Super 8 in China

Post by **Richard Edwards** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 5:40 am

Hi there,

This is my first posting, so hullo to all.

I have a bit of a question... I'm living in China (in Yunnan) at the moment and I'm looking round to hire or even buy a high end or professional Super 8 camera (I plan to shoot in summer). Does anyone know anywhere that hires / sells any? Location in China (including Hong Kong) isn't really a problem.

Similarly, if anyone knows anywhere that sells film it'll save me ordering it in from abroad!

Bit of a tough one, I know, but any help will be much appreciated!
Thanks!
Richard

Post by **Scotness** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 5:54 am

Hi Richard - sorry I can't help you - BK is from Hong Kong, and a few others too here. See http://www.filmshooting.com./scripts/fo ... file&u=413

Anyway here's a tough one for you - any ideas on this stock?:
http://www.filmshooting.com./scripts/fo ... 93&start=0

Scot

Post by **Richard Edwards** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 6:20 am

Thanks for the pointer.

About the film stock, not sure and hold my hands up about the North Korean stuff. I've had a look around where I live in Kunming, Yunnan, for some things and as yet found nothing.

About the difficulty in getting on the worldwide internet, though, I have no problems at all (apart from the occasional blocking of the BBC site, which seems reandomly sporadic)!

Best,
Richard

Post by BK » Mon Jan 16, 2006 9:53 am

Hi Richard,

For cameras you could try your luck around the flea markets such as Sham Shui Po or Cat Street, but nine times out of ten the optics are fungus ridden. Or alternatively, the secondhand camera shops at the arcade near the Mirama hotel in Kowloon, sometimes you see some super 8 cameras for sale but at outrageous prices.

Getting the filmstock can be a little difficult, a photographic shop at Stanley street in Central Hong Kong used to carry super 8 but I guess the demand for it is too low and they stopped stocking it.

If you are in Beijing or Shanghai look in the small specialist photographic shops there, I bought my Quarz Zenit super 8 clockwork camera in Beijing.

I am into super 8 as well as Fuji single 8 and I find it is actually easier to buy cameras and film off the internet, from the USA or Japan, save you the hassle of looking for it locally and it's not too expensive.

See if my friend Jam could help you further, he has a lot more 8mm connections than me, and has recently started a filmmakers workshop here in Hong Kong, I'll talk to him tonight.

Bill

Post by **Richard Edwards** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 4:08 pm

Thanks BK, I'll remember these Hong Kong places - I'm hopefully heading over there in the next couple of weeks so will try to check them out.

I'm currently living in Kunming in the south west - it's got its fair share of camera shops but I've yet to spot anything in the way of Super8. Again, if you've (or anyone else reading this!) got any recommendations then they'd be much gratefulness from this end of China.

I saw a couple of professional rental houses on the internet, one of which was based in Kunming. However, no response from one and the other only does 16mm. Have you heard of any rental places? I guess Hong Kong's film scene might have more in the way of rentals going...

Oh, and can I ask what you paid for your Zenit?

Just to give me something to compare too...

Thanks too for asking Jam - what kind of filmmakers workshop has he set up?

Richard

Post by **lastcoyote** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 2:39 am

As far as I know, flea market maybe the best place you can find. I work in Shenzhen and citizens tell me to look for Super8 camera from flea market. They saw them a lot.

Yunnan... let me check with one of the staffs tomorrow and get back to you if there is any flea market or camera shop.

Just to let you know that China and HK... film shooting is no longer in common. They (Most of us) goes pixalized. :?

Post by **lastcoyote** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 2:41 am

BK wrote:Hi Richard,

Getting the filmstock can be a little difficult, a photographic shop at Stanley street in Central Hong Kong used to carry super 8 but I guess the demand for it is too low and they stopped stocking it.

Bill

Hi Bill, I made few walks on Stanley Street.. .and no sign of super8 film anymore. I guess you are right. Demand too low and they stopped stocking it.

Post by BK » Tue Jan 17, 2006 5:30 am

Richard Edwards wrote: Oh, and can I ask what you paid for your Zenit? Just to give me something to compare too...

Thanks too for asking Jam - what kind of filmmakers workshop has he set up?

The Zenit came as an outfit with a silent 8mm projector and it was 750 Yuan, this was back in late 1997. I think about 400 Yuan is a reasonable price to pay, anything higher you'll better off getting it off the internet. And yes in Beijing there are some greedy dealers trying to rip you off if you are from out of town.

Besides photographic shops, the Zenit can be found in shops that sell Russian military surplus equipment.

I have talked to my friend Jam, he orders his filmstock from the US also. He just started a workshop teaching young people the skills of 8mm filmmaking here in Hong Kong. I'll talk to him again to see if he has a spare camera for rental.

As for rental places, there are lots of them but most of them for 35mm and 16mm. Even if there is a super 8 for rent it'll be expensive, more economical to just buy one.

Bill

Post by BK » Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:00 pm

Richard,

for film I order from John Schwind:

http://members.aol.com/Super8mm/JohnSchwind2.html/

Processing:

http://k14movies.com/

My friend Jam is out of town at the moment...will let you know whether he has a spare camera.

Bill

Post by **Richard Edwards** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 11:02 am

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the info and asking your friend Jam about the camera!
I've a friend bringing out a Bell and Howell Filmosonic 1237 from England for me - it's my old camera, but hasn't been used in the last five years or so. When it was, I had the results telecine-d and it seemed alright. However, I was hoping to rent something a bit more reliable here, just in case.
What do you think the chances are of anything going to pot with that camera in that time? It's been in its case, out of harms way etc. And I don't think anything would rot in that time....

And military surplus stores for cameras?! That's a new one - I'll check some out...

Richard

Post by **mynameisbob** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 2:57 pm

Hi Richard, when will you be re-joining the Manic Street Preachers?

Post by **Richard Edwards** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 3:04 pm

dang...

Post by **Jam** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 3:28 pm

Dear Richard:

Hello This is Jam.
My workshop office is in th centre of HongKong Island, if you have chance to visit Hong Kong, please come and have a talk!

I own about 20 of Elmo super 8 cameras for workshop use, they all had been tested recently. some cameras I use for peronal shooting.

Do not hesitate to contact me!

jamkun2000@yahoo.com

Best
Jam

Post by **al77** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 3:01 pm

Hi, i'm in Jinan in the Shandong province for a little while. Any ideas where would be a good place to search for single 8 cameras here?

Thanks, Al