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Super-8 Cameras Still Going Strong 30 Years Later!
Shocking but true, Super-8 Film Cameras offer video equivalent resolution in this age of digital video even though most Super-8 cameras are over 30 years old!
Lets not confuse Digital Videography and Super-8 Cinematography. Digital Video is a wonderful medium when immediate results are required. Digital Video is also used for live events, long events, for events heavy in dialogue, and for news events. But there is always room for the Great Eight, Super-8mm!
If you want to stand out from others, learn to shoot film along with digital. You'll be blown away at how you learn to discipline yourself into shooting efficiently and effectively.
It's difficult to compare shooting Digital Video versus shooting Super-8 because both formats have different strengths. Digital Video can be less expensive to shoot than film AFTER you have shelled out the money for the digital camera purchase.
If you control the amount of footage you will be shooting by creating and sticking to a well written script, it can make just as much sense to shoot in film as it does to shoot in video from a cost point of view.
Additionally, as time goes on it may be true to say that more and more digital projects are sold, it will probably also be true that a HIGHER PERCENTAGE of projects that are shot on film will sell.
The ideal projects to use Super-8mm for include television commercials for cable or local television broadcast. If a local commercial consists primarily of a "talking head" type of commerical, I'd recommend a quiet Super-8 Camera such as the Nizo 6080, Nizo 6056, Nizo 4080, Nizo 4056, Nizo 3056,Nizo 3048, Nizo 2056, Nizo 2040, Nizo 1048 etc...
It's important to remember that you can shoot on film and still edit digitally. Other projects ideal for Super-8mm Film Production include Music Videos. Black & White Film Stocks, Etkachrome and Kodachrome film stocks are wildly popular for Music Videos. Kodachrome was retired from Kodak's offerings in 2005-2006, however Kodak Vision 200T and the 500T have proven to be wonderful additions to the Kodak Super-8 Family of Film Offerings. Additional information can be found at The Kodak Super-8 Film Stock Website & 800 Toll Free Phone Number. You can also check out Kodak's Super-8 Main Page.
Spectra Film and Video, located in North Hollywood California carries Kodak Super-8 and 16mm Film stocks and also loads Fuji Velvia and Kodak Ektachrome D in both Super-8mm and 16mm.
Short films that are not too heavy in dialogue (unless the Super-8 Camera used is a Quiet one) can also be shot on Super-8. Experimental Films are also an obvious choice for Super-8. Scripted Travelogues where one has an actual shot list and voice over script already written are ideal for Super-8 as well. Feature Films can prove to be a very interesting option when it comes to furthering a directing, producing, acting, camera, or writing career. What makes Super-8 an interesting option is that it's ideal to shoot more actor medium shots and close-ups. By minimizing the background, the actor is featured more prominently and the background set designing and construction costs will drop as well. My companion site, super-8mm.com focuses on how one would proceed to make a feature film. Super-8mm.com is viewable right now and content is periodically being added. Super-8 Feature Filmmaking discussed on Super-8mm.com.
MOTIVATED DIGITAL VIDEO STUDENTS should also shoot a few of their projects on Super-8 film. The experience of Shooting on Super-8 Film will enhance a digital videomakers skills over the digital video student who has never shot with film. I entered a 22 year old super-8 film in the 2006 Super-8 Film and Digital Video Festival. Over 180 entries were received, and my film, Decoy for Terror, won an award in the experimental division. How can a 20 year old film, that was actually editing with splice tape, a film projector, and dubbed in sound, do so well? It was planning and scripting, and good old Kodak Black and White Plus X film! Our total budget for our 13 minute film was well under a thousand dollars!
For a comprehensive LIST of Super-8 cameras, check out Super-8 info about "The List". Or go directly to the Super-8 Camera List. Over 1,300 Super-8 Cameras.
FOR AN INDEPTH OVERVIEW OF SEVERAL POPULAR SUPER-8 CAMERAS, CHECK OUT Look up in the Sky, it's Super-8 Man!!!
Super-8mm.net - The Many Advantages of Super-8mm Filmmaking are Revealed.
Page-1 Super-8mm Overview.
Page-2 Super-8mm Film Advantages Explored
Page-3 Super-8mm Film Production News
Page-4 Music Video Techniques.
Page-5 Labs & Transfers.
Page-6 8mm Film Subscription Magazines.
Page-7 Flicker Super-8 Shooting Strategies
Page-8 Using Polaroids.
Page-9 Super-8 Cameras.
Page-10 Super-8 Forums.
