Gareth Blackstock

I recently purchased an 814 that was "dead on arrival" after buying it off ebay. I figured I had nothing to loose, so proceeded to dismantle it hoping to find the cause. On the way, i thought if a took photos of the procedure, and posted them, they might help another in the same boat. I also included some pics of a 1014 i picked up that was not working, still looking into that one. I did the same procedures on a 1218 i bought a year ago, again, D.O.A, and I got that one going to. If people want to see pics of that, I might be able to dig them too. Anyway, have a look at the website below, might come in handy... http://canon-s8-repair.yolasite.com/ The good news was, the camera now works great, and if anyone was curious, have a look at the site. If I have made any glaring errors, let me know. I hope the pictures are useful. cheers, gareth blackstock

Below are links to some cameras off ebay.com, usa version. just examples of worthy cameras http://cgi.ebay.com/Minolta-Autopak-8-D6-S...id=p3286.c0.m14 http://cgi.ebay.com/YASHICA-SUPER-60-8MM-E...id=p3286.c0.m14 http://cgi.ebay.com/FILM-TESTED-ELMO-350SL...id=p3286.c0.m14 http://cgi.ebay.com/CANON-SUPER8-S8-CAMERA...id=p3286.c0.m14 http://cgi.ebay.com/Sankyo-CM600-Super-8-M...id=p3286.c0.m14

there are dozens of cameras out there that are worthy of shooting great images, sankyo, chinon, yashica, hannimex, elmo, et all! If anything, these cameras might be a little less used than the popular canons. concerning functions, as long as it can shoot 18 and 24 fps, has a manual exposure ability, and can take E64 film cartridges, you will have no problems. Be sure the camera takes "AA" batteries, rechargeable ones may be well past thier useability. Be sure no special items are required to hold the batteries in the handle such as plastic battery packs. Be sure to check the lens for fungus, and avoid, looks like tiny cobwebs inside the lens, avoid scratches no matter what the seller says. if the camera has "XL" on it, this means it can shoot low light happily, if not "XL" use some lights. by and large people have very different experiences with all types of cameras, but most cameras take good images, are reliable, and robust. The cameras i mentioned above can be bought for as little as $15 to as high as $45 on ebay, cheap enough to experiment with! At these prices buy three! happy shopping

from what i have picked up here and there, if the footage is shot at 18fps, and the finished product is to be 29fps, a frame is copied and replicated to stretch out the frame rate. Ie if you shot a flower for 2seconds at 18fps, then 11 frames would be copied and replicated to bring it up to 29fps. I am unsure of the effects of this, and others might have more accurate information on how the system works? but, apparently most non-synch super8 cameras fluctuate in frame rate, often around 21fps to 23fps. This depends on so many variables from battery charge to camera make as to be an unreliable assumption. good luck, cheers

Concerning the benefits of 18fps versus 24fps: 18fps is great for shooting non-synch film, lasts longer! but do not pan sideways too quickly, or film passing vehicles, it comes out "patchy" but for most moderate action i believe 18fps is fine. 24fps is ideal for all fast action, either filming a scene of high activity or running with the camera. Some state that shooting at 24fps lends a sharper image, as the film moves past the shutter faster, but i think this depends more on your camera's shutter angle, a canon 518 is 185 degrees which seems a happy medium between 220 degrees for low light, and 150 degrees for lots of light. Shooting 24fps when attempting to synch to sound is always best. And i think all this depends on whether you live in a NTSC or PAL country, shooting at 24fps in the states, the lab you transfer with will do so at 29fps, shooting 24fps in Australia for example, the transfer will be almost on par with what you shoot. ask your local transfer house..... cheers. www.mishkin.yolasite.com

