Mark Sperry

Yeah it's totally a one light transfer and the didn't even do a proper job with the first shot! I'm so annoyed with them right now. Not. Looking. Back.

I've been working on a wedding film I shot recently and I used two labs for transfer this time around. Pro8mm and Frame Discreet. I bought a 6 roll package from Pro8mm and had some odd rolls that I sent in to Niagara Custom Lab and then on to Frame Discreet. I think I can say now that I will not be using Pro8mm in the future unless I have to. Take a look at the differences in color correction from the transfers. Pro8mm vs Frame Discreet by marksperry, on Flickr Now I should note that this was Kodak 250D and 100D (left to right). However the differences between negative and color stock don't account for an abundance for cyan for no reason. This is the same day, the same wedding, etc... Just minutes apart. For all the money Pro8mm wants, I don't really understand why I should bother with them anymore. I wrote to them and they said they don't know what happened, but they'd be happy to rescan the film. This is not an "I don't know what happened" situation. This is a "we didn't care" situation.

Cool. I'm going to try over exposing a bit at this weekends wedding.

In photography we have Portra 400, 160, and 800. We typically find that best results are achieved by exposing minimum of 1 stop over box speed. 2 stops when using Fuji 400H. I've been using my in-camera light meters with the negative film from pro8mm and I've so far been happy with the results. However I'd like to use my cine meter more in the future and I'm wondering if the practice of over exposing the negative films is the same for the cine stocks? I'll be shooting 250D and 500T. The 500T I might be exposing at box speed if it's dark indoors, but the 250D should be all outdoor stuff. Should I try a stop over or is it best to just stick with what Kodak says it is? Thanks! Any tips for metering cine films would be greatly appreciated.

I want to get a K-3 16mm and probably have it S16 modified. I can get it on ebay un-modified for about 200 bucks, or from DuAll or K3Camera for 5-800 dollars. What's the best route to go here? Take the risk or deal with the actual dealers? Thanks in advance.

That was wonderful! I personally think that the 1080P transfers now available and the digital editing software we have, like Final Cut X, are the best things that could happen to the format. That footage looks beautiful! I can't wait to pull out my 814 and start making some films this summer!

I mean, I get to do it about half the time. I think people who aren't getting a "wedding video" see it as something cool, and even with Super 8 I'm A LOT cheaper than hiring a whole videographer deal. Studios like Hello Super 8 charge around $3-4K for their S8 packages, where as I usually tack on like 1200-1500. I just tell them they're getting like a 10 minute video, all just set to music. I'm still new so like I'm more affordable anyways, so even with the added charges I'm competitive. I got a Bolex so I'm trying to see if I can work that in...it's kind of a different animal though...

Might I add mine own to the mix? www.marksperryphoto.com I LOVE the Super 8 part of the weddings I shoot. Almost more than the photography!

Awesome, wish I could see the footage!

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/pho/2763311619.html It's in an awesome leather case, with a Kern Switar 25mm 1.4, and comes with accessories. Check out the Craigslist ad for more info and pictures. $450.00

What he said. Or: They're just 'cross the boarder in Canada, but Frame Discreet is super cool! 2K scans for 35 dollars dude. And as far as the only issue, there will obviously be the weird sped-up look to everything, but nothing else. Why don't you just put everything in your timeline at 24P, then re-time your specific clips to just run ever-so-slightly slower so they maintain naturalistic movement? I've never done that, but do you think that would work?

As if the story wasn't mediocre enough, they have to water everything down by desaturating EVERY SHOT and even adding what looked like faked sunsets. It looked like the whole thing was shot with a video Hipstamatic. Where did AMC go wrong after Breaking Bad and Mad Men? Like I'll keep watching but I miss the class of previous AMC shows. At least they had the balls to shoot walking dead in S16.

