Help needed for vintage 8mm movie camera

[j_n14]

<p>Hi.<br>

So I picked up a vintage movie camera from a thrift store today and I'd love to use it, but I have no idea about the type of film it takes or even how to develop it...???<br>

According to the manuel it's a Chinon 723 power zoom super 8 movie camera.<br>

I think it used to take Kodapak movie cartridges but they're no longer made. I read somewhere it could take super 8 silent cartridges? But to be honest, I'm completely lost on this technology, so any help would be greatly appreciated.<br>

Cheers,<br>

J</p>

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[Mike Gammill]

The Film Photography Project still lists some Super 8 cartridges but they are expensive.

[john_shriver]

<p>Almost a film orphan, Super 8 film is no longer a "consumer" product.<br>

Kodachrome was discontinued years ago, and there is no place in the world to process it. (Nor are there any of the necessary dyes left.)<br>

Ektachrome reversal film is discontinued, but you can buy outdated rolls on eBay and get it processed.<br>

Realize that a 50 foot cartridge yields just over 3 minutes of film.<br>

See <a href="http://www.yalefilmandvideo.com">Yale Film and Video</a> and <a href="http://www.spectrafilmandvideo.com/Film.html">Spectra Film and Video</a>.<br>

They are selling Agfa 200 E-6 reversal color film. About $45 a roll processed. <br>

You can also get Eastman Tri-X 7266. That's black and white film. About $22 a roll for the film, and $20 for processing.<br>

The other color option is the Eastman Vision3 color negative stocks, you only get a negative, so you have to have it digitally scanned. You'll be lucky to do that for less than $100 a roll total...</p>

 

[craig_shearman1]

Kodapak and super 8 cartridge are same

thing. You can still buy super 8 at B&Ag but

film choices are limited and expensive.

[craig_shearman1]

That was supposed to be B&H.

Www.bhphotovideo.com

[User_6502147]

<p>This is optimistic and they do talk about Super 8.</p>

<p>http://www.kodak.com/ek/US/en/corp/Press_center/CANNES_2016_Heralds_Resurgence_of_KODAK_Motion_Picture</p>

<p>Till that comes to any sort of realization, you might have a nice retro piece in your display....or closet :>)</p>

<p>Les</p>

[ed_lutz]

<p>If your adventuresome this isn't all that hard. It would help if you have experience developing black and white film?<br /> Pick up a Super 8 cartridge of Tri X. B&H is generally the cheapest place to get it. If you already have a 3 or 4 reel Paterson tank then your good to go. Shoot the roll (does the camera even operate?). You have to break open the Super 8 cartridge in the dark, unspool the film, and stuff it loosely in the Paterson tank. Don't forget the center column to keep the tank light tight. Stand develop it in Rodinal. It will work, it will be rough and grainy but it will work. It will also develop as a negative. Check your local Craigslist or other sources for someone who is converting home movies to DVD. Expect to pay around 12 to 15 cents a foot for your 50 ft reel. The end result will have uneven development and will be grainy but you will have a movie. If you want better quality then you need an actual movie film developing tank. I got mine off Ebay out of Russia. Look for Lomo tanks. The Rodinal stand developing makes the film grainier than usual, but its not bad. This method will get you started. If you want, once you get comfortable with it, you can start shooting the Kodak Vision emulsions and develop them in normal C-41 chemistry.<br /> This link will take you to a scan of some Tri X I shot and stand developed in Rodinal.<br /> <br />

<p>If you want any more detail drop me a note, I'll be happy to help if I can.</p>

[glen_h]

<p>Seems to me that some agitation would keep the film from contacting, and keeping the developer away from some spots. But otherwise, I suspect that it should work.</p>

<p>Reversal processing isn't so hard, if you have the chemistry. </p>

<p>So, Fuji doesn't make any E6 Super-8 film? </p>

[ed_lutz]

<p>Yes, your right Glen, it probably will but bucket processing ends up pretty rough no matter what. I recommend stand developing because we really don't know with that camera what the shutter speed is going to be. Whatever its supposed to be, its probably something else. The camera is too old to be sure. Stand developing takes much of the exposure issue out of the equation. Within limits of course, it should come out OK. If you agitate the film much during a stand development process then it becomes a regular non stand developing cycle and you need the accuracy we just wont have here. Movie cameras are incredibly fickle little things, and old ones tend to be slow, jumpy, and have wonky meters so either stand developing or perhaps something like Diafine can be helpful. I've not actually tried Diafine yet but in general you can develop Kodaks TriX as a negative in whatever standard b&w chemicals you want so I'm thinking Diafine should work too. My next reel will be done this way as I'm thinking it should help control the grain a bit.<br>

And no, Fuji is now sadly out of the Super8 business. Its sad, their film was wonderful. Far as I know there are no color reversal stocks available anymore unless someone does a short run of custom cutting something. I think a shop in Europe has done that in the past but what I remember was priced way out of my range. Whats nice though is that the current Kodak color negative stocks are amazingly forgiving, have huge amounts of exposure latitude, and lovely natural colors plus they develop nicely in standard C-41 chemistry (with the addition of a easy remjet removal step). The only downside is that you cant run them through a projector and have to have them scanned. The upside of this though is that once scanned you can import the movie into a standard digital editor like Premier Pro or Vegas and edit to your hearts content. No splicing tape required. The downside of the whole thing however is the cost. 3 minutes of shooting time for $34.95, (for 50 ISO color) plus developing and scanning... </p>

[ed_lutz]

<p>John, after posting my last message I went back and scanned the thread again. I'd missed your comment about Spectra having the Agfa reversal film. Its not cheap, but I found some examples on YouTube and it looks pretty nice. Just wanted you to know that my wife isn't going to like you when I order a couple reels of this stuff... :)</p>