Working with Super8

M

mrbimmer

Well-known member
So..I bought my first "film" camera today for 20 bucks at a Flea Market...It is a Canon 310XL...mint condition super 8mm film camera...I am pretty excited to mess around with it...

Are there any companies that do good transfers to miniDV or DVCam inexpensively...should I just order Kodachrome from Kodak direct...what about processing...anyone know anything about super 8?!
 
Re: Working with Super8

Hey Barry, know of any place I can have some old Super8 Beaulieus serviced and buy some accessories such as batteries or lenses?

I have a Beaulieu 4008, 5008, and a plastic body Beaulieu which model number I forget... it's buried in the closet at the moment.

I've had these in my possession for several years, but have never used them. All this talk about Super8 has got me itching to use them.

Cosmetically, they are in great condition, but need batteries and general servicing, lube, etc.
 
Re: Working with Super8

Kyle, if I get the 4008ZM II up and running... I might be swayed to loan it out to you. ;)
 
Re: Working with Super8

I used to use a Beaulieu repairman named George Graf to fix my R16's. Excellent service. Try:
1940 W. Mountain Street
Glendale, CA 91201
323/665-5254

Some people would recommend pro8mm.com, but check their prices first, they may be competitive or they may be high.

There was a guy on 8mm.filmshooting.com who was doing overhauls on Beaulieu cameras, but I believe he was self-taught, so decide for yourself whether that's worth it or not.

When you say a "plastic body" Beaulieu, do you mean a 1008 or a 6008/7008? If it's a 6008PRO or 7008PRO, I'll be glad to dig through your closet, as long as it's "finders keepers!" :) The 1008 was a rebadged Chinon, not a bad camera but not a "real" Beaulieu. The 4008 was nice, and very popular, but the 6008PRO was my favorite Super8 camera ever, and the 7008 would have been nicer still. Real ground-glass focusing, crystal sync, interchangeable c-mount lenses, true mirror shutter (no light-robbing, quality-stealing prism)... man, it just didn't get any better!

There was a renaissance in Super8 when ebay first came out -- it was amazing what kind of gear you could find. I actually made quite a bit of coin out of buying, refurb'ing, and re-selling quality Super8 gear. I think the bottom has mainly dropped out of that market by now though.
 
Re: Working with Super8

Thanks for all the info!

Yeah, my plastic Beaulieu is only a 1008.

I remember in the late 80's wanting the 6008 that I always saw advertised in the back of Millimeter and other trade pubs. I couldn't afford it then, but in the early 90's I bought the Beaulieus... I've just never used them.
 
Re: Working with Super8

I was an ebay spendaholic, probably single-handedly started the Super8 resurrection! ;D I got my 6008 from someone in Germany, it was like $950! I sold it on Yahoo a couple of years later for $950, so it was like renting the camera for free. I also got all the other top models (Elmo 1012, Chinon Pacific 200, etc) from ebay, and sold 'em all there too...
 
Re: Working with Super8

I wish I could remember:

1) Where my dad's Super8 is (the one I made all my early movies on)

2) What brand it is.

The world may never know.
 
Re: Working with Super8

I still have a 16mm Beaulieu with an Angineau zoomstuck in some closet. I had lent it to some one right after having it services and the guy somehow jammed it....and said he didn't do it.

Great camera...should get it repaired and sell to get more accessories for the DVX.
 
Re: Working with Super8

I shot a lot of footage on an R16. Used to think it was the greatest camera, but one of the first political commercials I ever shot, we took the R16 into the city council chambers to get some footage of our candidate in his lofty position (he was the incumbent). I used the R16, and it was *so noisy* that we were horribly embarrassed... I tried wrapping my coat around it, to no avail.

It can take beautiful footage, but that shot was the impetus for me upgrading to a silent, crystal CP16/R...
 
Re: Working with Super8

I used to own an old Canon Scoopic that really showed some wear.

I later traded up to a Canon Scoopic-MS which, as you may know, takes 400' mags of which I had two.
 
Re: Working with Super8

You had TWO of the Scoopic 400' mag adapters? I don't think I've even seen two of them advertised on ebay in all these years...

And now, the DVX
Click to expand...
Yes, the beloved DVX. It is amazing how SIMPLE it is to shoot with something like this. Zoom lens for instant repositioning. Stable time base for audio recording. SINGLE-SYSTEM SOUND! Instant feedback so you know what you're getting on the recording, as you shoot it. And it's SILENT! 63 minutes per "load", and you don't need a changing bag... no developing, no telecine...

I am, and always will be, a "film head" -- I've still got 4 16mm cameras and a 35mm movie camera... but there's no arguing that the DVX is a compelling choice.

Film is overwhelmingly inconvenient to use (by comparison), but there's something about shooting on real film that the DVX or its successors will likely never match. Long live film (hopefully)!
 
Re: Working with Super8

[quote author=Terry_Lasater link=board=Offtopic;num=1087160761;start=0#5 date=06/13/04 at 15:19:28]Kyle, if I get the 4008ZM II up and running... I might be swayed to loan it out to you.  ;)[/quote]

Terry, holy crap that would kick some major ass...i have been looking to mess around with a nice film camera...this canon really doesn't do to much...Damn thanks man!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D
 
Re: Working with Super8

I bought them long before there was an e-bay. They came from some used dealer whom I've long since lost contact with.

When I bought my cameras, I was much younger and working at a local CBS affiliate as a camera operator and didn't have the money to buy film, process, transfer, etc.

However, I could play around all I wanted with high end broadcast video equipment for free.

So...  :-/

Over the years, I've been able to DP a couple of commercial shoots using an Arri SR II, but mostly I've been a gaffer or key grip on several film shoots.
 
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