Why the cult like devotion to Super 8?

[Greg Crawford]

After reading several post recently I am wondering why Super 8 has such a strong devoted following?

[technicolour]

Burn the disbeliever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [img]graemlins/bat.gif[/img]

[Greg Crawford]

Thank you for your militant stance.

This posting is not a pejorative. I have not seen people who shoot in 16 mm be this devoted to their format.

Super 8 truly seems to be a phenomenon

[Actor]

The Harley-Davidson principle: "If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand."

[Actor]

Oh, well. I'll give it a shot.

<ul type="square">[*]It is film.[*]It's low cost. For film that is. But who wants DV?[*]It is film!!! It really, really is.[*]The nostalgia factor.[*]It really, really, really, really is FILM!!![/list]

[Konton]

Do I really have a cult like devotion to Super 8mm? I mean I have only spent about five digits on equipment and made a website dedicated to it. I mean it's Super 8mm. Who wouldn't?

[tfunch24]

It's an inexpensive stock (well, compared to larger formats) that allows a novice to actually work with film and enjoy the advantages film has over video--higher resolution, superior contrast, and just better overall look (if done correctly--S8 can look even more horrible than video if you don't put any effort into it.)

Tom

[TA152]

I have to give you my very personal opinion on this.

I have shot Super8 for over 20 years but also video from 1987 V8 and Hi8 since the mid 90s.

For homemovies I shot a lot of films of my first child, now 18. My youngest one I also shot on video for the past 2-3 years and last autumn I evaluated a switch to MiniDV cam.

However, for some reason I started to sort all my old S8 films, projected them and I got so astonished by the difference in image quality and I mean QUALITY that I felt it like a crime to continue to shoot my youngest child on video.

Some later I had the opportunity to compare a 3 Chip DV cam footage projected alongside with S8 projection and the S8 was to me, SUPERIOR and for most of the other people watching there too.

Simple maths: How much film can I buy for a new DV cam? Probably enough for the rest of my life, and a MD player for sound recording and a soundstriping machine too.

The only drawback is the lack of soundstriped film but silent will do anyway.

To me the total imagery, the impression, the texture and the ++++++ and on gives a totally different feel of space and dimention when I watch S8 projected compared to watching video.

And besides, working with film is a very nice hobby and to me watching the projected rich excellent colour big size image is magic.

A big vaste of money for sLOW progress and no enduring technology DV is to me.

Maybe I am getting old but no more video for me.

Even though I prefer the S8 projected there are excellent transfer to video services like Roger/Moviestuff?s that takes good care of the S8 quality even when played back on TV.

R

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 07, 2002 06:18 PM: Message edited by: S8 Booster ]</font>

[MikeBrantley]

That last one is the best testimonial I've seen in a long time. Keep the faith!

[Mike Buckles]

I paid about 800.00 for my Bell and Howell back in 1981, and am delighted I can again thank my lucky stars I didnt take it to the thrift store like my wife had wanted me to do!!! After i found out super 8 was still going, I am again shooting, and so it's kind of a nostalgic thing for me, also. Plus, I love the saturated, rich colors, the high detail, and the look of film.