Which S8 camera is better?

[Rob Skates]

Hello,
I am new to the board. I have spent the last 10 years working mostly in 16mm and 35mm. It has been some time since I shot super 8. The last camera I owned was a beaulieu 5008. I am planning on buying a s8 camera and would like some opinions on some of the cameras I am considering. I want a camera to use on short films, music videos and mostly just for my own little experimental projects.
I am looking at the following models: NIZO 801 OR 6080, ELMO 1012, CANON 1014 (silent model). I would prefer a silent model. Why carry around the weight of now useless sound electrionics. I am planning on spending around $400.00.
I am open to advice and suggestions. Thanks,
Rob Skates

[Jerome Cain]

canon 1014 xls would be cooler! so are my two minolta xl401 too. Jerome

[TA 152]

Both the Elmo and the Canon belongs as far as I know to the high-end japanese S8 cams of the late ?70s / early ?80s.

I own them both and they are very reliable! (like most japanese stuff)

The Elmo is quieter (quite less noise)and is a very nice cam with a "focus free" lens lock and a nice lens too.

The Canon has some more fancy features like instant slo-mo, variable shutter and lap disolve. time laps etc.

Like them both. Recommend both.

R

[c_77]

My little Nizo 3056 is a beautiful camera; it's just that they could have made it a little more durable. I am referring especially to the plastic handle. Granted, they saved some weight there but that damn master switch button fell right out of mine! That would have made it pretty much useless unless I was very, very creative with a fix. Plus, mine has a broken zoom-in switch which I knew about before buying. I usually zoom manually though. Take a minus one for me for the Nizo's...

On the other hand, my Canon 814 is built like a rock! If the 1014's are anything like that model I would give my vote towards Canon. I have a cheap Elmo that I won't coment on. Everybody loves Beaulieu, for good reason but they seem pretty quirky. They are the only company that still makes new ones! I'll bet they make nice pictures though...

[lightfeat]

The three best cameras are the Canon 1014XL-s, Nizo 6080/ 4080 and the Beulieu 4008 ZMs and 6008. If you want the best camera for producing the best image, then these are the best, along with a few rarer models, such as the Nikons and others I'm not familiar with. If you want a camera which is in any way quiet enough to record sound without camera noise, it has to be the Nizo 4080/ 6080. Otherwise, for me it's either of the others, because they're a bit more durable, especially the Canon. The 1014 XL-s is nicer than the electronic, in my opinion. If it weren't for the noise, I'd have kept mine for sure. I'm a Nizo man, because if you record sound, it's the only way to go. That's the advantage of the extra weight - soundproofing!

[Paul L.]

There seem to be a lot of Nizo fans on this board, but I've read about as many problems with the cameras as I've heard raves. I'm a big Elmo 1012 fan. It's quiet, reliable, has a great long lens, does single frame/18fps/24fps. It's my primary camera. However, if you are looking at a silent camera, have you considered the Beaulieu 4008? It is a bit noisy though. Batteries are a pain in the ass with 4008s, but the camera is amazing.

[Matt Pacini]

It depends on what you want to do.

If you plan on recording audio while shooting, then the only real choice is either the Nizo 6080, 4080, 6056 or I think the 3056.
The 6080 is the best/newest of these.

In my experience, the sound cameras aren't much, if any at all, heavier than the non-sound cameras. maybe an ounce or something...

I've owned these cameras:

Nizo 6080
Nizo 6056
Nizo 801
Canon 1014XL-S
Canon 814XL-S
Bauer 715XL-S
Nikon R-10
Nikon Super Zoom 8

IF you don't care about the camera being noisy (ALL of them are too noisy to record dialog while shooting, except those Nizo's I listed), then my favorites are the Canon 1014XL-S, the Nikon R-10 (LOVE that Nikon glass!) and the Bauer 715XL-S.
Ignoring the sound problem, I'd probably say I like the images the Nikon R-10 made the best.
Really, really nice sharp images, even at f1.2!!!!

Matt Pacini

[Jerome Cain]

I heard that the Nikon R-10 is bad ass. I have been thinking about get a canon 1014xls and nikon R-10.

[Rob Skates]

I greatly appreciate all the imput and advise. I forgot about the nikon R-10 a good suggestion. Has anyone had experience with the minolta autopak 8 D-12. I read a great review of this camera in an old Filmmaker magazine. I do not believe I've seen any mention of that camera on this board.
Thanks

[Jerome Cain]

I got a list of different super8mm camera that you might want to take a look at,...

http://www.kolumbus.fi/puistot/list.htm

As for minolta autpak 8 d3 it would be about less hundred dollars for it at ebay if you can find. but try to find review of minolta xl401 that would be about less 130 dollars,... let me know what you would buy. Jerome (deaf filmmaker)