Some Canon Scoopic + 500T nighttime stills

Kevin Neal · June 19, 2021

Thought I’d share some stills from a recent music video shoot. Shot on an ultra 16 modified Canon scoopic & only available light. All 500T pushed 1 stop. Not final color grade, just my quick adjustments in resolve.
Higher res stills: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10LWsp72Wvi8Eu3_x4U6DvWFkVzoA1Xoe

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EBF79634-ACF0-461-A-9-AD3-11-E17-ED28-D4

8-C0-CC584-F760-4702-967-B-98-D02-CF35-E

948-D19-B3-549-C-47-E6-90-A9-E8-D9-EFEC0

02-CD2350-8-DAF-4993-BEA4-025-F71-BEAB15

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Edited June 19, 2021 by Kevin Neal
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Rick Kleeßen · September 1, 2021

Hey Kevin!

I also own a Scoopic. Could you explain what means ultra 16 modified?

greetings - Rick

Raaf Sundquist · September 3, 2021

Rick,

Rather than confusing you in my own words, this article explains it nicely ==> https://noamkroll.com/super-16mm-vs-ultra-16mm-why-im-converting-my-arri-sr-ii-to-ultra/

Hope that helps.

-- Raaf

Raaf Sundquist · September 3, 2021

Kevin,

The shots look good for available light - what lens/aperture did you use?

-- Raaf

Kevin Neal · October 5, 2021

On 9/1/2021 at 12:51 PM, Rick Kleeßen said:

Hey Kevin!

I also own a Scoopic. Could you explain what means ultra 16 modified?

greetings - Rick

Raaf nailed it. It's close to S16 without any recentering needed.

On 9/2/2021 at 11:04 PM, Raaf Sundquist said:

Kevin,

The shots look good for available light - what lens/aperture did you use?

-- Raaf

The scoopic has a fixed lens & then I used the canon wide angle adapter for some shots.

Was super run & gun so stayed around f4-5.6 most of the time to give myself some dof leeway, and then a couple (like that smoking shot w/ bokeh) are wide open. 500T pushed a stop is incredible when paired w/ good scan.

Will Montgomery · October 11, 2021

The Scoopic lens is really amazing...I've had colorists ask me what lens I was using because it was so sharp. The whole "zoom in for critical focus" is very easy with a Scoopic as well which helps. Very easy and efficient camera...especially for loading.

Jon O'Brien · October 12, 2021

Hi Will, which model of Scoopic is best in your opinion? Thanks for any advice.

These are great looking shots Kevin. Well done.

Will Montgomery · December 7, 2021

On 10/12/2021 at 2:12 AM, Jon O'Brien said:

Hi Will, which model of Scoopic is best in your opinion? Thanks for any advice.

Sorry I just saw this!

Scoopic MS lets you add a 400' magazine if you can find the adapter so I usually recommend that but I've had an M, MN & MS and they all shoot the same as far as I can tell so if you get a good deal on any of them...go for it.

I look at Scoopics as having the ease and convenience of Super 8 if you want...even the loading is the easier in any non-cartridge 16mm camera...but you can turn off the autoexposure and use your own meter as you want. The lens is just great. I have seen them removed from Scoopics and mounts put on them for use in other cameras actually.

Best part of a Scoopic is not having to constantly wind the camera. Can't tell you how that would hurt my hand after a half day of shooting. Then the autoloading and autoexposure are close seconds. It all adds up to ACTUALLY USING THE CAMERA more.

If you're shooting a feature then grab an Arri SR2 or 3 but for music videos, home movies and fun can't beat a Scoopic.

Jon O'Brien · December 8, 2021

Thanks Will! Good to know. The winding of spring-wound cameras doesn't bother me too much, as long as the turret if there is one isn't swung out to the side. Even with a Rex-O-Fader in place on a Bolex, which lifts the wind handle off the camera body a bit higher and gets it almost out of the way of the turret, I find it all just a bit too fiddly and frustrating, doing it multiple time during a shoot.

Jon O'Brien · December 8, 2021

Some people with Scoopics say that they've noticed a bit of image flicker occasionally. Have you ever seen this in your footage Will? Just the other day I came across a post by someone who said that flicker is caused by a light leak. I've heard it said that Scoopics have a strip of foam around the door or lid of the film compartment and that this sometimes has deteriorated and needs replacing.

Todd Pinder · December 10, 2021

On 12/7/2021 at 7:40 PM, Jon O'Brien said:

Even with a Rex-O-Fader in place on a Bolex, which lifts the wind handle off the camera body a bit higher and gets it almost out of the way of the turret

I use just the winding handle from the Rex O Fader sans mounting the Rex o Fader on the camera to achieve that stand off room