Negativity Surrounding Super8

Post by **VideoFred** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 4:33 pm

ccortez wrote: I said, "I'm trying to buy a step-up ring, asshole."

Chris,
Maybe we can rent you to do the dirty work for us?

Fred.

Post by **r.sk8s** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 4:56 pm

I thought it was just me. I stopped in a family owned camera shop recently looking for a super 8 take up reel for my goko tc-20. Me: Do you have any super 8 takeup reels lying around? The counter guy: "oh no..., we have n't stocked that stuff in years" I understand demand is low to put kindly. But the tone in his voice said "nobody wants that rubbish...stop bothering me with your fringe, quasi porn, possibly dangerous, untimately useless super8 fanaticism" That store offers transfer service for 8mm & S8 to video. So thought they might have some dust covered old reels on a shelf someplace.

Same shop, different day. I asked for a 62mm 85B filter. Response: "an 85" no, 85B. "what are you trying to do?" me, deadpan: convert daylight to tungsten using E64t super 8 film in daylight. This seems a common response. I'm not 6 years old, I'm 36 with a head of mostly gray hair. Yet they seem to view me as some rube fresh from the hinterland hand cranked camera in one hand, pinhole camera in the other. These clerks have some sort of "super8dar". They spot us freaks the moment we enter.

The last few shops in the metropolitan detroit that sold mostly used photo gear closed over the last 6-8 months. The combination of digital and ebay. I love ebay, but I also love swapmeets, fleamarkets and camera shows. Sadly, ebay seems to be killing these other, more social, market places. I'm starting to sound like my father.

Robert Skates

Post by **Evan Kubota** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 6:16 pm

The camera-store assholes almost wear it as a badge of superiority that they don't have to "get their hands dirty" with analog or film equipment anymore. Buy digital!

Post by **ccortez** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 6:25 pm

r.sk8s wrote: Same shop, different day. I asked for a 62mm 85B filter. Response: "an 85" no, 85B. "what are you trying to do?"

All together now:

I'm trying to buy a 62mm 85B filter. [chorus: "ASSHOLE!"]

Post by **drsanchez** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 6:29 pm

etimh wrote:
BigBeaner wrote:Let's...get back on those camera shops.
And at my favorite Samy's over in Pasadena they actually have cool hiptser chicks that work behind the film stock counter. When you go in there and ask for Super 8 stock these girls know exactly what you're talking about and you're the coolest guy in the place.

Tim

Cool hipster chicks talkin Super 8? That's pretty sexy. Unless by 'hipster' you mean 'goth.' Then that's just gross.

Post by **tlatosmd** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 6:35 pm

r.sk8s wrote:Same shop, different day. I asked for a 62mm 85B filter. Response: "an 85" no, 85B. "what are you trying to do?" me, deadpan: convert daylight to tungsten using E64t super 8 film in daylight.

What was his reply to that?

Post by **John_Pytlak** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 10:04 pm

Scotness wrote: Anyway my negativity story: About 5 years ago I rang Kodak in Sydney to order some K40 - I was told quite emphatically by the rep they don't make it anymore - he even wouldn't believe me when I said I was holding some of it in my hand as we were talking - it was until I gave him a catalogue number and he looked it up that he very embarassingly agreed that it does still exist. The whole thing worried me.

Scot

Sorry about your "worrying" experience. With thousands of items in the Kodak Motion Picture catalog, please forgive a sales assistant if they don't remember a particular item that is not a high volume seller. Even I lose track of the many new items that are added, and the unfortunate few that have to be let go:

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/produ ... .6.6&lc=en

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/newsl ... 4.17&lc=en

Post by **jopsuper8** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 10:27 pm

It's always worth a good laugh asking for Super 8 film in camera stores.

The largest camera store in SW Missouri with a good inventory of used film equipment and usually knowledgeable staff told me that Kodak discontinued Super 8 film years ago and to buy outdated stock via Ebay. The rep who made that comment quickly ran back to their digital camera showcases.

At a large shop in NW Arkansas, two college age sales reps didn't even know what Super 8 was, so I spent 15 minutes explaining it.

