Gakken Single-8

[Samuel Berger]

Back in 2008 this Heathkit-esque Japanese company called Gakken started work on a prototype for a Single-8 Camera Kit that you'd put together yourself for about $50.

 

Prototype pictures made their way onto the web:

 

 

 

 

Interesting bit of old news, I know, but I thought I'd share this. In Japan, Single-8 was much more popular than Super 8. But Fuji discontinued the film anyway and this didn't leave Gakken much of a prospect to market their camera kit.

 

But, they did create a handcranked Super-8/Single-8 projector with a LED light source, just for folks to play around with.

 

 

 

I often wonder if other companies tried their hand at Single-8 filmstock manufacturing. There were many brands of Super-8 cartridges, but other than the Retro-8 stuff, I'm not sure I've ever seen a non-FUJI brand of Single-8.

[Todd Pinder]

Canon and Elmo made a few single 8 cameras based on the same super 8 models. I always lusted for a Canon 518sv for Single 8.

 

I actually have one last Fujichrome R25N in the freezer!