Super-8mm.com - Super-8mm Low Budget Feature Filmmaking Techniques.
Page-1 Super-8 Links, Overview & Methods.
Page-2 Super-8 Guerilla Filmmaking.
Page-3 Indoor & Outdoor Locations.
Page-4 Super-8mm Film Stock Strategies.
Page-5 Super-8 Production News & Notes.
Page-6 A Good SoundTrack Can Make Your Film.
Page-7 Using Quiet Super-8 Cameras.
Page-8 Best Script Concepts for Super-8mm.
Page-9 Acquiring Same Model Super-8 Cameras.
Page-10 One Stop Super-8 Film Labs.
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Finding Super-8 Cameras on eBay - The Pros & Cons...
If you want to try and use Bendaroos in a Super-8 animation film, you should use a Super-8 camera that comes with single frame animation capabilities. 
Some Super-8 cameras do both conventional single frame animation and time-exposure single frame animation as well. Time-Exposure animation allows one to shoot in very low light situations. Either way, a Super-8 Camera that does single frame will allow one to create their own animation projects.
You can use the eBay search function to find Super-8 cameras. Simply type in "8mm camera" and you will get a lot of camera choices. Be careful however as 8mm video cameras will be mixed into your choices. You may be able to parse your list by looking at the column on the left side of the screen and clicking on "film cameras".
Here are the names of some of some the most popular Super-8 cameras. Canon, Elmo, Nizo, Eumig, Minolta, Nikon, Beaulieu, Bauer, Braun, Cosina, Chinon, Leicina, Moviflex, Nalcom, Sankyo, Vivitar, Yashica, Argus, Bell & Howell, Bolex, Focal, Kinoflex, Pathe, and there are other brands I have missed.
If you have questions about a specific Super-8 camera model, you may get a more detailed answer on our Super-8 Filmmaking in the Digital Age Forum. You can also find more information about the super-8 forum on the next page.
BEWARE!!! Practically all Super-8 Cameras have not been manufactured in over 25 years, so when you bid on a Super-8 camera on Ebay, you are bidding on a Super camera that could be described as "new in box" and still be over 30 years old! However, many of my 30 plus year old Super-8 cameras still work fine. It is strongly recommended that a Super-8 Repair place do at the very least a cleaning and relubing of the Super-8 motors. It is possible to pulverize a Super-8 camera motor by using the camera to pull film through when the camera motors are dry.
If the camera you own makes loud squealing or screeching sounds, it is in need of lubrication. Please do not try lubricating the camera yourself. Internet Searches for Super-8 repair facilities are always an option. Ask the seller if they can give you a repair or service recommendation. Bolex in Switzerland still services both Bolex and Eumig 16mm and Super-8mm cameras. Spectra Film and Video, located in North Hollywood, California, also repairs certain brands of Super-8 cameras.
Probably 1/2 of the Super-8 Cameras sold on ebay may have some type of problem that needs either repair or just general servicing. It's up to you to try your Super-8 Camera as soon as you receive it to make sure the camera is up to the specifications as described by the seller.
Most Super-8 cameras sell for between $10.00 to $150.00 dollars. The very high end Super-8 cameras will sell for between $150 to $600 dollars, an incredible bargain when compared to a 3 chip digital camera that becomes obsolete every 2-5 years. An even bigger bargain when you factor in that a Super-8 Camera bought in 1980 can still produce film images that are broadcast worthy!
Using a Super-8 Camera as a directors viewfinder is a real plus when you need several people to be on the same visual page for an upcoming production. Both Digital Still Cameras and Super-8 cameras can be used when reviewing a location site with your crew. Walk through your shoot location and discuss your shot selections with your Director of Photography, and CONFIRM those decisions by viewing the image through a super-8 viewfinder. A Super-8 Viewfinder is not electronic, so what you see is exactly what the image actually looks like. Simply Frame the shot the way you want it, and then share your viewfinder with the Cinematographer, sound person, set designer, make-up person and whomever else you feel would benefit.
Super-8 viewfinder images look real to life, because they are optical rather than electronic. Super-8 camera / viewfinders work whether or not the camera has battery power! Digital Still cameras should also be considered because they do offer color viewfinders and you can "instantly" record images for review at a later time. Nowadays the advantage of a Digital Still Camera is the ability to instantly send imagery over the internet via email. Many Super-8 Cameras have a look and style that sets them apart from digital video cameras. Eventually, that Super-8 camera being used as a directors viewfinder will seduce you into putting a Super-8 film cartridge into it and giving it a test drive.
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