Beginner question

Derek Leverette · September 25, 2005

I've spent the better part of the past 4 days online, reading nothing but S8, DS8, Single 8, all kinds of 8mm knowledge and I'm kind of obsessed with it. I'm a film student and I've decided I have to shoot film, asap. The entry cost of 16mm is too high, I feel. And I don't really care for naturalism in cinema anyway, so S8 is how I'll go.

From what I've read, it seems K40 is wonderful because of its price and quality, maybe not the best for transfer but still good. It amazes me that I could shoot and transfer (not on a rank machine) 4 rolls of K40 for little more than 100$. A shitty transfer maybe, but good enough for me to edit an experimental piece.

But K40 is going to go away and I've never shot a single roll. I still want to get into S8 because people say 64T could be great, maybe even better for telecine. I want to self-fund 500$ music videos, shoot in S8, and then edit on a friend's workstation.

Is this the right choice for me? I'm going to buy a Leicina Special and of course use proper transfer for serious work - but what about the costs of raw stock and processing for 64T? Do we think it can compare to K40?

I'm encouraged also by Spectra's deal. From them, it appears one can buy a package of 8 rolls of S8, even neg film, get processing, rank telecine and media tape for under 500$. But some people strongly dislike the neg stocks in S8... (not having seen it myself, I ask you for advice)

I'm ranting at this point. What do you guys think. Am I swept up by the romantic qualities of all of this? Is the death of K40 the death of S8 as a poor, starting filmmaker's learning tool? Do I instead save up the big bucks for 16? Please help.

John Pytlak RIP · September 25, 2005

If you plan on professional telecine transfers, the Kodak VISION2 Color Negative Films 7217 and 7218 offer the best quality, with lots of latitude. You can reduce graininess further by giving up to a stop of overexposure, which places more of the scene onto the finer grained mid- and slow- emulsion components. Avoid underexposure, especially for Super-8.

Use reversal if you want to edit and project your camera originals (e.g., "home movies") or want the "look" of reversal.

A.Oliver · September 25, 2005

Hi, leicina special is a great choice of camera, if you can, run a test film through the camera before purchase or buy one with a warranty, you pay more but its worth it. I have used other cameras, many swear by canon 1014xls, yes i had two for twenty years, but the special i find gives sharper images especially when the lens is wide open. 10mm cinegon should give you unsurpassed super 8 images.

You still have time, buy some k40 while you have a chance.

As for k40 vs 64T, here in the UK, we have no processing facilities for the new 64t

stock, price i believe will be around £9.00 for 64T plus processing,plus shipping to and from Europe, I reckon the cost of super 8 reversal may have doubled once k40 ends. I think any light user of k40 will abandon super 8 now. I know of three people who shoot there home movies on super 8, two of them said they will give up, one is prepared to give the 64t a go, but his canon 514xl will not read the film speed correctly. It will be interesting to see in 12months time if super 8 reversal sales have plumitted in the uk.

Anthony Schilling · September 25, 2005

the Kodak VISION2 Color Negative Films 7217 and 7218 offer the best quality

You can shoot 20 minutes worth of color negative and get a good transfer at Cinepost. Film, process, prep and transfer (8 carts: 20 minutes @ 24fps) can be done for around $350 with results that look closer to 16mm than traditional S-8.

September 25, 2005

I'm surprised to hear that there are no UK labs for 64 super 8? I'm hardly a film processing expert and only know the basics that every filmmaker should know, but that stock is part of that whole family of new generation ektachromes that are supposed to be really easy to do, aren't they? I've even seen tabletop processors that some people who develop film for a passtime use that aren't extraordinarily expensive. In all the UK there's no film lab going to take up that potential market? Surely somebody who develops the black and white reversals should jump on board for that. It's not much of a stretch I don't think.

Edited September 25, 2005 by santo