The only regional shops I've ever found that carries Super 8 are Dwayne's in Parsons KS, which actually has a small walk-in retail counter, and The Camera Center in Overland Park, KS (SW Kansas City) who confidently responded to my Super 8 query "Sure... what type do you want?".

Post by **lastcoyote** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 11:40 pm

BK wrote: I think I know which shop or shops you are refering to...the owner is notorious for ripping newbies and tourists off, and thinks he knows everything about cameras and photography in the universe...C'mon gimme a break.

Happy new year lastcoyote! The year of the pooch.

Bill

Yeah, He do really know how to keep his business running huh?
Happy New Year too Bill! Kung Hei Fat Choi!!

Evan Kubota wrote: Isn't this Asia in general? I've never experienced such a dark response in Japan, but when you show serious interest (they have to get it out of the case) you're generally expected to buy it. Window shopping in the American/Western sense is nonexistent.

Japan is different, They are totally different, Customer service is super!!!, I ordered and process films from Japan and the service is wooah!.. very good. He offered me a free film as Chinese New Year Gift. Which is a big win compare to Hong Kong and China.

Of course if you come shopping as a tourist, yes... they show their smiling face.. as a local customer. Shitty black face is a normal, smile is a bonus!

Post by **lastcoyote** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 11:43 pm

BK wrote: I am so numb to this non customer service type of dealings now compared to the old friendly mom and pop shops in the western hemisphere, where I can walk in and have a chat, look at the latest equipment and walkout without buying anything...yeah those days are gone.

Bill

because those old friendly mom and pop are gone... their son run the business and ruin the business!!

ccortez wrote:
r.sk8s wrote: Same shop, different day. I asked for a 62mm 85B filter. Response: "an 85" no, 85B. "what are you trying to do?"
All together now:

I'm trying to buy a 62mm 85B filter. [chorus: "ASSHOLE!"]

You are my hero ccortez!!!

Post by **ccortez** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 11:44 pm

We can still buy S8 film here in Austin locally -- Camera CoOp (also has hipster chicks), Pretension Camera and the University CoOp all carry S8, though mostly Tri-X, Plus-X and (old school) Vision 200T (not V2).

Anyway, that's a good thing. And the retro Camera CoOp kids are definitely into it. They think my Bolex H16 is bitchin'.

Post by **johnnhud** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 11:53 pm

I havn't been at this as long as some of you are. But I'm getting really tired of having to explain that Super 8 film is NOT High8. I asked for 8mm film at a Wolf/Ritz camera store (Big chain in the US) and was directed to the High8 video tapes. The sales guy then told me that everything was moving to MiniDV anyway and that I should switch. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I was looking for somthing that out-dated High8 by 30 years.

Also, Do your friends have any clue what all your 8mm equipment does? Mine don't and it drives me crazy. I even had one swear to me that his dad's old high 8 camera shot film on the tape. I told him it was a magnetic tape and that for his idea to work the VCR/TV they used must have been some type of enclosed projection system, hoping he would get the obsurdity of his idea. After a few seconds of thinking he said,"...oh, maybe it was" Again...I gave up.

Post by **S8 Booster** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 12:56 am

the best way to beat the bastards is to deliver.

ie shoot your s8 film in a professional way - treat it acoordingly in post and showem side by side in dv forums.

i did that recently and the 3chip "pros" wondered what sort os supposedly "HDish" DV format i used.

red faces when i toldem: s8 professionally transfered, edited then digitally projected.

you have the tools - usem.

you are the only ones that can advocate this wonderful option of proper movie making - do it!

s8hoot

Post by **lastcoyote** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 2:08 am

S8 Booster wrote: you have the tools - usem.
you are the only ones that can advocate this wonderful option of proper movie making - do it!
s8hoot

S8 Booster, you are too true, but with their(seller) attitude, and their black shitty face, tone and manner. A machine gun may get the job done faster! :twisted: just kidding!

Post by **S8 Booster** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 2:30 am

ok then. heh, just "shootem" with severly outdated/purpelified flickering s8 k40 and take a "Nicholson!" on Ã‚Â´em.

dat will do the trix think i.

s8hoot