My Chinon Super 8

sorry sledge, but you're wrong there. reg8mm (actually double8) is the one made from split 16mm. they both only have sprockets on one side. super8 has smaller sprockets. that's the only difference, allowing more picture area for s8. many 8mm cams are "double8", where you got a short (usually 25') roll of 16mm. you shot it for 25', flipped it over at the end, shoot the other side of the reel, and when you send it for processing, they split the processed film down the middle and splice them together, sending you 50' of 8mm film.

the kind of film with sprockets on both sides is reg16. (sometimes.) super 16 can only be single-perf, but reg can be single or double, as less of the neg is used for picture. not sure if you can even buy double perf 16 anymore. high-speed cameras often needed double perf to be able to achieve decent registration at their wicked-high speeds. but "double 8" cams are double perf, and then the processed film comes back single perf, and noticeably skinnier.

i'm not getting into 35 right now.

also, reg8, super8, and reg16 all use the same aspect ratio. (4:3, or 1.33) the picture area just gets bigger in size as you go up (in the above order.) but they're all the exact same shape ("aspect ratio" basically just means "shape.")
 
blckhawk542 said:
do you guys know where they sell 16mm cameras for like under 800 dollars? Ive looked to the end of the internet and beyond..and i didnt find any dealers..and i dont trust ebay....

Hey Sirius...sell me that first camera you got up thurrr...the black one. lol

I think the pro8mm.com guys have a couple of camera that are 16mm but then again you have to deal with their shakey customer service.

Pete
 
Its really great to see video people who still love and appreciate film. I'm only now making the switch to DV, its been all super 8 and a little bit of 16mm for me for the past five years. If you've got any questions about super 8 just ask, I'll either know or know where to find out.
 
this is kind of an old theread buti havea question. John,
i just got a chinon S8 cam. cheaper version than yours. it works, but when you look thoughthe viwfinder its not really in focus unless you back you eye away from the viewingn hole a inch.... even then everythign is in focus and turning the focus ing doesnt really doa nything. shouldi just guesstimate the distance and shoot using focus distances? cause teh mechanism is perfect. it just the viewfinder seems to be thrown off.... asit is 30 years old.
 
As mentioned before, the BLC (back light control) shifts the auto iris open a bit. This is used primarily for shooting situations like interior windows where you want to see more detail on the subject in the foreground.

I have dealt with Pro8mm with only poor results. Although I now expect bad customer care as a given, what really hurts is that the quality of what they sell also suffers greatly. The rule of thumb for me is NOT to order anything that has their Pro8mm label on it! This means cameras, film accessories etc.

The cameras they sell cameras are merely a repainted Beaulieu with Pro8mm labeling (advertising) all over it. The price is way out of league for what a similar Beaulieu should cost. Their film is remanufactured short ends (left over film stocks from shoots) loaded into super 8 cartridges and sold as new. These films (as well as their "Pro8mm" 16mm) are very inconsistent as a result. Scratches, dirt, shift in color/exposure, expiration and Xray damage are all possibilities (some of which I have experienced myself). Pro8mm will do anything to save a buck on what they sell and should be avoided!

Fresh super 8 neg films made by Kodak can be had in discounted packages at Spectra Film and Video (with their superior processing and telecine). Customer care is top notch as well! They offer everything Pro8mm has with better attitude and quality. I have used them for several recent projects with far better results: www.spectrafilmandvideo.com
 
x2mag68 said:
this is kind of an old theread buti havea question. John,
i just got a chinon S8 cam. cheaper version than yours. it works, but when you look thoughthe viwfinder its not really in focus unless you back you eye away from the viewingn hole a inch.... even then everythign is in focus and turning the focus ing doesnt really doa nything. shouldi just guesstimate the distance and shoot using focus distances? cause teh mechanism is perfect. it just the viewfinder seems to be thrown off.... asit is 30 years old.

RIGHT ON!

Yeah my Viewfinder has always been weak. It's set to infinty anyway I think? Juts a point and shoot
 
cool! i will be using it tommorw in an exotic location. Buyuk Adi in istanbul Turkey.... when i Telecine it in a few months i will post grabs.
 
Chinon Super 8

Chinon Super 8

Hey John. I have that exact same Chinon camera I believe! I haven't used it yet, but I would really like to try it out. Super 8 is pretty neat. I even saw a 35mm blow up of it, and the quality looked surprisingly good. Fun camera. Can't wait to get started on some film. And here's a website you might be interested in. They sell 50' rolls of super 8 film for about 17 bucks. http://filmemporium.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/super8.html

and they also have some really great deals on short ends for 16mm and 35mm if anyone is interested. I think 35 short ends are listed on there at about 15 cents a foot. Which is really good.

I believe I saw some of you asking about 16mm MOS cameras. I would recommend a Canon Scoopic. It's a pretty neat camera that is super easy to work and puts out fantastic end products. The thing is pretty much self loading, and you can find them for reasonable prices too. But it only takes 100 ft spools which will only give you about 2 1/2 minutes of film, but they are awesome little cameras. And you will not have trouble finding someone to repair or service the camera either, which might become an issue if you go for a Krasnagorsk or something of the like, but I hear those cameras are pretty good as well. Never had the pleasure of using one though.
 
I love that camera; my first one ever when I was 14. I made some ridiculous films with it.

I have a bunch of reels I need to telecine
 
Dear blackhawk,
How you could appreciate - if you have some information on it - the Chinon Pacific 12 SRM super mm 8 camera. In Romania we don't have much information about it. I recentely get this kind of camera from ebay. Thank you
 
Hey Byzantinic,
That's quite a nice camera you got yourself, I don't know if it will meter properly for Ektachrome 64T without seeing inside the film compartment, from the specs though it looks as though it might, anyway here are some specifications on this model:

Chinon 12 SMR Pacific
  • Year: 1978-80
  • Weight: 2300 g
  • Lens: Chinon zoom 1,8 / 6 - 72 mm
  • Macro focusing
  • Microprism Focusing
  • Auto / Manual Zoom with Variable Speed
  • Frame rates: 18, 24, 36 + single frame
  • Shutter degree: 150
  • Manual / Auto Exposure
  • Backlight Control
  • +/- correction for auto
  • Flash contact
  • Fades
  • Lap dissolve of 72 frames
  • Remote control socket
  • Interval timer
  • Auto / Manual Recording Level Control
  • Made in Japan
Hope that helps.
 
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