best second camera?

[redrice]

here's a variant on the 'favourite camera' question: which would be your first choice as a 'second camera'?

i've shot two rolls with my canon 1014e, and i've fallen in love with the medium. so now i want an S8 camera to take with me when i go back to egypt for a week in july. but i'm reluctant to take the 1014e, for a number of reasons:

1. heavy;
2. somehow precious in my eyes;
3. all that sand and dust...

so i was thinking of looking for a camera which was cheaper, easier to replace, unlikely to compete with the 1014e in my feelings (so i actually WILL take it with me, and won't cry if it breaks/gets stolen), tough, easy to carry (i.e. lightweight), and gives pictures which are as near to the 1014e's sharpness as possible.

any suggestions?

TIA:

peter

[crimsonson]

how about the smaller version of the 1014E - The 814

There are 4 versions of this camera-
814 autozoom (100-120)

814 Electronic (150-200)

814 XL (?) (assume (150-200)

814 XL-S (250 - 400) Its the less powerful lens versio of the ultimate Canon super 8 - the 1014 XL-S.

Check the spec here: http://www.kolumbus.fi/puistot/c.htm

I would strongly suggest the 814 Autozoom or Electronic. The Electronic is the same as your 1014E except it does not do dissolves and the lens is smaller. It only does 8:1, thus the name.

[redrice]

crimson:

yes, the 814 might be a good choice. the only thing that puts me off a little is the weight (good when in use, bad when carrying luggage on to buses, trains, carts, etc.).

i'm also tempted by the bolex 160 macrozoom - tho that seems to be around the same weight (1.5 kg). but i hear it's very rugged, lieke the canon.

can anyone comment on the respective virtues of these two? how does the 160's light meter compare with the canon's? the zoom isn't as long, but the idea of double-image focussing is mighty attractive....

peter

[souper8]

I would highly recommend both the Nizo 801 and 801macro cameras. They are compact and reliable. The multicoated Schneider lenses on these cameras are awesome. They produce sharp and contrasty images.
souper8

[Nigel]

I have a Beaulieu for my First camera and a small little Argus that I use for my "Stunt" camera. I have used it on the front of motorcycles in a demolition derby car plus a lot more. I love it for that. If it dies then I can buy another for 2 dollars at a garage sale.

[redrice]

thanks to everyone for their advice. yesterday, i picked up a Nizo 800 for ?60 at the brussels photo flea market, including battery charger and original instruction book. the only problem is, it seems to be in even better working order than my Canon! ho hum...

i am also thinking of getting a Canon 512XL to leave with a painter-friend in Egypt so that she can shoot footage on her own for the film we're wanting to do together, and may have found one in good condition for ?35 (fingers x'd). so after that: no more new cameras for a while!

peter 'magpie' snowdon

[tom hardwick]

OK Peter you've made your choice, but for my second camera (to compliment my 1014E) I chose the 310XL. This is truely tiny yet has the fastest lens in the business. It'll fit into a pocket, runs off 2 AA cells and the footage intercuts beautifully with the 1014. And it sees in the dark!

tom.

[Matt Pacini]

I think a perfect second camera is the one I used on my feature, Lost Tribes.
It's a Nikon Super Zoom.
Tiny, very reliable, fairly quiet, (about the level of a Canon 1014XL-S), and a great Nikon Lens.
It's so small, you can smuggle it anywhere. We shot in the Sacramento Airport, almost got arrested, but managed to get my footage before anyone figured out what I was doing.
Also, at the end of my film, there's a joke scene shot in China.
My cameraman went on vacation over there, so I sent the camera with a couple rolls of K-40.
The footage looks excellent. It's not quite as bright as some S-8 lenses, I think it's 1.8, but that's still pretty bright.
And they're cheap too!