8mm Forum: Want to creat my own super8 copy

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Posted by Pierre Mdihi (Member # 6808) on June 22, 2019, 06:50 PM:

Hi everyone,

I want to start a new project so i'm asking some advise to avoid debutant mistake and not wasting super8 film.

My project is to creat my own digest or full feature movie.

Last week at the flee market i manage to found a super 8 camera with film (color i think). So i want to know if with this material i can creat my own digest, film or filming some recent music clip.

If i place the camera at the right distance so the image fill out all the space (don't see the room), does the result will be nice ?
Can i film the screen diretly ? Will the result be sharp?

I don't know if someone on this forum have already try this.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on June 23, 2019, 04:08 AM:

Pierre, the film in your camera is more than probably Kodachrome, which, sadly, cannot be process anymore. I f you buy the new Ektachrome (if your camera accepts 100 asa, which is not common for cameras), be aware that it is sold process not paid and is expensive (a cartridge will allow you to film during 3 minutes at 18 fps, so just imagine the cost for a feature). Add to that the cost to add a track for the sound (and then the trouble to synchronize). I don't want to discourage you but I would not start a project like yours without experience and some money to invest. Using a super 8 camera to make your own films is, however, fun. What camera did you buy ?

Posted by Bill Phelps (Member # 1431) on June 23, 2019, 06:06 AM:

Just a note about the Kodachrome.....it can be proccessed but only into B&W negative. It is also very expensive.

Posted by Pierre Mdihi (Member # 6808) on June 23, 2019, 05:41 PM:

The project was to do every steps myself to minimise the cost, i have seen some video to developpe film at home on youtube ( the product cost less than 10€ on ebay), it doesn't seem impossible.

The camera is a bolex 250 : do you know this camera ? How to know how much ASA the camera have ?

For the film, I have two ektachrome 120 and one kodachrome 40.

Shooting with a super8 camera what's the common mistake ?

Posted by Joseph Banfield (Member # 2082) on June 24, 2019, 06:23 AM:

No, you would not be able to Film directly off the Projection screen. The results would be terrible at best. Motion picture film needs lots of light, which is why movie studios use them to begin with.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on June 24, 2019, 07:03 AM:

Your Kodachrome film, as said before, cannot be process in colour anymore (the specific chemicals for that stock are no longer available). Your two Ektachrome films can be process but they are well outdated and results are hanging on luck. The Ektachrome rated at 160 asa, like your films are grainy. Most of the super 8 cameras were set to be used with 40 asa films and, for the more "recent" at 160 asa. Some top end models (like Beaulieu for example) allows you to set yourself the asa so with those cameras, you can use almost all the films available. Before you use your camera, I advise you to take as much information as you can. For example, there is a sun/artificial light button. When super 8 was introduced, the system was to use films for articial light with a filter built in the camera (to make it easier for the amateurs to film Inside with artificial lightwithout having the trouble to change the filmstock). Modern films are all manufactured for sun light (I mean outdoor shootings), so if you use a modern film, you must set the camera on artificial light in order to film outside. Doing so, you will desactivate the filter. I know it's confusing.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on June 24, 2019, 07:21 AM:

I have nothing but encouragement to make a film Pierre.
Film making is a wonderful way to show your creativity and expression whatever the subject you choose.

Cameras vary a great deal and with age they will produce sometimes variable results particularly remembering yours is not that far off 50 years old now.

Costs/Options: Various film stocks/types are available today most popular being Ektachrome 100D and your camera can handle this correctly. You will get around 3 minutes of screen time filmed at 18FPS camera speed once the film has been processed.
Total cost with film, processing and mailing costs will bring 3 minutes of screen time in at the £76 mark.

I'm currently making a couple of scripted films and shooting to a script will save wasting film most certainly. The rig I use is a Leicina with Matt box and a good tripod.

Good luck.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on June 24, 2019, 09:26 AM:

Wow, that's a really impressive camera set up you have there Lee. I bet that's a real conversation piece when you are filming on location.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 24, 2019, 09:49 AM:

Conversation piece?

-absolutely!

I was shooting timelapse on a tripod one time: just standing off to the side and letting the intervalometer click off frames.

-guy walks up to me:

"Are you a surveyor?"

(Maybe if I bring my hard hat next time they'll leave me alone!)

An old friend of mine was working on an optical printer from parts of a couple of deceased projectors. His idea was to use the projector to put up single frames and send a pulse out to the camera to capture them one at a time. He never finished it.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on June 24, 2019, 11:12 AM:

Surveyor crack was funny Steve.

Yes Paul its a wonderful camera. I used to use a friends Leicina for some of my youthful special projects many moons ago and when he passed on I started looking a 'Special' with Optivarion lens. I was very lucky to find this pretty much as new having spent most of its life in a Leica collectors hands.

I shot a 50ft test film with a number of cameras including this just to see the comparison of frame stability, exposure and aperture shape. Even the Nizo Pro and Canon didn't come close to the Leicina and my old friend always used to tell me 'you will never see a better camera'.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on June 25, 2019, 03:03 PM:

Pierre
You can find details of your camera on the Bolex page. Just click on your model. You will see it was made by Eumig.
https://www.filmkorn.org/super8data/database/cameras_list/cameras_bolex/cameras_bolex.htm

Posted by Pierre Mdihi (Member # 6808) on June 27, 2019, 05:56 PM:

Too bad it's so difficult to creat new content in super8. A recent movie like avenger must be very good on super8.

Thanks Maurice, i will look the website so i can use the camera properly.

Nice camera lee. Hope we can have a look wenn you finish your project.

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on June 27, 2019, 10:02 PM:

Pierre, I admire your enthusiasm and can tell you that what is in your mind is possible to be done at this time since film stock, lab to process as well as to duplicate are still available. Maybe in the next 20 years they are no longer available.

Second thing, perhaps you do not know, you can also print your digital file to film (16mm or 35mm and if you can slit, of course 8mm too) using a special printer. This will allow you to make your own digest and print it.

There are two things you need to consider if you are going to do that:

a. Copyright laws
b. Price

The copyright laws might be put aside since it is done for personal purposes, but for the price this will take your fortune.

For 20 minutes show you will probably spend about $550 through the most primitive way, i,e using Kodak film stocks (cartridge) like what you just bought and shoot your camera to an LCD screen. You will get a silent digest because there is no longer sound stripped film. If you are going to add the sound strip, add more $150 and add the sound later. You will get only one copy with this way.

If you are going to print using positive film, ANDEC in Germany will do that but I believe it will cost you around $800 for 20 minutes film and again it is a silent film. You will only get one copy with this way. Double the price if you are going to have 2 copies, etc.

If you are going with the most professional one, then you must create a negative film first and print it as positive prints. The price will be more expensive, but you can re-print for more copies. Osi Osgood a member here has done it and can share the price.

For printing film using digital file, I don't have any idea, but I believe it will be cheaper. However, what is the point to watch digital film on super 8mm?. For sure, screening with bluray will be much better.

Best regards,

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