I’ve been browsing the super 8 cameras on eBay a fair amount lately. I know nothing about how to shop for these, and they make little financial sense. (The cameras aren’t terribly expensive, but a roll of super 8 film costs $40 to $50, for about three minutes of video.)

I really shouldn’t buy one, especially an older one that looks cool.

Wood Goblin wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 10:49 am I’ve been browsing the super 8 cameras on eBay a fair amount lately. I know nothing about how to shop for these, and they make little financial sense. (The cameras aren’t terribly expensive, but a roll of super 8 film costs $40 to $50, for about three minutes of video.)

I really shouldn’t buy one, especially an older one that looks cool.

I might not be the right guy for this as I have been wanting to do some filming again for years. Let's also consider this group for this discussion as we'll drop what now amounts to hundreds of dollars on analog tape when we could have as many tracks as you want in a DAW for pennies.

That being said, getting a camera now should be very easy even if the media itself is very costly. I would comb second hand/vintage shops. I see them at antque shops all the time for < $10. Even if it sits on the shelf, they do look cool. I just picked up a Kodak XL362 and a viewing/editing deck for < $20 for both.

I'm having a hard time generating an actual TMOOI. Film is one of those things where the limitations are also part of the charm and draw of the medium. It sucks as a format in a lot of ways, expensive, chemical-based (no idea how safe this stuff is for the environment), unless you develop yourself you have to wait and that's also expensive, no idea if you have useable stuff until it's been sent off...but of course, you also know all that already. Also, my experience w/ Super 8 is that if you're not filming in daylight, you have to set up full lighting, same as any professional photographer. Any indoor light is very unlikely to cut it.

I have a small collection of 8, Super 8, and 16mm Cameras. Fun to fuck around with, I was considering shooting a music video with but maybe not.

I think just consider what you ultimately want to do with it. Just shooting for fun and project the images on from a projector (another cost) cool, go for it. You can get a little editing block and cut the film by hand and play around with it as well. If you want to develop the film and and then have it digitized to fuck around with on a computer that is another cost to figure. Also a thing to consider, Super 8 sound sucks, so if you want sound be prepared to get a secondary audio source.

16mm isnt *that* much more expensive and is a superior medium (imo) to play with.

Thanks! This would just be for my own enjoyment. I’ve been shooting still photography on film for the past year, and I find everything about it fulfilling—the look, the limitations, the way that costs force an economy on you. I get the film developed by a lab but scan the negatives at home. Analog inputs, digital darkroom.

Any motion-picture stuff would follow the same process. And it would just be for occasional events with friends or family—for the fun of doing something without an iPhone or digital camera.

Yeah, go for it. Especially if you are just shooting for pleasure and maybe syncing outside sound later. I mainly use my 8 and Super 8 cameras to get fucked up results with expired and fucked up film stock. Like anything artistic you will put money in, but playing with motion picture film can be really fun and rewarding.

Thanks, and I may hit you up for more advice later re: makes and models.

Although I suppose I should be disappointed that you failed to TALK
ME
OUT OF IT!

Wood Goblin wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 1:49 pm Thanks, and I may hit you up for more advice later re: makes and models.

Although I suppose I should be disappointed that you failed to TALK
ME
OUT OF IT!

My wife will be happy to know someone else other than her husband is storing film stock in their fridge.

I am all about Canon stuff for Super 8. I really (REALLY) beat the shit out of a few of mine and they still operate great and take great images.

I totally have about ten rolls of expired Tri-X and at max in my fridge.

I think you've talked me out of it if that helps any? Clearly I am only a dilettante in this world (and most others too I reckon). It's way way too expensive to just fuck around on as an amateur.

Wood Goblin wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 10:49 am I’ve been browsing the super 8 cameras on eBay a fair amount lately. I know nothing about how to shop for these, and they make little financial sense. (The cameras aren’t terribly expensive, but a roll of super 8 film costs $40 to $50, for about three minutes of video.)

I really shouldn’t buy one, especially an older one that looks cool.

Can you get film?