O.K, some fair points here, however: for the prices you suggest, my options are still limited, for the $500USD i might pick up one of the early models, from either 1940 to 1950, but the lenses are again another thing all together, again i'm looking at either an ancient lens, or paying almost $250USD for a lens from the 70's. just the other day an arri ST and BL went for between $450AU and $580AU! and these cameras did not come with lenses. Be aware that prices between countries will vary greatly, sure i might be able to pick up a good 16mm from texas, but i include postage, around $150AU average, and the travel here in which damage easily occurs. Ebay has, in my view, has increased camera prices greatly as sellers get on ebay to gauge what they might ask by looking at current auctions with reserves or high bids and taking these as good gauges of what people will pay, however, they fail to look at what cameras have actually sold for. Resolution? here i think we good argue for years here, but IMHO 16mm tri-x or Plus-x shot in old cameras with old lenses, even from the 70's are still not that much better than what a super8 camera can achieve. Better 16mm Frame area is a good point, however, considering that the final presentation medium these days is more likely to be either the internet or DVD rather than projection, I still see Super8 as very competitive. But i still dream of shooting 16mm negative stock with a full lab transfer, maybe when i win a lottery.... cheers

"IMO S8 is great for a suitable story, but since it's not much cheaper than 16mm nowadays I wouldn't use it for much else, unless I want that look for some reason" I do not believe 16mm is only a little more expensive than S8, for example: i have seen reversal 16mm shot on an old camera with old lenses, i have to say i thought it looked like S8. on the other hand, i have seen negative footage shot on a modern camera, with modern lenses, and the result was stunning! equal to 35mm!? IMHO. So, i have gained the impression that shooting 16mm reversal stocks using old lenses is almost equal to the clarity of a well handled S8, and yes, the stock is cheap, the camera resonable too. But, to get the clarity of negative 16mm, one might need a camera worth several thousand dollars, with a decent maintenance history, and then have to use a lab to transfer the footage, around $500 an hour! So, in the end, if i was to shoot 16mm, it would be with modern equipment, or at least a modern lens or two, and i would shoot negative, and i would definetly get someone else to pay for it all! note: Bear in mind that perhaps film services are cheaper in the northern hemisphere, and this may have coloured my opinions accordingly, either way, from my enquiries locally, 16mm remains very expensive! cheers.

I agree very strongly concerning the shakey hand held footage, but whether the format is being used for more than it was invented for..... in this i disagree, there are very few items these days that we use stricktly as per their intention, old cars that we still use everyday, computers that we should replace, motorcycles over 40 years old that we still use, et all! So we can establish that using 40 year old technology, in at least 15 year cameras, is not only do-able, but can create great looking footage!? I think the limitations of super8 are also their saving grace, their lack of "options" keeps the cameras light and cheap, easy to maintain. In fact, without the bells and whistles, compared to 16mm cameras, has saved super8 from over priced workshops selling everything from re-calibrating lenses to grease jobs. And film image quality? surely picture making is more than creating a facsimily of a scene, too often I feel image clarity, sharpness, is prioritised over the "feel" of a scene, the interpretation, a way to convey the "vibe", this is why some stocks are chosen over others. Super8 bridges the gap between image, clarity, and cost. But i agree cartridge jitters are an unacceptable gamble when your shot could be costing you hundreds! cheers.

I reckon the 814 is the better camera, but the pick of the litter, i think, is the 814 electronic. The electronic has a 150 degree shutter, which i think helps get a sharp image compared to the older 814 which is 220 degree shutter, better in low light. If you want some good glass, go the 1218! very front heavy!

hello. I am also based in melbourne, and have made a couple of short films here and there. I had a look at the music video, i thought it was pretty good! Although i cannot help with "on the nail" pointers, there are soome web pages below with forums that have a wealth of knowledge in all areas cine. very helpful here: http://filmmelbourne.com.co.in/ very good resource here: http://rebels.latenitefilms.com/community/ everyone after work looks here: http://filmnet.yuku.com/ Good luck in your pursuit, judging by your youtube sample, I would be happy to work with you, although i cannot pay!? sorry. cheers my site: www.mishkin.yolasite.com

According to this site http://super8wiki.com/index.php/Super_8_EK..._in_old_cameras your camera will take E64 silent film, but you will have to manually adjust the exposure. If you do not do this, the film might be over exposed or under exposed, if this happens you have a fair chance that the footage will still come out ok. Because you have a sound camera, that does not mean you have to buy sound film, this is no longer available new or fresh. Normal super8 film will fit in your camera fine. Although the link below is aimed at the Australian community, it has many links, like what types of film are available. http://mishkin.yolasite.com/australian-super8.php good luck

