best super8 cam for "carry-everywhere" daily use

[adam berk]

Please be patient with me on this one guys and girls...

 

I'm looking for a camera portable enough to easily carry with me at all times, yet is capable of 24f/s, lightmeter inbuilt, compatible with 64t and the vision2 stocks w/o trouble, etc....

 

I've been looking at the canon 814 xl, but i've never seen one in person so I'm not sure exactly how big it is.

 

I'd also like to find something with better than average (or as good as it can be) optics.

 

Any quick recommendations?

 

thanks so much,

adam

[JOHN LONGENECKER]

Please be patient with me on this one guys and girls...

 

I'm looking for a camera portable enough to easily carry with me at all times, yet is capable of 24f/s, lightmeter inbuilt, compatible with 64t and the vision2 stocks w/o trouble, etc....

 

I've been looking at the canon 814 xl, but i've never seen one in person so I'm not sure exactly how big it is.

 

I'd also like to find something with better than average (or as good as it can be) optics.

 

Any quick recommendations?

 

thanks so much,

adam

[JOHN LONGENECKER]

December 23, 2006

 

Re: Super 8 Film Cameras

 

Hello Adam:

 

As I see it, the key for a Super 8 Film Camers is the lens.

 

10 to 1 or better is a good choice

 

A Canon 1014XL-S - 10 to 1

6.5 to 65mm

 

A Canon 1014E - 10 to 1

7.0 to 70mm

 

Those are fine cameras.

The Canon 1014XL-S is my first choice in Super 8.

Good lens - 1 - 9 - 18 - 24 - 23 fps

Built in Intervelometer

4.3mm wide addachement

Wide is difficult to achieve in Super 8.

Telephoto is simple.

 

However, these Canon cameras may not be

light weight wnough fo your use.

 

Nizo Super 8 Cameras are light weight

-- mos camers

 

As for Nizo cameras

The Nizo 801 Macro is my firsy choice because of its lens

7mm to 80mm

 

Kodak no longer makes Super 8 Sound cartridges

 

The Nizo 801 Macro is an mos Super 8 Camera

and does not accept a Kodak Super 8 Sound Cartridge

so it is smaller than other Nizo models that accept

sound cartridges.

See: http://super8guy.com/Nizo.html

 

Super 8 Camera information:

See: http://super8guy.com/ |

See: http://super8guy.com/Directory.html

 

ASA

The ASA is set by the NOTCH on the

Kodak Super 8 Film cartridge that

fits into an ASA sensor inside the camera.

 

Often the automatic exposure workes well

with Super 8 Film that matches film stock ASA

available at the time the camera was built.

 

I often use a light meter.

When I shoot Super 8 Color Negative film stock

I overexpose one stop or more to get a thick

emulsion on the film - telecine can handle

overexposed color negative Super 8 film

very well.

 

Reversal Super 8 film stock requires precise exposure.

 

Although on an Errol Morris TV spot

http://www.errolmorris.com/

one roll of Ektachrome was way over exposed

after the AA batteries lost their charge on

a Canon 1014E during a shot while I was operating.

 

Very thin emulsion - nearly clear.

The Telecine Machine and guys at Rushes

were able to pull some color out of that strip of film

and the result looked as if the film image frames

were hand painted.

 

A creative technique? Maybe not.

Just weak batteries, but it got me thinking.

 

That's it! Stay Tuned.

 

JOHN LONGENECKER

 

Now here is a wonderful man:

JAMES GLENNON, ASC - photos

http://jlphotosusa.com/Glennon.html

[Anthony Schilling]

Nizo 481 Macro, it's small and does everything

[alfredoparra]

why you would want to carry a super 8 with you all the time? but I bet your better off buying a camcorder, best buys is having a sale, nobody carries a super 8 every where they go! you need batteries, film, light meter, portable lighting, I dont think your going to trust a internal light meter now are you?

[Rick Palidwor]

why you would want to carry a super 8 with you all the time? .

