Kodak Digital Team accepting reservations for new S8 camera

[Nicholas Kovats]

The Kodak "Digital" Team is now accepting reservations (limit of one) for the new forthcoming Kodak Super 8 camera. Logmar is designing the hardware and software. Interesting how the fine print stipulates that there is no obligation to purchase the camera and new members of the "Super 8 Collective" will be updated on special offers. I suspect they will use the reservation data to estimate initial number of manufactured units.

http://tiny.cc/hfjlay

"Super 8 Camera Reservation
Sign up for the chance to be among the first to purchase a KODAK Super 8 Camera. When the camera becomes available, you will receive an email with full product details, price and instructions on how to purchase.


First Name:
Last Name:
Email:
Country:

By submitting my information, I understand that I am both joining the Super 8 Collective and reserving the opportunity to purchase a Super 8 Camera at a price to be later determined by the Eastman Kodak Company “Kodak”. There is a limit of one Super 8 Camera reservation per person. By making the Super 8 Camera reservation, I am not obligated to buy anything from Kodak and Kodak has no actual obligation to sell me anything. I will however remain part of the Super 8 Collective and can unsubscribe at any time. Kodak is not responsible for incorrect, inaccurate, or misdirected entries.

The Super 8 Collective is provided by Kodak and is available only to residents of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. As a Collective member, you’ll get special offers on Super 8 Film and processing, as well as other exclusive offers from Kodak. Kodak reserves the right to modify the Super 8 Collective countries and benefits without notice.

Kodak will use this information for business purposes only and will not sell it to third parties. We invite you to read Kodak's Online Privacy Notice."

I submitted my info and voila, i.e "Thank you for signing up for the chance to be among the first people to purchase a Super 8 camera."

[silverhalide]

Taking the reservation is the easy part.

- Jerry Seinfeld

[Tscan]

Reserved mine. I'd lay down the cash if they asked for it and shipped one hot off the press, in a heartbeat. I have 3 great working cameras, but this will be a welcome addition.

[aj]

I appreciate that Kodak is commiting themselves to Super-8.

The enthusiasm for the camera is somewhat less.

It is a featurefree filmtransporter exposer without lightmeter and no auto-exposure. The presented lens looks nice visually but is a fix-focus primelens intended for surveilliance purposes. It is not a Logmar either.

Why the eagerness to get one when you already have a closet full of equipment with better features?

[Charlie Blackfield]

Just signed up for this.

The camera may be far from perfect, but let's be realistic: how often do I actually use any fancy features that other cameras offer me? - There's the odd occasion here and there, but on the whole, standard features tend to be perfectly sufficient. The idea of getting a NEW camera (i.e. less likely to get temperamental as all the 30+ year old gear) at an affordable price; with the option of doing some proper sound-synching; and with a lens that may, in itself, not be that great, but fairly reasonable for most bogstandard shooting situations and that can easily be replaced with my Schneider-Kreuznach f1.8/6-66mm lens - well, why not give it a chance?

Charlie

PS. I know that André's question wasn't directed at me, but I thought I'd answer it anyway.

[Tscan]

t is a featurefree filmtransporter exposer without lightmeter and no auto-exposure. The presented lens looks nice visually but is a fix-focus primelens intended for surveilliance purposes. It is not a Logmar either.

Why the eagerness to get one when you already have a closet full of equipment with better features?

It will have a built in light meter, and you'll be able to set the actual rating of your film. It will have a wider frame for HD scanning, crystal sync frame rates with on board audio recording option. My Nizo's will be the experimental cameras and this one will open up new territory.

[marc]

Too bad that it does not have a slow motion feature on it.

[Will2]

Too bad that it does not have a slow motion feature on it.

I bet that could be a firmware update if they put decent motors in.

[Tscan]

Too bad that it does not have a slow motion feature on it.

I bet that could be a firmware update if they put decent motors in.

That's exactly what i've been thinking. The frame rates they will offer are pretty lack luster. But it's based on the Logmar which runs firmware, all kinds of intervals and frame rates could be added. And right, it depends on the motor, would be nice to get 72fps. Hopefully this camera will embrace the superior nature of film when it comes to slow motion and single frame. So much more fluid on either end than digital.

[Will2]

And right, it depends on the motor, would be nice to get 72fps.

When my 4008 goes that fast it sounds like it's going to explode.

