Logmars ready to purchase at Pro8mm

[Tscan]

Looks like the camera is now available to purchase from Pro8mm in US. Base price is $5000 and $795 for the lens.
http://www.pro8mm.com/Merchant5/merchan ... ry_Code=S8

[Will2]

I have a lot of cameras. Regular 8, Super 8, 16mm, Super 16mm, 35mm. If I sold every single one of them, I still couldn't afford one of these cameras.

I am however very glad it exists and I'm extremely grateful they took to the time to design and build them. Thank you!

[Tscan]

Yeah I was kind of wishing the $5K retail was just a bluff to get more people on the demo price. I realize the cost is justified but too impractical for my purposes. I would have to cultivate a lot of paid work like weddings or live concerts to justify it. The sync audio would be the main advantage over my Bolex Rex4. Otherwise i'd be better off investing in a Retro16 scanner and shoot more of that, since most of what i do is photographically based than dialog.

[gaugefilm]

I'd love to get my hands on one to do a review.

For that price and the professional camera tag I'd expect an EVF and some built in ND's to be honest.

[grainy]

I love love love the IDEA of the Logmar but jeez. Their own PR seemed to imply I could just screw in my existing Bolex lenses as-is -- like you can screw in a pentax lens to a pentax mount -- but no, Pro8 has to calibrate the camera with each (?) lens, and that's gonna cost on top of the extra 1k they're bolting onto the camera.
I wish they'd been able to sidestep Pro8, who seem to add a gouge factor to everything they sell. I think this approach ultimately demolishes the business and the art. Generally the model (like with cell phones) is you give people the tool for cheap, and then make profits on the ancillary purchases (such as data plans, overages, etc. In this case, film, developing, scanning, etc.)
As I see it, the camera is literally not an option to the majority of potentially interested artists. It's a novelty item for the one-percent (and a few interested technicians).

[Tscan]

All I can do is hope enough people buy enough of them so i can get one used for less someday.

[silverhalide]

I thought this camera would be great to use with Kern lenses from Bolex RX5, etc. It's too bad they didn't put the film the same distance from lens as in a Bolex.

[dsl15746]

Hi All,

I love love love the IDEA of the Logmar but jeez. Their own PR seemed to imply I could just screw in my existing Bolex lenses as-is -- like you can screw in a pentax lens to a pentax mount -- but no, Pro8 has to calibrate the camera with each (?) lens, and that's gonna cost on top of the extra 1k they're bolting onto the camera.
I wish they'd been able to sidestep Pro8, who seem to add a gouge factor to everything they sell. I think this approach ultimately demolishes the business and the art. Generally the model (like with cell phones) is you give people the tool for cheap, and then make profits on the ancillary purchases (such as data plans, overages, etc. In this case, film, developing, scanning, etc.)
As I see it, the camera is literally not an option to the majority of potentially interested artists. It's a novelty item for the one-percent (and a few interested technicians).

The Logmar S8 supports all standard c-mount lenses with a focal flange depth of 17.526mm so your statement about Pro8mm having to collimate as a requirement is wrong.

It's recommended to collimate any old lens to any camera, this is true not only for the Logmar, but all other cameras as well - but it is not a requirement.
However, In my private opinion, no one in their right mind would use an old lens on a new camera and shoot expensive film with it before knowing that the lens is collimated, it could be way off, full of fungus or otherwise useless and if you are anyway spending money on a new camera why not make sure that the second most important thing is also crisp!? It would be the same as driving a brand new car out of the dealer with a blind fold - it might turn out well but chances are you'll take a loss.

The price is the same with in Europe as it is via Pro8mm, so there's no differentiation or bloating made because of them.
The model you're describing used in the mobile industry cannot be applied to the Logmar company because mobile phones are sold in tens of millions of volume where as we only sell 30-50 cameras annually (yes you read right) the low manufacturing volume is the reason for the high price point and as we have no auxiliary business besides this one product we cannot subsidize the cost through other gimmicks as you suggest.

Best regards
Lasse Rødtnes
Logmar Camera Solutions IVS

[grainy]

Hi Lasse, that's good information, fair enough. I was perhaps a bit glib with my comments comparing anything to cell phones, and I certainly wish Logmar the best of luck with the camera.
G

[escubria]

Has development stopped on the current Logmar Super8 camera?

The comments on this youtube video by a Logmar Beta-Tester seems to suggest it has because of loading problems:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ax5w58ygCM

[aj]

Escubria,

I am not sure if the observation of one poster really makes it a fact. The main design concept was to have the film outside the cartridge to allow it to be threaded through a proper film channel and give a proper plate. The easy handling is a consumer issue. I.e. it is on purpose as it is.