 

Lots of reasons, such as, being ready. Most good photographers have their camera with them at all times.

 

nobody carries a super 8 every where they go!

 

I do, especially if I am travelling.

 

you need batteries,

 

easy.

 

film,

 

of course.

 

light meter,

 

Not if you use the internal meter.

 

portable lighting,

 

Not necessarily.

 

I dont think your going to trust a internal light meter now are you?

 

Why not? I do all the time and never have problems. To use an external meter you need to know the shutter angle and the speed of the lens and you often don't have this information. The internal meter takes all this into consideration and actually gives you "T" stops.

 

Alfredo, I don't mean to be snarky but I found your post kind of silly in its assumptions.

 

Adam, the Canon's recommended to you are rather large and heavy. Any of the Nizo's with fold-up handles can make good travel cameras.

 

Rick

[Kirk Anderson]

I have a chinon 132pxl for all my goof around shooting. It's auto exposure but exposes 100 black and white beautifully, also it's 18fps and single frame. It's about the size of a film cartridge and easily slips in my pocket. I use a 1014 for a reel shoot, but I can carry my chinon everywhere and not be too worried about dropping it. also 18fps is just fine for everyday shooting in my opinon. i also paid $3 for it at salvation army in a case never used.

Check out super 8 wiki for a camera called the Pocket 8. I forget who makes it but it had an anomorphic lens included in the package if I'm not mistaken and was about the size of a wallet.

[Rick Palidwor]

Check out super 8 wiki for a camera called the Pocket 8. I forget who makes it but it had an anomorphic lens included in the package if I'm not mistaken and was about the size of a wallet.

 

It's a Chinon Pocket 8 and it's very compact. I didn't mention it because it doesn't shoot 24 and will only recognize 40/160 (most of the really small cameras suffer from this). However, it does have have manual exposure and will also shoot 36 fps if you have the extra power pack. It's a fixed focus 15mm lens and there is a 4X zoom attachment for it. Re: anamorphic, maybe true but I believe it was a rare attachment. I've never seen it. I have a pocket 8 for sale. Anyone interested can PM me.

Rick

[Robert Hughes]

Get a Bell & Howell 200. It's not Super8 (it takes 16mm 50' cartridges) but it's smaller than most S8 cameras and takes that great Ektachrome 100D without a need for cutting down. And you can buy 'em on eBay for about $20.

[steve hyde]

 

4008 with a focus free Angeniuex 10mm. Fits in coat pocket.

 

Steve

[K Borowski]

Get a Bell & Howell 200. It's not Super8 (it takes 16mm 50' cartridges) but it's smaller than most S8 cameras and takes that great Ektachrome 100D without a need for cutting down. And you can buy 'em on eBay for about $20.

 

Do they make 50 ft. 16mm cartridges anymore Robert? Also, I wouldn't recommend shooting E100D, as it is a pretty low-latitude slide film. Your best bet with 16 is to shoot neg film, maybe 250D for all-around shooting situations. If you can shoot with cartridges, does that mean you can swap them out midroll without fogging the film? That would indeed be handy. You could carry a cartridge of 500T for nightime and indoors stuff, and 50D otherwise, assuming you have a fast lens of course.

 

Regards,

 

~Karl

[Matthew Buick]

 

4008 with a focus free Angeniuex 10mm. Fits in coat pocket.

 

How much would that setup cost?

[steve hyde]

How much would that setup cost?

 

 

last I cheked the 4008ZM could be found for 300.00 - and up. The Angeniuex 10mm is a common lens, but difficult to find a good one with intact elements....probably 150.00 to 300.00 USD....or something like that....estimates are based on the good deals that can be had.. the key thing about this camera is that it is serviceable (and should be serviced after heavy use) that costs between 300 and 500 - especially if you are replacing the batteries. I like using mine very much. The mirrored shutter gives an effective 1/86th at 24fps.

The light meter is hand set to select ISO and it is a variable speed camera that can *ramp* from 2fps to 70fps.

What I mean by "ramp" is that you can change the frame rate during a take.

