Super 16
- Started
- Last post
- 6 Responses
- clearThoughts
I want to try and do something with Super 16 film.
Does anybody have any experience with it?
What's a good camera to buy used on Ebay and what's the best way to develop the film and transfer it to digital for editing?
- quamb0
Try get a Bolex.
Shooting film can be pricey though. Developing and telecine aint cheap.
- xcreonx0
As long as the camera has been converted for Super 16mm it will work. Otherwise you can shoot regular 16mm which is more square. A lot of Bolex cameras have been converted to Super. A more expensive route would be to get a converted Arriflex, which I've shot with many times. Great cameras and they are crystal synced for perfect audio.
Developing is still available all around the country. I've used Cinelab in MA a few times. Dwayne's is a well-known place, as is Spectra Film.
For telecine it just depends on what format you'll want. I prefer transfer to hard drive in Apple Pro Res (high-def) or Uncompressed 10-bit (standard def). I don't like tapes or dvds, lots of compression.
I suggest visiting Cinematography.com and looking through the forums... lots of good info in there!
- vaxorcist0
I have a friend who's super-16 camera was quite flaky... wasted film was not fun.... I'd seriously try to get it checked out, and/or hire an experienced camera tech for your shoot so you can think about your film, not your camera.... most of these are > 40 years old, and even back in the day they needed constant TLC, film gate cleaning and timing tweeks, I wish I kept track of the film department camera technician after I graduated from art school....
- we made some cool experimental shit out of footage ruined due to an out of sync film shutter/gate problemvaxorcist
- whereRI0
hope you got a trust fund
- bitsnbobs0
Well if it's something you are going to use regularly, then it's potentially worth investing in or if you want to establish yourself as a DOP.
If it's just for a one of project you are much better hiring one, as the fact that everyone is shooting on the RED & HD, most rental houses just have them sitting on their shelves and you can get a good hire price.
What really makes the difference is the quality of the lenses you use and how fast they are (f stops, just as with a 35mm).
In general film is not cheap, as you need to go via a Lab just to process it for you and then transfer to tape, so you can work digitally with it. so way up the price v look and the work flow involved.
Obviously when you shoot film, (unless your budget is endless) you really need to work out your shoots and rehearse them, before you start to roll the camera, which is how it should, not just shooting randomly and continuously, as many people do when shooting digital.
It will give you a certain look for sure (a very beautiful one) go on Kodak or Fuji website, these are the only companies that manufacture 16mm & 35mm film.
Hope this helps.
B-)
If you do go ahead to buy, try and get in contact with some good DOP's first, who will point you in the right direction as far as the model you want for the money you have.
- true... and a good rental house has its gear checked out by techs before you see it...vaxorcist