The http://www.logmar.dk website mentions that production of the 50 was completed and that that will be it. Presented as if it was ment and planned as a tribute to 50 years of Super-8. Who believes that

Aren't you a a Mekel VIC owner?

I have many cameras but neither the Logmar or a Mekel VIC-1

[carllooper]

I love love love the IDEA of the Logmar but jeez. Their own PR seemed to imply I could just screw in my existing Bolex lenses as-is -- like you can screw in a pentax lens to a pentax mount -- but no, Pro8 has to calibrate the camera with each (?) lens, and that's gonna cost on top of the extra 1k they're bolting onto the camera.
I wish they'd been able to sidestep Pro8, who seem to add a gouge factor to everything they sell. I think this approach ultimately demolishes the business and the art. Generally the model (like with cell phones) is you give people the tool for cheap, and then make profits on the ancillary purchases (such as data plans, overages, etc. In this case, film, developing, scanning, etc.)
As I see it, the camera is literally not an option to the majority of potentially interested artists. It's a novelty item for the one-percent (and a few interested technicians).

Normally you wouldn't want to alter the camera's flange distance. It's factory set for what a C mount lens requires of the camera. If a lens is otherwise soft on the Logmar it may mean the lens needs collimation. But if this is not possible, one might be able to cheat it by re-adjusting the camera's factory set flange distance, to compensate. Because such is user adjustable. But in doing so it means you will alter the setting required for other lenses to work on the camera. So best to keep the camera's flange distance at it's factory setting, and have the lens altered instead.

Many Bolex lenses won't work properly because they are RX lenses designed for a reflex camera in which there is a prism in the light path. The Logmar doesn't use a prism. That said, one can find focus with an RX lens if objects are close to the camera, or one is otherwise using a long focal length. From what I understand (but I'm no expert) I don't think any re-collimation of an RX lens, or altering the Logmar's flange distance can work around this. Note that this would be the same problem when using an RX lens on any other C mount camera. It's not peculiar to the Logmar.

Also, I've found with at least one Bolex Switar AR lens (25mm), that it won't physically fit on the Logmar because for some reason the lens has an extra length of tube beyond it's C mount thread, which collides with the internals of the Logmar, meaning one can't thread the lens in all the way.

I found a 10mm RX lens, with wideangle adapter, works just fine on the Logmar.

The lens I use on the Logmar, without any need for collimation of the lens, or alteration of the camera's flange distance, is an Optivaron Schneider 6-66.


For many artists the Logmar camera will be unnecessary. And in some cases quite inappropriate (as it may not have the functionality you might need). It's not the price of the camera that will be the issue (because the camera is made as cheaply as possible) but the fact that it provides functionality that many artists won't necessarily need (or want). Or as mentioned, won't provide the functionality one does need or want. In my work (or rather, in some of my work) I do want the functionality that the camera provides, and I don't want the functionality that it doesn't provide. And I had the funds (at the time) to acquire the camera. Most of the time I don't have the funds for this sort of thing. And if I didn't have the Logmar (or a couple of other high end Super8s) I'd certainly be just as happy, and super excited, using a $10 Super8 camera off ebay. There is lot that can be done with film. Indeed there is work one can do that doesn't need a camera at all.

One either alters ones tools to fit a particular work, or one alters one's work to fit particular tools.

No camera is really a "professional" camera as such, or a "home movie" camera for that matter. Such labels are just marketing strategies for a camera. This is because it is what you end up doing with a camera (regardless of what it's designed to do) that determines whether the resulting work might be described as professional (ie. make money) or a home movie (such as documenting one's family/leisure activity). I myself try to avoid as much as possible making any film that lends itself to either of these categories.

C

[silverhalide]

Jesse Chambless of Chambless Cine Equipment in Ellijay, GA can recollimate an RX lens for non-RX use. I've purchased several Kern RX lenses and had Jesse recollimate them for use on Kodak K100, Bell & Howell 200, Bell & Howell 70DR, etc. As an added bonus, he's very pleasant to deal with.

[carllooper]

Jesse Chambless of Chambless Cine Equipment in Ellijay, GA can recollimate an RX lens for non-RX use. I've purchased several Kern RX lenses and had Jesse recollimate them for use on Kodak K100, Bell & Howell 200, Bell & Howell 70DR, etc. As an added bonus, he's very pleasant to deal with.

Ah okay. I wasn't quite sure of that. That's good to know.

cheers
Carl

[aj]

It is a year old thread. From the time things were in progress

Revived because Escubria would like know if production of the Logmar has ceased and what likely was the reason for that.