Super 8 has such a beautiful and organic aesthetic. Shooting Super 8 film is also very refreshing in today’s digital cinema world – where the pixel peepers debate the quality of the latest and greatest cameras and formats online.
I often get asked what is the best plug-in to use to get that film look; I say shoot film!
I purchased my Super 8 camera at a pawn shop in Paris – with a bit of searching you can usually find info on Super 8 cameras at your local photography store. Alternatively search Craigslist, eBay, even yard sales or your neighbors attic! Beaulieu, Bolex, Canon, Minolta and Elmo are some of the brands to look for. I have a BAUER, the images are amazing and it’s very straightforward to use.
Most Super 8 film stocks, including color and B&W reversal, can be purchased at B&H and Amazon or your local camera store. I usually purchase film stock at Adolph Gasser in San Francisco.
Pro8mm, and Yale in the Los Angeles area are both good resources for processing and transfer. I like using Pro8mm as they do the Super 8 HD scanning direct to file at 1080p (digital mastering) and they can output to ProRes files delivered on a hard drive. Pretty convenient if you ask me.
Super 8 is a brilliant format and is great to use alongside the larger formats as well. Part of the charm is not only the vintage look and feel of the footage but also the anticipation of receiving your film footage back from the lab.