Yes, I'm a newbie, and I need a little help

[milkyway]

I'm a film student and I've been learning on 16mm film but I am dying to buy a S8 camera but it looks like my options are only ebay and it just looks like people don't know anything about the cameras they put online!

All I want is a camera that runs 24 fps, and decent lens (not just a fixed 13mm wide lens)

I'm willing to search at flea markets and such but WHERE DO I START? What should I look for, ask for, first? Is crystal sync a must for syncing dialogue in post prod? I really know nothing about the mechanics of a Super 8 camera...yet...

Also, just curious...is it possible to run S8 film in a regular 8mm camera?

Let me know, let me know

milkyway

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[#Pedro]

Hi!

My remarks:

Film stock: All S8 film is cardrige loaded (50 ft) and can be run only in S8 cameras, designed for that cart. Not in reg 8, not in Single 8 and not in double S8.
There are mostly Kodak reversal films available:
Universal use, high-quality: K40 (40 ASA tungsten, 25 ASA daylight)
Night shots: VNF (125 ASA tungsten)
B/W: tri-x-pan, plus-x-pan
negative: 200T

camera:

If you are used to 16 mm and shurly have some requirements rather than basic (film student) AND some bucks left, I would go for a Beaulieu. Reasons: good service and spare part situation, company is "active" even today, interchangable lenses with c-mount just as in 16 mm, reliable viewfinder with ground glass for exact focusing, 16 mm-similar overall construction.
Not cheap, but cheaper than hassling around with every month another "cheap" camera.

A good source is Europe, where cameras cost less than half the US-prices.
F.e. Bavaria Film Munich has 6008 models for about USD 1000. http://www.bavaria-cinehome.de/

You could look for a 4000/5008 (rather cheap, no flash sync socket, syncing only with expensive crystal adaption possible) or a 6008/7008/9008 (latest hi-end models with all options).

Dialouge szenes with lip sync and close-up shots require exact syncing.
That can be done in three ways (see a lot of other posts):
1. All devices crystal synced (Beaulieu "pro"-models just are crystal synced, syncing an "S" model is about USD 500 at Bavaria)
2. Pulse syncronization with flash contact
3. Wild sync and resolving in nle, as stressed in most posts. BUT ATTENTION - YOU WON?T GET A PROJECTABLE SOUND FILM when using only nle. Only when repeating the nle cut in cutting the master film afterwards and transfering the sound (crystal or pulse) you can finish on film.

Other good cameras brands (but: fixed zoom lens, split image viewfinder) are: NIZO (mercury batteries for exposure meter!!!), BAUER, NIKON (R8, R10), AGFA (movexoom). CANONs have very good lenses even in low-end consumer cameras, BUT most models only have 18 fps. Same prob with ELMO, most models only 18 fps.

BEWARE of pure XL-cameras ("XL" in the name): they have open shutter sectors of 220 or more degree, resulting in wiped and not sharp frames. Was designed to compensate the 50% light loss caused by the flicker-free viewfinder of most consumer cameras. Does not match with today?s quality requirements. But however, there are some people who like that wiped movement look.

Heavier cameras allow steadier shooting without triplet than the lady models.

I hope this helps,

Pedro

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