Canon Scoopic

[Guest FilmmakerJack]

Hey, I'm about to purchase a Canon Scoopic. I've looked into it and I was wondering if there was anything anyone felt needed to be said. "This camera would be a wise investment." or "Whatever happens, do not buy this camera." Which statement would you agree with most?

[Matt Pacini]

Search the archives, there are tons of posts about the Scoopic, so I would suggest looking up all the various opinions about the camera there, however, since I own one, I'll give you a Readers Digest condensed version of the pro's & cons:

 

1. Don't get the original grey Scoopic (with the 13mm-76mm lens, or whatever it is). Get the M or MS only, the lens is better. The MS fetches premium prices, but it's only advantage of the M is that it can take 400 foot loads (with a special (also expensive) adapter, & 400 foot CP16 magazine), and that it has a filter slot behind the lens for internal gel filters.

 

2. Nifty little camera, decent lens, but not fantastic lens, and it's built in; you can't use other lenses.

 

3. Super noisy, too noisy to shoot dialog with unless you have a mondo barney on it.

 

4. Only takes 100ft (2.5 minute) loads.

 

5. Pro: it takes daylight spools, so you can load it quickly in subdued light. (Don't need a darkroom or changing bag).

 

6. Is not crystal sync.

 

I like my Scoopic, and use it when I need quick handheld cutaway shots & stuff like that, but I use my CP16R/A as my main camera, because it's quiet, takes great lenses, and is crystal sync.

 

Matt Pacini

[Guest FilmmakerJack]

Thanks. That helped a lot. I think I'll go with it.