8mm Forum: Do Your Film Gauges Determine Your Buying Patterns?

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Topic: Do Your Film Gauges Determine Your Buying Patterns?

Claus Harding
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1149
From: Washington DC
Registered: Oct 2006

posted October 25, 2008 12:27 PM

I am curious, for those of you who have, say, both Super-8 and 16mm, do you make decisions based on the format or just on what is available or what you are after, film-wise?

With Super-8, I started buying features like "King Kong" just before the market went down in the late 70es. Now that I have both S-8 and 16mm, I find that I tend to go with feature films in 16 while picking out silent or early sound films in S-8 and R-8 (last buy was 'The Mystery of the Mary Celeste'.)

I am sure the technology plays a role: especially since I got the Eiki Xenon, I am more aware of the lesser light output of the Elmo 1200, and this makes me look more to the 16mm end of things, in terms of features.
Now, if I had a Xenon Super-8 machine, I am sure I would be looking at quite a few complete titles in Super-8, Scope and all, but at the moment that is not the case.

So how does it work for you? Do you make conscious decisions regarding a S-8 print of a film vs. a 16mm one? (Of course, money always plays a role.) Or do you simply 'hunt' and get what you can, when the mood (and EBay) strikes?

Claus.

--------------------
"Why are there shots of deserts in a scene that's supposed to take place in Belgium during the winter?" (Review of 'Battle of the Bulge'.)

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Graham Ritchie
Film God

Posts: 4001
From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006

posted October 25, 2008 01:34 PM

Hi Claus
I use both Super8 and 16mm, with many of the short films that I have collected over the years were only ever available on 16mm. I try to have a broad range of subject material to screen so having both Super8 and 16mm is a must. If I was to buy a feature I prefer 16mm providing the print is not to expensive.

Graham.

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Mike Peckham
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1461
From: West Sussex, UK.
Registered: Jun 2003

posted October 25, 2008 03:58 PM

Claus

For me it really is all about storage capacity. In our house I'm afraid 16mm would test the tolerance of my long suffering partner probably to the point of separation! [Roll Eyes]