CHINON PACIFIC 12 SMR

Bogdan Radulescu · April 15, 2008

Hi there. I got a CHINON PACIFIC 12 SMR SUPER 8mm Movie Camera and I dare to ask you tell me about the visual capabilities of it and about other additional convertor and lenses which could be used for it. Let's talk about this kind of supre 8 mm camera.

Bogdan Radulescu · April 16, 2008

Hi there. I got a CHINON PACIFIC 12 SMR SUPER 8mm Movie Camera and I dare to ask you tell me about the visual capabilities of it and about other additional convertor and lenses which could be used for it. Let's talk about this kind of supre 8 mm camera.

Chinon Pacific 12 SRM

ck filmworks · August 19, 2008

Sadly selling mine on ebay. I used the Chinon 12SMR throughout film school, and it has been my camera of choice for Super8mm.

The lens is far better then most cameras. It has functionality that can improve your shots. Just one look at the lens, and you can't help but fall in love with the camera. I shot with reversal and most of the kodak stocks. I prefer to shoot with slower film stocks, and use the lighting to bring up exposure. If they make Fuji-vivid160 for super-8, then that would be the ideal film stock-- Lots of color saturation and mid-range grain.

I have a few basic recommendations for shooting with the Chinon 12SMR-- Use the built-in ND filter whenever you can. I only shot with the ND on, and it gave me great images everytime. Just make sure you compensate with the t-stop. Use Manual Exposure and Manual Focus. Shoot on Reversal film-- It looks awesome through this camera.

-Todd

Edited August 19, 2008 by ck filmworks

Bogdan George Radulescu · September 9, 2008

Sadly selling mine on ebay. I used the Chinon 12SMR throughout film school, and it has been my camera of choice for Super8mm.

The lens is far better then most cameras. It has functionality that can improve your shots. Just one look at the lens, and you can't help but fall in love with the camera. I shot with reversal and most of the kodak stocks. I prefer to shoot with slower film stocks, and use the lighting to bring up exposure. If they make Fuji-vivid160 for super-8, then that would be the ideal film stock-- Lots of color saturation and mid-range grain.

I have a few basic recommendations for shooting with the Chinon 12SMR-- Use the built-in ND filter whenever you can. I only shot with the ND on, and it gave me great images everytime. Just make sure you compensate with the t-stop. Use Manual Exposure and Manual Focus. Shoot on Reversal film-- It looks awesome through this camera.

-Todd

Dear Todd,

Thank you so much for your answer. I reply you a little bit leater. Sorry.

1. So far, I didn't use yet the camera. I intent to use it starting from October.

2. Why you suggest me using the reversal film stok? Why reversal? Sincerely, I am much more intersted in the digital version of the super 8 mm (the copies on the dvd or the cd) shooting in order to make the editing process by myself and to arrange my own pleasurable sound design. I think - I am not sure if I am wrong - the reversal film could be telecined (it means, transfered into digital format). By tha way, may I put the images of Chinon in the 16:9 ratio format? How it looks?

3. Yes. You are perfectely right. I will always use the ND filter. I had useful experiences with ND on my sony HD video camera and on my 16 mm camera Krasnogorsk in using it.

4. Could you tell me please about the sound recording process with the Chinon camera mic? Did you use super 8 mm cartridge with sound track on it?

Bogdan George Radulescu · September 9, 2008

Todd,

Please indicate me from where I could buy a matte box for my Chinon Pacific 12 SRM camera? Please find me some stores with accesories. Thank you

Bogdan

004031-1022168

0040-741197621

byzantinic@yahoo.com

david savetsky · October 8, 2009

4. Could you tell me please about the sound recording process with the Chinon camera mic? Did you use super 8 mm cartridge with sound track on it?

if your sound system is working ,i have 50ft sound film kma594 kodachrome for sale guaranteed good exposure for sale at $35 each

December 17, 2009

I love this camera. I own 3 of them and they always grab people's attention when i'm out shooting with them. They're just so large and the lens hood makes it look mighty professional. ;)

Here's some footage I shot a while back. I am also currently editing a friends wedding which I shot on 64T and Tri-X which I hope to finish in 2010.

Some things to watch though if buying one...

The intervalometer (interval timer) probably will not work... as all 3 of mine don't!

If you want to use the lap dissolve you'll need to tape down the little button inside the sound cartridge area as dissolves were made to only work on sound cartridges.

The rubber components of the camera such as the eyepiece and the light seal inside the cartridge compartment will have deteriorated. Be sure to clean it out before using.

The record light on the front of the camera only lights at the start of rolling if the sound cartridge button is taped down inside the cartridge compartment. Otherwise it will not light.

If you own a handheld microphone for the camera you can use it as a remote control in single frame mode so to avoid camera shake. Flick the mic on and off to expose one frame.

The camera has a one pin film speed sensor button. When the button is in the film is rated at 40ASA.. and when it's out at 160ASA. Use the compensation dial on the rear for a +/- 1 stop adjustment.

And of course buy yourself an external 85 or 85B filter. The inbuild one has probably degraded. You can remove the filter by inserting a screw at the front of the camera in the filter removal button.

An awesome camera. :-)