My first camera was a cheap super8, $20AU for a sankyo and i shot some great footage, and some terrible footage! I dropped it off tripods, it bounced down stairs, it's been strapped to a car bonnet, thrown to a person off a moving train(who missed catching it!) and it still shoots great footage. Since then i have bought many cameras, they all have different capabilities, and are all reliable. Maybe i'm just lucky? And they are all made in japan. To the origonal inquiry: buy a super8 camera, buy a camera you can easily get stock for, and you can easily process. Buy a cheap one to start, because if you break it, no great loss. If it turns out to be a dud, no great loss. Every small format forum on the net has an enormous breadth of knowledge concerning cameras and all their unique capabilities, but as always, be wary of all advice, it is usually subjective. At the end of the day, do what you are comfortable doing, and spending. And get shooting anything, with any camera, with any tripod, with any lense. good luck

hello. I have shot tri-x at night indoors and had no problems. However, i used a lot of lights, all 500watt quartz halogen. If memory serves, i used around 6 bounced for large interiors, and 3 joined together for a hard key light for close shots. You can buy them from hardware stores very cheaply. If possible pick up a 1000watt light. Also reflectors are really handy! glue some tinfoil to a cut down cardboard box, or spray paint the cardbourd white. (use primer first!) Also, use as many house lights and lamps as possible, even flourescent. As you are shooting B&W, the colour temp of the lights will not affect your film. grab some halogen work lights, light it up till your exposure hits 5.6, and shoot with confidence! cheers.

Alright, I have uploaded the audio. it is on the website below. http://mishpics.yolasite.com/super8-blimp-designs.php Either click on the item to play it in the page, or right click and save it to hard drive. (in case you are wondering from the noises in the background, i was filming surrounded by dogs and cats) I look forward to your feedback. cheers

I do have an audio clip, I will upload it tonight, or in around 12 hours time. have to go to work soon. cheers.

I built two blimps for two of my cameras for use this summer. I used quite a few materials, and the finished product looks like a camera from the 1920's, but the noise is down almost 98%! I even filmed a test roll in a typical lounge, 5 feet from the actor, the the sound recording picked up nothing! I added the link to the pictures below, as i cannot work out how to paste images into the forum, so have a look. http://mishpics.yolasite.com/super8-blimp-designs.php Also, the mike i used was a cardioid. A typical uni-directional mike would pick up the camera noise easily. The picture samples are a link off my main website. http://www.mishkin.yolasite.com/ cheers This is also posted on www.filmshooting.com

hello. from my experience the 518 is pretty good for shooting. reddish tinge might be old film? or kept in a hot place. I have heard that can happen. If shooting to add dialogue later, def shoot 24fps, but only for 20 seconds at a time, this will make synching up later easier. Concerning exposure, if the conditions are average, ie not too dark or too bright, just manually set the camera exposure to 5.6. this should cover your average bright and dark areas. you can also pick up an old hand held reflective light meter cheaply, just keep in mind they are mostly for still cameras. search the forums for the calculation to convert to motion film readins. good luck

good advise on the mikes, may have to re-think the way i approach that area. Although i have had great results so far without a pre-amp. concerning the other items you suggest, they may be excellent for sound quality, but as i am spending my own money, with no chance of making money, I have to purchase items, that if not used frequently, will not annoy me. kind of like buying a ducati motorcycle from new, and only having 10,000 kms on the clock after 10 years. pointless. I have seen a great feal of fantastic audio devices for sale, but i have to justify the cost versus use, the balance is what i am after. concerning the minidisc, true, there is compression, but i have done comparisons myself on other peoples equipment, and i have to say that as i am not an audio expert, merely an "audience member" i cannot tell the difference on unmixed, moderate volume recordings. i do not mean to sound unappreciative, i just have to weigh my needs against my wants. cheers.