I've used Super 8 arena for both my Nizo 481 Macro and my Nikon R8 and my experiences have been great. Perfect actually. I recommend them!

http://www.pro8mm.com/Merchant5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=01&Product_Code=S8-HDpkg06&Category_Code=S8M2PKG Just got an email about this. 6 rolls film process scan for like 200 bucks. I got mine on order. Lots of testers for me! Finally going to be able to use that ASA 10 high contrast stock, and some Fuji stocks that I want to test. :-) Some other stuff is on sale like their worked over cameras too. Check it out.

I love my Nizo 481 Macro. Sharp, simple, elegant design. I also love my Nikon R8, but it cost a lot more. I'd say find a good Nizo or affordable Canon. It's hard to recommend something without knowing your budget.

My advice is "Don't!" All the cameras I've seen here are hundreds more than their value at reputable online sources like super8arena.com. And honestly, there aren't that many sources. Even processing is pretty scarce. We have the venerable old Pac Lab but that's about it. It actually sucks considering we're the city that is supposed to have "everything." If you're into photography though, couldn't be a better city. ICP, The Met, The MoMA, B&H, Adorama, K&M, Fotocare...and all the STREET PHOTOGRAPHY. Get your camera at super8arena. Shoot your film in NYC. Send it to Cali for processing, and then send it to Frame Discreet in Canada for your transfer.

They charge about 35 dollars per roll, and then they charge you 20 bucks when you send a hard drive for render time. So if you send in 3, like I did, it was $150. Which is a good deal since it's such a high quality transfer. Better than a 1080P scan? Idk, I kind of think so. it's not "sharper" but it's easier to crop and adjust exposure. I still use Pro8mm for my wedding work because they're so easy and fast, but I'll be using Frame Discreet again in the future for sure. Especially since filmmaker8 can't do negative films.

http://vimeo.com/29358167 Just a fun end of Summer montage of footage from a camping trip. Enjoy!

Ah some replies! Actually I found one from Super8arena and I LOVE it. It's got a couple quirks but otherwise it's a solid machine. I shot a wedding with it last weekend and was finally able to shoot 500T with exposure compensation. The whole thing that attracted me to the Nikons was the high ISO range. I find it ridiculous that most old S8 cams can't be set manually in regards to ISO...the R8 comes close with it's high range and compensation dial.

As a wedding shooter I need some more speed. I was just wondering if anybody out there has pushed S8 films much, and what I can expect? How does Kodak 500T hold up when exposed at ISO 1000? I'm shooting with a Nikon R8 and it allows me to underexpose by 1 stop. I'd also like to get a little more speed out of Tri-x. Could I process it as a negative and push it? It's never going to be for projection and it's going straight to scan...but I've never pushed a reversal film before... Any tips on low light shooting would be appreciated. My main camera is an R8 which has a 160˚ shutter and a 1.8 aperture. I also have a Nizo 481 Macro but I only use that in good light with the films it can read.

I like my Nizo 481 Macro. Otherwise I noticed some of the Canon's are cheap like the 814 electronic. Also the prices on Nizo sound cameras are really good, and they'll read the faster films. I bought a Nikon R8 recently for like $245. I do weddings with my super 8 cameras too, such a fun way to use the format... Oh also you could get a light meter that reads cine. I thought the Nikon R10 could read unto 640... It should have read your 500t as 500...

I'm using a Bolex for reportagé style work. There is no lighting, or even light modifying. I have a Gossen Digisky meter that has a great cine mode, with incident and reflected measurements (but no spot). I'm wondering though what would be the best route or techniques for metering in available light? Should I be taking an average reading of the scene with the reflected meter or should I be taking incident measurements when ever possible? My background is mostly photography which is a little bit different and I use the zone system a lot, or with internal camera meters which average the frame when I'm shooting fast. But with the Bolex I don't want to wast film. I find myself not entirely trusting the reflected measurements for some reason. What is the popular technique for available light shooting with a hand held light meter? Also is it possible or advisable to use a digital camera, take a shot using the same shutter speed and ISO as my Bolex and film and use that to measure the scene? I wasn't totally sure which thread this belongs in so feel free to move it...

No rattle and it focuses great. Does that mean I'm in the clear? Thanks for the great advice!