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Another novice needs advice! - YASHICA SOUND 50XL MACRO SUPER 8


Anthony Lee

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Hi guys,

I have very little knowledge of celuloid and would love to learn more. I am a student experienced in digital video and have recently had the urge to cut film instead of "cut" film. I am looking to buy a YASHICA SOUND 50XL MACRO SUPER 8 CAMERA and would really appreciate both your opinions and advice relating to it. Info as follows.

Thanks in advanced for your time,

Anthony

 

Yashica 8mm - 40mm f1.2 Macro Zoom Lens

TTL Needle Metering with f Stop Display

Battery Test

Artificial/Daylight Control

EE Lock. 4, 2, 1 x 1/2

Low and High Recording Levels

Remote Socket

Microphone Socket

Monitor Socket

External 9V Power Supply Socket

Power Zoom with Wide and Tele button on the Camera and a Macro Facility on the Lens

Fire Button, Run/Run Lock on Swivel Hand Grip

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Guest santo

Gee whilickers, that's close to three Yashica camera posts in a row. Odd in the extreme considering how obscure theses cameras are.

 

However, you can do no better with the other Japanazooms out there. You will experience no observable "improvement" with Canons or other fixed lens cameras from this era of this similar consumer level construction and philosophy.

 

Yashica is as good as any for farting around and enjoying some initial super 8 shooting.

 

Enjoy.

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I wouldn't suggest this camera for 3 reasons:

1) It only has a frame rate of 18fps. Meaning, you have no option to shoot in some form of slow motion, at industry standard 24fps, or use a single frame feature to make animation.

2) This camera is not compatable with the new Kodak Ektachrome 64T reversal stock. As you stated your new to film, I assume the extent of the film stocks you will be using are Color and Black and White reversal. Therefore, I would suggest you look for a camera that can properly expose 64T.

3) This is a sound camera. Unfortunately, Kodak discontinued the production of sound Super 8 carts a couple years ago due to environmental strains. So the sound option isn't really necessary and just adds weight to the camera.

 

Check out this site:

super8Wiki

 

It has a list of 64T compatable cameras here:

64T compatable

 

And here is a list of almost every super 8 camera and its specs, listed by manufacturer:

Cameras

 

My suggestion is to look for a camera with single frame, 18fps, and some form of slow motion (30fps or higher). 24fps isn't vital and at this stage you probably don't have the bugdet to shoot exclusively at this frame rate. (Shooting at 18fps makes a super 8 cart last approx 3 min 20 sec, shooting at 24fps makes a cart last 2 min 40 sec.). Once you get more confident and start investigating telecine you might consider using 24fps, but if you're just going to project then 18fps is all you need.

 

Depending on your price range I would suggest different cameras. If you want to spend between 15 and 30 dollars, use eBay or check flea markets. Make sure the thing runs with batteries put in before buying it. At this price it's never certain that your camera will work but you haven't spent too much money and it'll look nice on a shelf or something. Cameras suggested:

- Canon 512 XL Electronic

- Any number if the Minolta Autopaks

 

If you're willing to spend a little more you have a wide variaty of options with Canon:

- 518 Auto Zoom or 518 SV

- Canon Autozoom 814 Electronic and Autozoom 1014 Electronic

- Canon 814 Xl-S and 1014 XL-S

- Canon 814 Auto Zoom

 

After that you're getting into the several hundred dollar price range with:

- Beaulieus

- Leicinas

- Nikons

- Well serviced Canons

 

Always be weary of cameras that use a separate battery for the light meter. I'm sure they're available somewhere but you might end up spending 10 dollars on a part that could otherwise be covered by AAs in a similar camera.

 

If you're paying over 35 dollars be sure to have your camera lubed and serviced so you don't ruin your investment. There are other great first cameras out there and I'm sure others will chime in with suggestions. Good luck.

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Brilliant! Thanks for your help! I am now leaning towards the Bolex 680, it seems a pretty good camera from what I can tell however it isn't on the EKTA compatible list. How final is this list and how essential is it that I get an EKTACHROME compatible camera? Again any advice would be very much appreciated!

 

Anthony

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Guest santo
Brilliant! Thanks for your help! I am now leaning towards the Bolex 680, it seems a pretty good camera from what I can tell however it isn't on the EKTA compatible list. How final is this list and how essential is it that I get an EKTACHROME compatible camera? Again any advice would be very much appreciated!

