Anyone here shoot Cine?

[David Mitchell]

Hi all,

I have just checked out Rockycameras again (silly thing to do I know lol) I see that there are quite a few really nice looking super 8 cameras for sale for not a lot, I am looking at the Bolex B8 which is such a classic shape.

I know that you can still get the film sent off to be developed and scanned in so that's not an issue, also I can use cine lens on an NEX when I do get the camera.

I only ask as where I live we have an original 1920s cinema that has just been fully restored, the national British film archives is located a 30 second walk from my house. Also in my Uncle's village they have got a film put together of all of the local films of the area ranging from a cricket match on the green, to the circus coming to just every day activities. I was thinking of documenting a small snapshot of life these days as if it isn't captures then its lost forever.

I also watched this music video a while back which also got me excited in film:

Paul van Dyk & Peter Heppner - Wir Sind Wir - YouTube

Its not something that I would be wanting to do often but considering most of the 'vintage' kit will outlast most of the modern plastic and electronic stuff it would be nice to own.

Just wondering if anyone on here has movie cameras at all?

 

[Hamish Gill]

I have a Bolex b8


Connie with her books by Hamish_Gill, on Flickr

i haven't used it since I was about 12 though ...
i waiting for pentax q cameras to get cheap on eBay so I can use the lenses

 

[Pete Askew]

I used to shoot 8mm film years (decades) ago but now use a digital system. Chris has done some filming with 'vintage' Super 8 cameras though. It won't be a cheap exercise but could be fun. It all depends on your motive. If it is to produce films that are going to end up being digitised and edited / viewed electronically then maybe the digital route makes sense. But if it is more about the pleasure in using a vintage camera then it sounds good to me.

 

[David Mitchell]

Its more for pleasure, looks like about £15 to get a roll processed, or I could just get a massive development drum lol its just something I wanted to try, not going to be something im going to do much.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

What a lovely looking camera Hamish

 

[Chris Dodkin]

David - vintage Cine is a lot of fun, the cameras are cheap as chips, film is available, and dev and scan to digital is also available for a price.

I used to shoot 8mm as a kid with my Grandad's Eumig - tons of fun.

As with still shooting, you just can't beat that vintage look of film - only with cine you get the scratches and gate wobble, and light burn at the end of the film - lot's of atmosphere

I have mostly concentrated on mechanical 8mm cameras - but also have a mechanical 16mm Eumig.

Here's my 8mm C3R and 16mm C16R

I just love the look and feel of the technology - so much care and quality in these old cameras.

I've put a couple of rolls of standard 8mm through a Eumig C3M

And had these dev'd and scanned so I could edit in iMovie and upload to YouTube

Here's my first test reel

[video=youtube_share;GuuXbKwhv-A]http://youtu.be/GuuXbKwhv-A[/video]

 

[David Mitchell]

I will be going with mechanical 8mm, it seems that when things were made 'back in the day' they were built to last, I know my parents had a cine camera and I think we still have the projector for it somewhere still. I think we had to throw the camera away as the battery had leaked acid everywhere, which is why im going mechanical lol.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Wise choice - my Grandad's Eumig is toast because of the batteries - the older mechanical ones just keep on trucking

Models are available from the 30's through to the mid 60s - there were some variations on 8mm, so worth checking before you buy.

Some sort of light meter will be needed most likely - hand held or an App on your smart phone

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My youngest 8mm is so advanced that it looks like it should be battery powered - it has a light meter, a mechanical 'power meter' - powered zoom (clockwork)

Bell & Howell Director from the early 60s - same camera that shot the infamous JFK assassination footage

 

[David Mitchell]

I got a vintage light meter for my birthday, so thats sorted, its only due to most of my cameras being too told to have a light meter lol stuff like my Bessa or the Sputnik and then there are some like the Zenit photosniper that had a Selinium meter which doesn't work anymore lol

I think I will go with the Bolex B8, seems a good starting point

btw, that C16 looks epic lol

 

[Hamish Gill]

What a lovely looking camera Hamish

Cheers, to be honest, I just wish I could be arsed to put a film through it (I can't)

 

[Pete Askew]

You could always shoot a timelapse of you not making a movie using your Bolex Hamish!

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Mind, I can talk!!

 

[David Mitchell]

Cheers, to be honest, I just wish I could be arsed to put a film through it (I can't)

At least it looks awesome on the shelf