Pro Super 8 Processing Machine

[Will2]

If some very insane person wanted to get into processing Super 8 film on a medium to large scale, where would one find the equipment to start such an enterprise?

There must be tons of equipment lying in dusty basements across the world that was once used to process Super 8...I'm just wondering if there's a company or broker who might specialize in selling such equipment (hopefully for the price of getting it out of said basement).

I have a friend (really) that is interested in this and he has people that can refurbish and rebuild such equipment, just need to find the machines in the first place. He has much experience with processing 35mm and 16mm motion picture film.

Interested in both Ektachrome and Negative.

[richard p. t.]

Hi Will,
you would have a hard time finding a company or broker that was in business to give things away for free!
That said, the black and white film factory in Toronto is going out of business and selling everything, including a Jamieson tube processing machine that they have been using for super 8 ektachrome.
http://www.blackandwhitefilmfactory.com/
also lots of other gear.
cheers,
richard

[Aaron_M]

I have a friend (really) that is interested in this and he has people that can refurbish and rebuild such equipment, just need to find the machines in the first place. He has much experience with processing 35mm and 16mm motion picture film.

Interested in both Ektachrome and Negative.

-- I'm happy to be an early client if this business is going to be in the DFW area. Please keep us all posted on what's going on.


Aaron

[woods01]

Part of the problem with MP processors is that a lot of them need deep baths to run the film so the facilities need to be large. For this reason most of processors of the 'pro' quality get scrapped. They are just too huge to ship or store, so the metal is claimed for scrap. You also need large cabinets for drying the film as it comes out of the soup.

There are a several small processor designs around, Cramer and Jamieson have smaller models and I think there is a Kodak branded one. These could fit on a table and take 400ft at a time and tend to be slower. They were made for the small local shops for 8/16 and for tv newsrooms to do in house rush processing. I've been looking for a Cramer for what seems like years now.

[Andreas Wideroe]

Look for a 16mm processor. Ask Spectra or Pro8mm what they're using. Rumors are telling me that they are not THAT hard to get and you can easily run Super8 in them.

Disclaimer: I know almost nothing about processing machines. :oops:

/Andreas

[Will2]

If Super 8 can be processed in a 16mm machine then my problem is solved; but I think the one I have access to here is sprocket driven which would be an issue. I will ask the tech.

Regular 8mm wouldn't be a problem though!

[Andreas Wideroe]

Are any processors sprocket driven? I thought they all used a rubber capstan for pulling film, but then again - I don't know much about processors.