I need a lot of opinions

[crimsonson]

Hi guys

Need your help.

I currently need another Super8 camera. I have narrowed it down to either the Canon 1014 XL-S, Bauer 715 XL or the Minolta D10/D12.

Any input would help me thanx.

CAnon 1014 XL-S (around $400)
Bauer 715 (I can get it for $300)
Minolta D10/D12 (around 250-300)


Even just an opinion on one camera will help me.

thanx a lot

[jukkasil]

I have both Bauer 709 and 715 (Porst 1500) and I like them very much.

I haven't any experience with those two other cameras (Canon and Minolta), but anyway here are couple good points if you buy Bauer:

- Angenueux 1,8/6-90 Multicoauting lens, 15 x zoom (I just love it!)
- Really nice time lapse-programs
- 4 different motors
- Integrated shoulder trap


I paid for my Bauer 709 152 USD (mint via http://www.ebay.com) and Porst 1500 225 Euro (as new, hardly used via http://www.ebay.de) . Watch these Ports 1500 out, they are same camera (except Bauer is louder according my tests), but you'll get it much cheaper than Bauer 715.

You can check Bauer's image quality to downloading my lapset.mpg and kesa2002.mpg files from my http://www.sorb-i-tol.com domain.

[S8 Booster]

Deleted

[S8 Booster]

Admitting that the Bauer 715 was my never obtainable"dream cam" in the ´80s. However, I have later been able to compare the 715 (2 of my friends have the 715s) and my 1014 and find the 1014 superior in the follwoing areas:

1014: Superior lens:
Even though the 715 has a 15x zoom it has severe (visual) vignetting in wider open apertures.
The 1014 has no vignetting ever (Factory spec).

Colour resolution/balance:
The 1014 has better coating (resoving colour contrast better in the dark areas of similar colour. Example dark pine forrest) even though the 715 is good too.

Variable shutter:
The 1014 has 150° and 220° selectable variable shutter (150° is default).
The 715 has a fixed 200° XL shutter only.

Eposure control:
The 1014 is the best cam made, no doubt (factory spec)

Film speeds:
The 1014 covers 25 to 400 ASA ranges automatically and can be adjusted 12 to 800 ASA by manual over/underride.

The 715 covers only 15/17 + 21/23 DIN (25/40 + 100/160?ASA) range.


Reliabilty:
In my community the 1014 has proven to be more reliable than the 715s even from brand new ones. The Canons have a reputation for excellent reliablity in general.


These are a few factors I could think of at a short glimse. Does not mean that the 715 is a bad cam. It isn´t but I find the 1014 to offer more freedom and it produces better images (less grain more colour resolution) due to better lens quality, exposure control and faster shutter speed.


Do not know the Minolta cam.


Sample 1014 image by the worst possible DIY off the screen by a flickering non adjustable Hi8 cam:





R