Minolta XL Sound 42

S

Saloon218

I'm getting this from a friend/uncle in a few days, free since it's not really used by anyone but still works (also how I got into photography, through a Minolta lying around at a relative's house (well, not really lying around, in a bag, but still...:hmm:)).

Wanted to know about where I can find Super 8 film, where to get it developed, things to add to it, stuff like that. I'd like to know everything I can before I get it to see if this is what I need.

Although I know it's really not the tool, but the person who uses it, that doesn't mean nobody wants the top camera that they can (or can't) afford.

EDIT: WHAT did I mean by that sentence? I sound like I'm an online translator.

From what I can tell, I meant to say this:

Although I know it isn't the most sophisticated camera on the market, nor the best on that market, I would prefer getting it pre-owned by a family member than pre-owned by a random person on eBay or buying it. This is not to say that I don't want to get a really good camera someday. However, I don't think I deserve it until I actually make a serious film.
 
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Dunno that camera model, though I can tell you that S8 film is no longer available with sound-stripes.

Best place to get S8 film from is Kodak themselves. Linkage

They still make two types of B&W, two types of colour-negative, and one colour-reversal.

You can buy film cartridges off Ebay, as well, but you won't be getting fresh stock. Usually won't be cheaper than the source, either, unless it's just old.

_______

Basic steps are:

1) Buy & shoot film

2) Develop it a recommended lab. (I use Yale Film & Video, but they recently stopped procesing colour-neg)

3) Have processed film digitally transferred to video (telecine). This is not necessarily done at the same place that processed the film, though it can be.

4) Import telecined footage to computer & edit away. :)

4b) Unless you're hardcore, and insist on splicing the edits yourself. Rather you than me. :cool:

_______

Most telecine places have a "minimum" cost for the transfer. I've found that that comes out to roughly 5 or 6 cartridges, at a time, to make it worthwhile. (Really sucks brining in 1 or 2 cartridges and paying the minimum anyway... but sometimes ya gotta do it).

_______

I'm sure others have mentioned other good places to get film developed & telecined.

Pro8MM sell bundled packages, but they seem pretty expensive compared to finding the services separately. (Although, I guess you could say, it's a value-added service having it all done at one-stop-shop) Not my wallet, though.

Be wary of buying the old classic K40 filmstock. Kodak discontinued years ago, but there's still a lot for sale on Ebay. There's only one lab in the world that still develops it (Dwayne's)... and I'm not sure if they still do.

_______

That's all I got. :mope:
 
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Thanks!

That is a ton more than I realized I needed to know, but I'm definitely helped a lot by this...

Now...

Is anybody here able to give me a Zensteve-like post about the camera? I can probably figure out I/O switches, but, for instance, whether I need a seperate mic or not.

Much appreciated,

~Saloon218
 
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Years ago Kodak offered super 8 sound film - that was film
with a magnetic sound stripe on the side. You would record
both the audio and the visual just like you do with todays
video camera.

No one offers that film anymore.

So you will not only need a separate mic, but you will need
a separate audio recorder.
 
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Thanks for the reply...

So now it comes down to this: anything unusual or unexpected about minolta video cameras, particularly this one?

(To anyone reading this: DO NOT try to buy Super 8 at Wolf Camera. The sales guy tried to sell me Hi-8 for a while until he realized that I was actually referring to Super 8, at which point he laughed and said that nobody uses that anymore because it is from the 1950's-60's. I know of quite a few on this forum who would beg to differ. Guess that's what I get from trying to buy "old" film from Wolf. [Ironically, they sell many other film formats...])

~Saloon 218
 
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Just buy your film from Kodak, porkchop. :)

Saloon218 said:
So now it comes down to this: anything unusual or unexpected
Click to expand...

According to the S8 wiki, your camera shoots at 18fps (though it can be modified to 24fps, if you are good with a screwdriver)

So if you shoot at 18fps, you just need to let the telecine lab know that in advance. Otherwise, they won't know if you intended to shoot & 'cine at 18fps (to stretch running time of film cartridge), or if you shot at 18fps to be 'cined at 24fps (for a fast-motion effect).

Other than that... looks good to go. :cool:
 
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Thanks for all your replies...

I definitely want to thank everyone at IndieTalk...I just joined recently and already feel very welcome! It shows that the founder cares about this forum...he doesn't just make things and sit back.

I know this sounds very over-thankful for simple information about something I didn't know much about, but I have been on many forums where nobody cares, and you're lucky to get a reply in a year...

Thanks indietalk: CEO's never talk to random customers, but apparently some forum creators do...thanks for the motivation. I'll make sure to do that as soon as I get that next Thur.

~Saloon218
 
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It's a confusing article but they must be talking about the version that is not XL SOUND. All sound cameras have 24. Saloon218 can tell us when he gets his.
 
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YES!

First, sorry for the dp.

Second, I got the camera today!

XD

Picture to follow as soon as I remember my password on a img-hosting site...XD

indietalk: This camera has two options on fps: 1 and 18. I don't plan on stop-motion anytime soon, so that dial will stay firmly on 18. XD

~Saloon218
 
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I guess 18 fps was for sound also, I thought it was 24 only. Well, I do know that sound is much better at 24, but you don't have to worry about that, since you won't be using that function.
 
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I have not put any batteries in it, however, my uncle did and it apparently made the correct sounds when he pulled the trigger.

Should I keep the mic completely seperate from the camera, or should I connect it to the AUX port?

I assume seperate (since apparently the film is no longer sold w/sound stripes), but I'd like to make sure...I don't want to get it after it is telecined and find that it's a silent film, XD.

Also, anywhere one can buy film other than online? Google and Google Maps have not helped at all...they keep giving me Super 8 motel listings. XD


~Saloon218
 
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Saloon218 said:
Should I keep the mic completely seperate from the camera, or should I connect it to the AUX port?
Click to expand...

The mic should be plugged into a sound recording device of some kind. Completely separate from the film-camera.

I record audio to a video camera, myself. Some people swear by Sony MiniDisc recorders. Other people have real audio decks.

Btw, this is why you should make a slate or clapper of some kind - to help sync up the audio to the film, later.

Saloon218 said:
I don't want to get it after it is telecined and find that it's a silent film, XD.
Click to expand...

The telecined video you get back from the lab will be silent, yup.

Saloon218 said:
anywhere one can buy film other than online?
Click to expand...

Figure out what kind of filmstock you want to use (you got 5 different choices), and then do this:

smiley_phoneright.gif
Hi, is this Kodak? I'd like to order some film, please.

smiley_phoneleft.gif
Certainly, sir! Gimme the stock #, and how many you'd like.

smiley_phoneright.gif
Sure, I'd like 5 units of (whatever #), my address is (blah blah), and my creditcard is (blah blah)

smiley_phoneleft.gif
Your film will be shipped in the morning. Thank you for buying Kodak, where we only sell fresh filmstock.



Seriously... it works just like that. :)
 
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Well, thanks everyone!

I apologize for not posting in a while, but life took over. Now I brought the camera back out and I thought I'd look over my old posts to see if there was anything I needed to remember.

The camera's working great, I just have to buy the film now. The manual zoom is sticking a little, and the mechanized one isn't working at all, but otherwise great, with minimal delay between trigger and rolling.

Now to buy film! I'll post pictures later. Of the camera.

~Saloon218
 
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