 

Anthony

 

Really, lets get real here. It means nothing, this Ektachrome compatibility thing. Hey, are you not transfeing your film to video so somebody in this world can see them? who gives a crap if it's reversal format conformative? That's a dead format and has been dead for decades. All real film has been shot on negative for many, many years. WHO ARE YOU MAKING YOUR FILMS FOR? Even if you're just going for film festivals, they won't show super 8 and welcome video finished film. Are you making your films for nobody except your family and friends?

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To be honest I want to invest in an 8mm camera for 2 reasons. Firstly to learn about the process of shooting and editing film in a linear manner, instead of easier digital video and editing with software. I also want to understand more fully the process of lighting for film, seeing as digital is a different world. I am very much interested in 35mm film but 8mm is a more accesible (cheaper) format to get started with. I would also like to shoot a couple of shorts using 8mm for that quirky nostalgic feel. All editing would be manual and would only be converted to DVD for more convinenent viewing, (Would also be projected). I want a decent high quality camera which gives me as much control over the image as possible, e.g frame rate, exposure, filters, lenses, zoom e.t.c. - This is however all subject to how much it is going to cost. I have between £20-£60 (Roughly $35 - $105 I think)

 

Thanks!

Anthony

 

PS - I would like to shoot in both colour and black and white, both interior and exterior, day and night.

Edited by antolee
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For your price range I would suggest looking into a Canon. The higher models (most of which are compatable with 64T) offer auto and manual exposure control, as well as power and manual zoom, several frame rate settings, and most only use AA batteries. As they were sold in high numbers a nice Canon can be had within your price range.

 

Also, Santo's comments on negative film stocks were correct, but from how you described your intentions I believe you will end up using reversal most of the time. There isn't an economical way to print super 8 negatives so if you use them you're pretty much guaranteed to be editing via computer. Also, for a beginner negs can be pretty expensive. With time you might find yourself finding use for them, but for now explore the wonder of the medium.

 

Have fun with super 8.

 

Tim

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  • 2 weeks later...
Hi guys,

I have very little knowledge of celuloid and would love to learn more. I am a student experienced in digital video and have recently had the urge to cut film instead of "cut" film. I am looking to buy a YASHICA SOUND 50XL MACRO SUPER 8 CAMERA and would really appreciate both your opinions and advice relating to it. Info as follows.

Thanks in advanced for your time,

Anthony

 

Yashica 8mm - 40mm f1.2 Macro Zoom Lens

TTL Needle Metering with f Stop Display

Battery Test

Artificial/Daylight Control

EE Lock. 4, 2, 1 x 1/2

Low and High Recording Levels

Remote Socket

Microphone Socket

Monitor Socket

External 9V Power Supply Socket

Power Zoom with Wide and Tele button on the Camera and a Macro Facility on the Lens

Fire Button, Run/Run Lock on Swivel Hand Grip

 

 

Hi guys,

I have very little knowledge of celuloid and would love to learn more. I am a student experienced in digital video and have recently had the urge to cut film instead of "cut" film. I am looking to buy a YASHICA SOUND 50XL MACRO SUPER 8 CAMERA and would really appreciate both your opinions and advice relating to it. Info as follows.

Thanks in advanced for your time,

Anthony

 

Yashica 8mm - 40mm f1.2 Macro Zoom Lens

TTL Needle Metering with f Stop Display

Battery Test

Artificial/Daylight Control

EE Lock. 4, 2, 1 x 1/2

Low and High Recording Levels

Remote Socket

Microphone Socket

Monitor Socket

External 9V Power Supply Socket

Power Zoom with Wide and Tele button on the Camera and a Macro Facility on the Lens

Fire Button, Run/Run Lock on Swivel Hand Grip

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  • 3 years later...
Guest burga

Hi there

 

i know this reply is a little late but I have recently posted a Yashica Sound 50XL 8mm on eBay for sale this is a great camera.

 

item number: 160439293080

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Anthony,

 

If you are just starting out with Super 8 equipment, I would definitely recommend something along the lines of the Canon 814 Auto Zoom like Tron X recommended.

 

I recently bought one on ebay, but I believe the exposure meter was dead (I went to B&H to try new batteries but they did not fix). With this camera, exposing is not really a big deal if you understand apertures. You just flip the exposure setting to manual, and set according to your light. The results I obtained over a weekend trip were great with the Ektachrome 100D. 64T is being discontinued per Kodak so I would only be concerned with the 100D compatibility for reversal, or maybe 50 if you like Velvia. This Canon 814 Auto Zoom will autiomatically set the 100 film speed. Another great thing about this camera is you can engage/disengage the internal color conversion filter.

 

When I shopped around, I just read online sources and found cameras that could read a wide range of films. You never know when something else may be released.

 

-photoboy

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