New hi tech Super8 film camera w/digital audio recording.

Wow, that looks nice, though at that price (about 2.500 to 3.000 dollars) it's really for super8 lovers. The technical details are really intriguing, especialy reading the Filmkorn-article: Loop former, Claw (giving a super9mm format??)...

also interesting: "Initially, Lasse wanted to create a 16mm camera because “16 simply is more than 8″. But the two men had a hunch that 8mm would be a better choice. Super 16 is dying out faster than Super 8. There are more Super 8 cameras, more Super 8 filmmakers, more projectors, and it’s more affordable."

It would be interesting to see how far the Digital Bolex can emulate super8-stocks though. At that price it might be the better choice, especially having in mind that all the footage will end up in a digital format.

Edit:

Or what about this digital super8 cartridge: http://hayesurban.com/current-projects/2012/3/14/digital-super-8.html

The dead seemingly stay alive a little bit longer...
 
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You know, here comes the blasphemy but... initially I thought "hey, nice, I have to look into this", and then I read "The camera features pin registration with a traditional film gate, a crystal sync motor, built in sound recording, video tap style functionality."

To which I say -- what's the point?

Totally defeats everything Super8 was about. I don't WANT pin registration, that will eliminate that glorious gate weave. I don't know that I want a crystal sync motor on a Super8 camera; I had one, once upon a time, and while it's definitely "better", it's not Super 8. Super 8 was never about ultimate image fidelity, it was about a "vibe", a "look", a "feel". If you upgrade it too much, if you remove the flaws that made it magical, then all that will be left is... a pretty bad standard-def video camera. Yes you'll have a rotating shutter at least, but ... grainy low-res footage that is rock-stable... heck, I've already got that, it's called a DVX100... and it doesn't cost a fortune in film stock and processing and telecine costs.

The Digital Super 8 cartridge sounds interesting; it lets you use the cameras as they are, but at least eliminates the cost and wait for processing and the expense of telecine...
 
Barry_Green said:
The Digital Super 8 cartridge sounds interesting; it lets you use the cameras as they are, but at least eliminates the cost and wait for processing and the expense of telecine...
Click to expand...

When I remember watching our old family's S8 footage... Yes, you're right. The S8 magic are the S8 flaws. Probably this new camera fascinates for pushing the limits in a quijotesque way by trying to avoid the demise of something by forcing it into new technological spheres. So does the digital cartridge. It will produce a static digital image without wobble - but at least it can revieve every old S8 camera you can get your hands on.
But in this case I'm just watching from the sidelines how cinematic inventions penetrate the smallest nieche...
 
Also agree with Barry. Super 8 has about the same depth of field as a 1/3" camera. So theoretically a pristine Super 8 image might be mistaken for something shot from the many 1/3" cameras today. And conversely, you should be able to approximate the Super 8 look with a 1/3" camera, if you expose right and heavily post process. I'm sure you can even add gate weave and such.
 
Naw...s8 flaws were just flaws, something you overlooked because of what the total package brought you. the magic was a taste of what the 35 cinema had. motion, kodachrome color bigger than life suspension of reality kinda stuff...I dont think weave and scratches or flicker had anything to do with it.
 
give me a led light source for my projector and a cmos or ccd module to put in place of the projector lens for my very own telecine transfer and I'll start to drool. got a lot of films in boxes...
 
I think this is great news, and this should definitely get a kickstarter or have another company buy them out for a better design ergonomic but leave the name to its creators...

Let's not forget the most important thing. It's Film! Now we can't just say that it has a 'certain' feel because there was also an advent of Pro Super 8 models which is what this new cam is insinuating. I've never been a fan of dirty Super 8 run and gun or that poor mans Super 8 cam. Some classic S8 zooms from Schneider or Angenieux would make this cam shine!

Check out this video from a Youtube user using Ektachrome 100D stock. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNQ-0uA60rM

Look how beautifully it handles the rolloff from the shade highlights and the TV is lit perfectly! Now that's film baby! You guys comparing a 1/3'' chip is just ridiculous unless at the very least we're talking about the best of the best 3CCDs. Also the lens makes a difference. As we can see the motor on the Beaulieu 6008s is rolling lush on this mini crane. In theory this cam would be able to deliver these results at the VERY least!

I'm excited.
 
The solution is for some new type of super cheap film stock , home developable, to be released. It's hard to pay $30 dollars for 3 minutes these days, no matter how aesthetically beautiful the image. Kodak went under because film is simply too expensive. If it could compete economically, I think it might respark some interest, like $5 a roll. And the new s8 for 3k ? There's an addon pressure plate made by andec which stabilizes the movement. It only cost about $125euros. I'd be interested in the digital cartridge , if it was reasonably priced....500 or so, just to use my beaulieu again. The 4008 is probably the single most beautiful camera ever made. Then if someone made a cheap s8 film holder for scanners , there's already frame extraction software to create a quicktime file. The new filmstock material could even have a short life, if we had the system set up to scan it quickly. Maybe a project for lomography !
 
kurth said:
The solution is for some new type of super cheap film stock , home developable, to be released. It's hard to pay $30 dollars for 3 minutes these days, no matter how aesthetically beautiful the image. Kodak went under because film is simply too expensive. If it could compete economically, I think it might respark some interest, like $5 a roll. And the new s8 for 3k ? There's an addon pressure plate made by andec which stabilizes the movement. It only cost about $125euros. I'd be interested in the digital cartridge , if it was reasonably priced....500 or so, just to use my beaulieu again. The 4008 is probably the single most beautiful camera ever made. Then if someone made a cheap s8 film holder for scanners , there's already frame extraction software to create a quicktime file. The new filmstock material could even have a short life, if we had the system set up to scan it quickly. Maybe a project for lomography !
Click to expand...

I agree with this very much. B&H sells stock $20 a pop. This is why I had mentioned some weird rogue investment company to take over the project! lol so that they can make them cheaper at around $1,300 once they know which parts to buy in the thousands. Running the stock in a Thomson/DFT Shadow to a hopeful 2K transfer would be nice. or 4K with a new uprez chip module within their system to ProRes! :evil:
 
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