A BRIEF HISTORY
In 1909 35 mm film was considered the standard for motion pictures.
Although 35 mm film formats are still used today, it was too expensive for the average home consumer to film with.
Although 35 mm film formats are still used today, it was too expensive for the average home consumer to film with.
In 1923 Eastman Kodalk (Yes, that Kodak) invented the 16 mm film format. Although of lesser image quality than 35 mm, it was much cheaper to shoot and produce.
The invention of 16 mm film allowed for a wider range of consumers to create home videos.
It wasn’t until 1932 that 8 mm film took off as the dominant home film medium. 8mm film allowed for consumers of all economic backgrounds to shoot, develop, and project their home videos.
This format was used for decades until 1965, when the super 8 format became standard. However, 8mm film and its variations were used all the way into the digital film age. Today there is a resurgence of the 8 mm film by hobbyists and amateur film makers.
Camera Information
Regular Eight
Regular 8 mm cameras use a spool system. A reel with undeveloped film is put on a motorized lead, fed through a loop, and onto an empty reel. It is easy to tell apart regular eight and super eight cameras, because you will see two poles for spools inside (and sometimes an empty spool).
Some other defining characteristics of regular eight cameras: They typically wind up, and usually have a fixed lens system. They are often quite basic in design, and are cheaper in price.
Super Eight
Super Eight cameras use a cartridge type system. A cartridge containing super 8 film is loaded into the camera, and it is ready to shoot. Super Eight cameras often have a rectangular opening, and can be easily distinguished from Regular Eight as there are no protrusions inside. Super Eight cameras are almost always battery powered, and have more features than regular eight. They are typically more expensive.
A word of caution: There are a few defunct film formats, namely the Revere Cartridge system for regular eight. Be cautions when purchasing a camera online, as it is much more difficult to film with these formats.
Camera Info
We won’t go into detail with how to load or operate these Cameras, however there are plenty of videos found online.
When shopping for cameras, eBay is your best bet. You can use search terms such as “regular eight” or “super eight”. Another important keyword is “tested”. Tested means that the seller has tested the motor for the camera, and ensures that that at least works. (This does not mean that everything else is fine with the camera, such as the lens). You can also sometimes find cameras at thrift stores or on Craigslist. It is a good idea to test the wind up motor, and have your own batteries to put in.
Projector Information
Projectors come in many different shapes and sizes, but they all operate in a similar way. A reel containing film is looped through a maze of rollers and into an empty real. When projectors are turned on, a motor spins the film reel onto an empty reel. Meanwhile, a lightbulb turns on to display the image through a lens.
While projectors are not necessary for shooting and developing film, they are a great novelty to have. They can be purchased online, or sometimes found in thrift stores or garage sales. Although sometimes tedious to set up, the nostalgic effect produced when watching a film via projector is hard to beat.
Keep in mind that regular eight and super eight projectors differ. It is hard to tell the difference unless the projector specifies which medium it is made for. The threading (a.k.a perforations) that allows film to progress are different sizes, and therefore not compatible with one another.
Film Information
Film is the medium which is both shot (on a camera), and played (either digitally uploaded, or on a projector). There are a wide variety of premade 8 mm and super 8 mm films which can be bought online and projected.
In order to create your own movies, you must buy new film stock. Old film stock is often exposed, or is not able to be developed by professionals.
Film is loaded into the camera, shot, and then processed. While it is possible to process film on your own, this is often too difficult of a task for the average hobbyist.
Luckily companies such as Film Photography Project exist. These companies sell new film, and offer film processing. The other advantage of using these companies is that they offer digital scanning, so that you can watch your movies digitally, and edit them if you wish. These companies also offer film-develop-scan bundles, where all are packaged together under one price tag.
Their websites contain more information on their products. It is also worth mentioning I am not sponsored by either of them (yet!). I am simply a happy customer.
Some quick notes on film types. One area of confusion when buying film are the different terminologies associated with them. We will go over these briefly, but if you want to learn more, see their websites.
Color Negative vs. Color Reversal: It is important to understand the difference before purchasing. Negative film produces a negative image. In other words, the image is negative in colors. This can be easily fixed via software, but if you plan on projecting your film, you will not be able to. Color Reversal creates a “real color” image of what you are filming. This means that you can project it, and will not have to do additional work when scanning.
You can research more about the numbers associated with the ISO (40, 100, 400 etc.), but in short, the larger the number the more receptive it is to light.