[marc]

As fine as our Super 8 cameras are with all of their automated features, it would be great to have Kodak and inevitably other manufacturers come out with cameras of the same concept in 16mm. Super 8 cameras have proved to be marvels of engineering and convenience for film makers. But with all of their bells, whistles, gadgets and tricks, you are still limited to the size of the frame. I don't mean to hijack this thread, but wouldn't it be great to have similar cameras in a 16mm format with a convenient preloaded plastic cart?

[Tscan]

As fine as our Super 8 cameras are with all of their automated features, it would be great to have Kodak and inevitably other manufacturers come out with cameras of the same concept in 16mm. Super 8 cameras have proved to be marvels of engineering and convenience for film makers. But with all of their bells, whistles, gadgets and tricks, you are still limited to the size of the frame. I don't mean to hijack this thread, but wouldn't it be great to have similar cameras in a 16mm format with a convenient preloaded plastic cart?

That's a great idea because there are very few, if any 16mm cameras that have any of the mechanical features of some of the better super 8 cameras. The only way you can match what my Nizo S8 can do in 16mm is a Bolex H16 with a motor bolted onto the side, and a compact lead acid battery running of of that. I could see a compact 16mm camera that accepts small 100ft magazines that you load with daylight spools. Just add some variable shutter options and frame intervals from 1fpm to 72fps.

[marc]

That's a great idea because there are very few, if any 16mm cameras that have any of the mechanical features of some of the better super 8 cameras. .

Yeah, in the context of filmmaking cameras, Super 8 cameras are essentially high tech toys. Why not apply that technology on a more professional level?

[Tscan]

That's a great idea because there are very few, if any 16mm cameras that have any of the mechanical features of some of the better super 8 cameras. .

Yeah, in the context of filmmaking cameras, Super 8 cameras are essentially high tech toys. Why not apply that technology on a more professional level?

Exactly- For me, the features of a camera like Nizo or Bauer allow me to work with each individual frame as a photograph. It's a very hands on tangible process where all the factors of exposure time, aperture, frame rates or choreographed frame sequences are manipulated to generate a preconceived visual concept. A video camera only has 2 features, on or off, and i find that rather boring.

[doug]

As fine as our Super 8 cameras are with all of their automated features, it would be great to have Kodak and inevitably other manufacturers come out with cameras of the same concept in 16mm. Super 8 cameras have proved to be marvels of engineering and convenience for film makers. But with all of their bells, whistles, gadgets and tricks, you are still limited to the size of the frame. I don't mean to hijack this thread, but wouldn't it be great to have similar cameras in a 16mm format with a convenient preloaded plastic cart?

That's a great idea because there are very few, if any 16mm cameras that have any of the mechanical features of some of the better super 8 cameras. The only way you can match what my Nizo S8 can do in 16mm is a Bolex H16 with a motor bolted onto the side, and a compact lead acid battery running of of that. I could see a compact 16mm camera that accepts small 100ft magazines that you load with daylight spools. Just add some variable shutter options and frame intervals from 1fpm to 72fps.

Digital cameras have got smaller and smaller yet the same hasn't happened with 16mm cameras. You'd think with all the modern advances with non-mechanical components electronics and batteries becoming tiny and more efficient, it would now be possible to manufacture a miniature pro 16mm camera. I imagine something like a very small Arri body with C-mount, that accepts 50ft, 100ft and if necessary larger mags too. The 50 and 100ft mags would house daylight spools that feed onto spindles, so keeping their size small. Rewinding back onto the spool afterwards. As C-mount is not very robust for big lenses, an accessory support rod could be used (and might carry a matte box too). There could be a fold-out monitor screen, as well as a reflex viewfinder perhaps on top: looking downward. Mirrors on the spinning shutter. Movement pin-regd like the Logmar. From what I've heard the Logmar isn't too quiet ? I wonder if this is noise from the motor or the intermittent ? If the latter maybe there'd be a way of isolating the chatter before it reaches the shell of the camera. One of the problems associated with film cameras is the obtrusive noise for sound recording. Yet a few of those old super-8's are remarkable quiet, so I reckon it's not an unsurmountable problem. Finally, what format ? I suggest Regular 16, Ultra 16 AND Super-16. For S.16 you'd have to recentre the C-mount which could be a kind of cam arrangement.