After posting my query, i did a little research on inveerters, and from what i can tell you are quite right, if i want to use a pre-amp i will have to spend a lot of dollars! I think i will stick with what i have been doing, using a cheaper dynamic mic straight into a minidisc. So far the sound is very good, just have to get a sock. i may buy a pre-amp for mains connection to use with my shure "in studio". there seems a great deal i need to learn about field recording on a small budget. cheers

I recently purchased an Audiowerk 8 recorder card to start finalising my little “sound studio” As I have a bit of time before I have to use the system, it gives me time to learn how to actually use Audiowerk 8. Basically I shoot short films, on Super8 cameras and am experimenting with recording live sound at a better quality level than what I have been doing up to date. From this forum I was hoping to gain some advice on my recording system, hidden pitfalls or benefits to look for. So far I have: Effective camera blimp by two Shure PG48 microphone + assorted dynamic mikes of lesser quality Portable Audio mixer for mixing multiple mikes into one line Sony MiniDisc recorder, non HD. Audiowerk 8 audio card + VMR What I need to buy: Mike Pre-amp (yet to buy, need low amperage one—see below) Power converter (yet to buy, something that runs off a car battery to power pre-amp for location sessions.) I realise the problems of shooting non-sync camera with separate sound, this I have fixed during editing. The MiniDisc may be not the best choice in many peoples view, but I find the sound great, and the recorder cheap, portable, and rugged. The Audiowerk 8 seems a good choice, but I need to learn more about using this and what it can do for me. Like I said, if people are able to advise on my system, or what to look out for, that would be great. Cheers.

hello, all. well the pg48 arrived, nice feeling mike i must say, but i cannot get a sound out of it!? i was in the midst of comparing it with my other three mikes, which functioned normally, but not the shure. I am not using a pre-amp at this point, but from what i understand, i should still be getting audio.... i made sure it was switched on, right connections etc. Could somebody help me with this one, as i bought it off ebay, and need to test it before i loose the chance to return it. any help would be great. cheers, gareth

thanks for the quick replies. the suggestion of the shotgun mike is a good one, but alot of people have told me that as good as they are at picking up dialogue and little else ambient noise, they also warned that one has to be careful not to "aim" the mike away from the source, say at the wall or other reflective surface, say if the source or actor moves around the set. plus the cost is a great deal more than the shure pg48 i am considering. with the minidisc, once i import the file to the computer, i save it as an avi file, and don't seem to loose any fidelity. at least if i buy the pg48 and discover the difference between my cheap mike is minor, then at least i have not spent hundreds for a minor advance in quality. admitedly, if i had a DAT or tascam recorder, a $2000 pre-amp, and a $500 mixer, i guess the quality would shine through, as i guess my minidisc "dulls" any sound i might get. cheers, Gareth

hello all. I was hoping for some advice on buying a mic. here are the choices i have: shure pg48-seems to be a good mike, specifically for voice, which is fine with me. I can get this for AU$70 NEW or: shure sm58-seems to be a great mike, covers everything, but more expensive. I can get this for around AU$150 second hand The recording device will be a mini disc, and i may get a pre-amp later on, although i think i might just try to get the mike closer. Is there a remarkable difference in the sound quality between the two? could a short film audience tell the difference? I currently have an old mike, from the early 90's, non-brand, but sounds good to me, yet i am keen to improve my recording quality. And if i record onto minidisc, will all the benefits of a fantastic mike like the sm58 be lost on the minidisc, if so, would the pg48 be a good middle ground mike considering my system? Sorry if i seem confused, but i have few references with which to judge. any help would be appreciated, cheers, Gareth

hello. i might have some ideas that might help you with the sound aspect. build a blimp, or soundproof cover for the camera. some cameras are noisy, others not so much, depends on condition. I use a metal case, with padding layers of dense lead rubber, a remote for the "trigger" and external battery pack. It works so well, i can film in a concrete room, 6 feet from the actor, and get no "camera noise" total cost for the blimp, around $30AUD for recording i use a minidisc, these are the best, if you buy one, be sure to get one that takes AA batteries, other chargeable internal batteries can be hard to get. almost any brand will be very suitable. they are almost the cheapest digital recording device you can get. they need Minidiscs, these are harder to find new. Ebay has tons of both these items. As far as i know, there are no super8 camera repair bussinesses in australia, I might be very wrong here, look around. chances are if you buy a camera off Ebay it will be ok, depends on the price, more is not always best. if it runs when you get it, chances are it will keep running. hope these thoughts are a little help, Super8 filmers in Aussie are dwindling fast.... good luck

hello, i have found tri-x to be really good. I included a link to what i did with it. I am yet to try plus-x. the B&W images on the web page below were shot with a Sankyo CM300, shutter of 150 degress, no post production work, and transfered by rank cintel method. http://members.fotki.com/caspin-films/about/ feedback i would like if nice.... Cheers