 

I like to shoot stills with it too - this is one reason it is a good "take anywhere camera". Since it doesn

t take single frames, I just set it at 24fps so that I get the 1/86th and then tap the shutter release for a few frames. The results have been excellent.

 

Steve

[Robert Hughes]

Do they make 50 ft. 16mm cartridges anymore Robert? Also, I wouldn't recommend shooting E100D, as it is a pretty low-latitude slide film. Your best bet with 16 is to shoot neg film, maybe 250D for all-around shooting situations. If you can shoot with cartridges, does that mean you can swap them out midroll without fogging the film? That would indeed be handy. You could carry a cartridge of 500T for nightime and indoors stuff, and 50D otherwise, assuming you have a fast lens of course.

 

Regards,

 

~Karl

Of course, you shouldn't be shooting 16mm at all anymore - BBC said so, remember? :huh:

 

But Java Photo in Atlanta has about 1800 units of the old Alan Gordon-loaded Plus-X negative cartridges for about $20 apiece, I believe. And as long as big K or Fuji make dual perf film you can reload the carts with new stock at home. Yes, the cartridges have sliding dark plates which protect the film from light streaking, so you can swap carts as you please. And the B&H 200 uses the same C-mount lenses the Filmos use, so depending on your lens selection you can get middling good B-roll shots. No registration pin, of course, and the film plane is determined by a hook that juts out from the camera body into the cartridge gate, but if your camera and carts are in good shape you'll be fine.

[Sean McHenry]

Quick response to "who carries their camera everywhere?" I love it. I especially like taking the 814 AutoZoom because it has that great handle on top. I took it in to a B&N book store a few months ago and got into an interesting discussion with the young man behind the counter. He mentioned that it was a neat looking video camera. Well, I had to explain it to him. He thought it was pretty cool that film was still around.

 

Everywhere I go I end up telling folks that ask me about it that you have more film choices now than at any time in the history of Super 8.

 

I picked up a Keystone K26 this weekend at a flea market type place here in town. Paid too much but the mechanics seem solid and it has all three lenses. Walking down the aisle an older man asked me if there was anyplace to still get film for those. Off I went again.

 

It's just plain fun to talk about. And shooting with them is great too.

 

Sean McHenry

 

PS, beautiful 4008 up a few notches here. Looks like new.

 

S.

Edited January 4, 2007 by Sean McHenry

[James Grahame]

last I cheked the 4008ZM could be found for 300.00 - and up. The Angeniuex 10mm is a common lens, but difficult to find a good one with intact elements....probably 150.00 to 300.00 USD.

Thanks for sharing this, Steve. I tend to resist taking my 4008 out and about because it's a heavy beast with the external battery pack and Schneider 6-66mm zoom.

 

Your pic was enough to convince me that I'd get more use out of my beautiful toy if I invested in a nice wide prime such as this Ang or maybe even a Schneider.

 

I bet you get some beautiful pics, too.

[steve hyde]

James,

 

and anyone else interested in shooting the wide Angeniuex lenses, I have heard from other Beaulieu users that have told me the wide Angeniuex lenses won't focus on their 4008. (a collimation problem??) I use both the Angeniuex 5.9mm and 10mm on mine with sharp results. (luck perhaps?) so this is not my experience, but please know that you might have to have the lens collimated for your 4008..

 

Steve

[James Grahame]

James,

 

and anyone else interested in shooting the wide Angeniuex lenses, I have heard from other Beaulieu users that have told me the wide Angeniuex lenses won't focus on their 4008. (a collimation problem??) I use both the Angeniuex 5.9mm and 10mm on mine with sharp results. (luck perhaps?) so this is not my experience, but please know that you might have to have the lens collimated for your 4008..

 

Steve

Thanks, Steve.

 

That's an interesting bit of information. I've yet to run into problems when trying c-mount primes with my 4008. I wonder if they tried to use primes marked "RX," which are corrected for Bolex equipment?

 

Cheers, James