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Advice on first Super 8 short


Richard Lacey

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I've been asked to shoot a short in a few weeks that will use a mix of Super 8 and my own Panasonic GH1.

The discrepancy in the look from the 2 formats isn't an issue, as the Super 8 will be used for a film within a film.

 

The camera the producer is providing is one of these: Boots Compact 2000

I've yet to get my hands on the camera, so I know next to nothing about its condition.

 

I've shot 16mm before, but never 8mm. From what I gather this camera does not offer manual exposure.

The frame rate and ISO are obviously fixed, but what about the aperture? The only lens info only includes a maximum aperture of f/2.8, but no mention of a minimum. There's no mention of NDs, so if the aperture is in fact fixed how can exposure be controlled?

 

We'll be shooting daytime scenes so would it be fair to say my best option is EKTACHROME 100D?

I haven't come across any other options that are easy to buy.

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don't use that camera when perfectly good Nizo and Canon cameras are available for under 100 bucks. Look around, they are out there. You want manual control over everything. Shoot 24fps. and shoot 7213, which is color negative,but it will give you the most latitude and sharpest image out there.

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don't use that camera when perfectly good Nizo and Canon cameras are available for under 100 bucks. Look around, they are out there. You want manual control over everything. Shoot 24fps. and shoot 7213, which is color negative,but it will give you the most latitude and sharpest image out there.

 

Thanks for your reply Chris.

 

Unfortunately there aren't many Super 8 cameras for sale in Ireland at present.

If the camera is question is so poor I'll ask the producer to source another. I'll admit the lack of manual exposure fills me with dread, especially if the camera has an unreliable light meter.

 

I did spot a working Yashica Electro 8 LD-8 for sale a few hours away from me: link

At 50€ is it worth a look?

 

I'm happy to emphasise the difference between the formats and time periods. The look we're going for is one of an older Super 8 film stock so the 100D would fit the bill.

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You haven't mentioned whether the Super 8 portion is going to contain dialog or not. If so, you must shoot at 24fps to have hope of syncing.

 

Shooting with manual exposure capabilities is the only way to go. We dont tell you this to be a buzzkill or because we are made of money or anything. We just have experience shooting on Super 8 with a lot of different cameras and circumstances and know it will be problematic. These cameras werent really made for professional work anyway but it can be done provided you have max control over the thing.

 

Therefore, Super 8 cameras must: have 24fps setting, manual exposure, manual aperature, and hopefully semi-quiet if you want to do sound work.

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With ebay, you can buy in the world.

 

Unfortunately I don't think there's time to buy a camera on ebay.

I was brought in quite late, so there's now only a week left til we shoot.

 

Luckily the whole thing is actually a silent film, so no need to worry about sync.

 

Any opinions on the Yashica I linked to? Spec wise it seems to fit the bill.

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Without using on of the later released cameras that can read modern stocks, stick to the 100D. Make sure you have plenty of light. Make sure you don't have light coming from behind your subject. Shoot 24fps and you'll be fine.

 

Thanks for all the advice. Things are becoming a bit clearer now.

 

Even if I do source a camera that can shoot 24fps I'd be tempted to go for the 18fps setting. The look the director wants is something like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpLcKCcm2RE

 

18fps would presumably better resemble this.

Are there any potential issues with going for 18 frames?

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I've been asked to shoot a short in a few weeks that will use a mix of Super 8 and my own Panasonic GH1.

The discrepancy in the look from the 2 formats isn't an issue, as the Super 8 will be used for a film within a film.

 

The camera the producer is providing is one of these: Boots Compact 2000

I've yet to get my hands on the camera, so I know next to nothing about its condition.

 

I've shot 16mm before, but never 8mm. From what I gather this camera does not offer manual exposure.

The frame rate and ISO are obviously fixed, but what about the aperture? The only lens info only includes a maximum aperture of f/2.8, but no mention of a minimum. There's no mention of NDs, so if the aperture is in fact fixed how can exposure be controlled?

 

We'll be shooting daytime scenes so would it be fair to say my best option is EKTACHROME 100D?

I haven't come across any other options that are easy to buy.

 

Shooting anything serious with a camera that A, you aren't familiar with or B, have had chance to test if it is working and how it exposes 100D is a dangerous game. Can the producer be sure that the camera is in full working condition? Have they shot with 100D and this camera - how does it look? Old super 8 cameras can be unpredictable - you also need to know how the camera reads the 100D cartridge notch before you can work out exposure compensations etc.

 

The Yashica has more stock sensitivity and you are able to manually correct exposures - I would suggest that this camera would be much better than the Boots model - however you still need to shoot a test roll before shooting anything serious.

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Thanks for all the advice. Things are becoming a bit clearer now.

 

Even if I do source a camera that can shoot 24fps I'd be tempted to go for the 18fps setting. The look the director wants is something like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpLcKCcm2RE

 

18fps would presumably better resemble this.

Are there any potential issues with going for 18 frames?

 

18fps would be closest. By the sounds of what you want to shoot and the camera you are shooting with, I feel that there are no real issues presenting themselves with shooting at 18fps.

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