameras to start with and very inexpensive.

Krasnogorsk a Russian made camera that many first timers use.
It takes 100’ daylight spools - about two and a half minutes. It runs
loud so that makes it difficult when recording sound and that 100' spool
makes for short takes and lots of reloading.

Bolex - the great workhorse of 16mm. Many different models to
choose from. The "H-16" is the first 16mm camera I bought and I still
use it. You can usually find them for not much money.

Beaulieu - the "R16" is one of my favorites. They are great cameras
with a beautiful lens and used are very inexpensive. It’s a little loud, but
can be quited with a barney.

Eclair - the NPR is the camera many film schools use. Rugged, solid
and quiet.

Canon - the Scoopic was the standard in TV news cameras in the
1970's. Easy to use. Another film school staple. Before video, every film
student used the reliable Scoopic before moving up to the Eclair.

CP-16 - a really nice, solid camera with crystal sync and most come
with an excellent Angenieuz zoom lens. These were used for news gathering
for decades.




Film can be bought on line. Film is not cheap.


In general it is recommended you shoot at least 8 to 1. And that is very low.
That means you will shoot 8 feet for ever finished foot of film. On super 8 runs
20ft per minute. So a 20 minute film will be 400ft. You will need to shoot at
least 3,200ft. That's 64 cartridges.

16mm runs 36ft per minute. So you would need to shoot a minimum of
5,760ft.


I can't help with where to buy cameras, but I can do an on line search for
places in the UK that sell film. You can, too. I'll do it if you can't - just tell
me where in the UK you are so I can narrow down my search.

Click to expand...

Hi mate. Wow. Thanks for all the help. ok, so it will definitely not be cheap. I like the sound of 16mm - I live near Southampton in the UK, I will do a search, don't worry! If you could take a quick look at this camera on eBay and tell me what you think I would really appreciate that.

Thanks for all your help.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Krasnogor...eCameras_SM&hash=item27bd79ae61#ht_579wt_1139

chokingthealligator said:

Hi mate. Wow. Thanks for all the help.

Click to expand...

Glad to help.

chokingthealligator said:

If you could take a quick look at this camera on eBay and tell me what you think I would really appreciate that.

Click to expand...

The Krasnogorsk is a Russian made camera that many first timers use.
It takes 100’ daylight spools - about two and a half minutes. It runs
loud so that makes it difficult when recording sound but it's a non sync
camera so that is usually not an issue.