Found Camera - Is It Useable?

[enektyk]

Hi all. First time poster here.

I found this camera and two spools of film for 5 dollars at a flea market. The woman working said she didn't know if the camera worked or if the film even went with that camera. I decided to pick it up, for fun if nothing else.




So my question now is, as someone who knows virtually nothing about film, is this camera useable? More specificially; the mechanics of the camera seem to work fine. I wind it up, push the button, and off she goes. Sure sounds like a working camera, anyway. What I am more interested in is where would I get film for this thing in the first place? Is the film pictured the right size/format? Notwithstanding the fact that it seems to have 'expired' in 1970. Also, how I could go about turning something I film into a digital format? Is any of this possible?

I guess I'm asking a lot, but any information you can offer on what the situation is here would be great. I'm really at a loss, and not sure who to consult.

Thanks for any help,

Kris

[tinhorn]

Lucky you. Congratulations on the find.

Here's your film:
http://www.myoldcamera.com/Regular8mm.html

Here's some background:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8_mm_film

Welcome to Smallywood.

[tinhorn]

also, here's a place in Toronto that will convert old format film to digital video:
http://photoplays.ca/homemovies.html

For other locations, have a look at the right column here:
http://homepage.mac.com/onsuper8/process.html

[thebigidea]

The film is junk, unless you want to pay 35 per roll and wait several months to get back some horrid looking black and white negative.

Pick up a few rolls of 8mm from John Schwind and give it a shot!

[tinhorn]

The film is junk, unless you want to pay 35 per roll and wait several months to get back some horrid looking black and white negative.

Pick up a few rolls of 8mm from John Schwind and give it a shot!

yeah, i'm not endorsing any of those links. i just thought i'd post some related sites. there are others here that can point you in the right direction, film-wise, gear-wise.

[Super8rules]

I love those old Brownie movie cameras. My career started on one of those in 1975 when my grandmother gave me hers.

I still have that old camera and it stills runs perfectly.

Have fun with it.

[Rusty]

Regular 8 is a great format. I'd recommend using one of those rolls to practice loading the camera(It's a bit tricky at first). Forum member Gianni had a video on how to load a Kodak Brownie. From what I can see you need a Take-up spool to use the camera. I also recommend tossing the second roll of film in the garbage and using the spool it came on.

[enektyk]

Hey thanks everyone. This has been a lot of help. By John Schwind, are you referring to this?

http://members.aol.com/Super8mm/JohnSchwind.html

I'm planning on filming parts of a camping trip I'm taking later this summer, so it'll be all outdoors and in bright sunlight. What type of film should I be looking for?

Also, by the looks of what's been posted, I'm going to have to send this stuff away once I'm done to get it turned into something watchable. I've seen links for a few places in Toronto. Is it standard for most of these places to accept film through the mail? Also, will I have to make sure the place I'm selecting can process the certain type of film I have, or can they all handle anything?

I can't wait to get this thing in action. I love the simplicity of the machine and the style of the final product. Plus it seems like just plain fun!

[Rusty]

Hey thanks everyone. This has been a lot of help. By John Schwind, are you referring to this?

http://members.aol.com/Super8mm/JohnSchwind.html

I'm planning on filming parts of a camping trip I'm taking later this summer, so it'll be all outdoors and in bright sunlight. What type of film should I be looking for?

Also, by the looks of what's been posted, I'm going to have to send this stuff away once I'm done to get it turned into something watchable. I've seen links for a few places in Toronto. Is it standard for most of these places to accept film through the mail? Also, will I have to make sure the place I'm selecting can process the certain type of film I have, or can they all handle anything?

I can't wait to get this thing in action. I love the simplicity of the machine and the style of the final product. Plus it seems like just plain fun!

If you want to use Black and White use Cine-X 100(Rebranded Plus-X) 7265 or if you would like to use color use Ektachrome 100D (it is not listed on John's website but he stocks it) If you are going to order Ektachrome 100D I would do it well in advance because he runs out of stock fairly quickly. I think he might have some Cinechrome 40 (Rebranded Kodachrome 40) left(this stock was discontiued in 2004)(this was the most popular amateur reversal filmstock for many years). John has the best prices on regular 8mm film. If you live in the United States the best place to get your Ektachrome 100D developed is Dwaynes in Parsons, Kansas. Cinechrome 40 can be developed for $3-4 of at any place that has a Fuji Dropbox i.e. Walmart, Ralphs. Cine-X and Super Cine-X (rebranded Tri-X)is developed by Martin Baumgarten of Plattsburgh, New York. Good luck.


Rusty

[Rusty]

I think there are a few labs in Canada. The only lab that comes to mind is Qualex.

Rusty

[wado1942]

Brownies are crap. Crappy lens, crappy iris, unstable transport. It's a decoration and that's about it.

[Patrick]

As you are based in Canada, Ive heard that Justin Lovell (who is a forum member here and fellow Canadian) does good quality work with regards to transferring cine film to digital video.

[James E]

John Schwind is the best for regular 8 films. If you want to get a bit more exotic there's also Kahl http://www.kahlfilm.de/ in Germany. They ship worldwide. They have their own brand Kahl 18UT which is a 50ASA color daylight reversal film. Plus UP 18 & 24 B&W reversal and a few other positve films. Best of all if you just really get into it and want a lot of film cheap. They sell it in 400' rolls which you can cut down yourself provided you have enough camera spools. And if you dont. You can also buy them there. Then there's also Wittner Kinotecnik which is the premier Super, regular, double super 8 and 16mm film seller in Europe.
http://www.wittner-kinotechnik.de//kata ... /index.php
Unfortunately it's all in German. But you can figure it out for the most part or Google it and translate the pages. But in any case the have EVERYTHING there is in the world of 8mm. They have filmstocks in regular 8 (doppel 8) that no one else has. Plus camera spools, accessories, name it, they have it.

As far as labs go, there's Dwaynes in Parsons KS. Best prices, but not the best lab. But overall satisfactory. http://www.dwaynesphoto.com/
There's Forde Labs in Seattle. http://www.fordelabs.com/
And Spectra http://www.spectrafilmandvideo.com/
Yale Film who sells film w/ or w/o processing http://www.yalefilmandvideo.com/S8_and_ ... egular%208
More expensive, but far more professional.
And of course Pro 8mm http://www.pro8mm.com/main.php
Most expensive, and most professional, best looking. All they do is 8, super8 and 16mm. Small gague film only.
For the Highest quality hand processing there's Martin Baumgarten. In the world of Super 8 / 8mm there's no one smarter, knows more, or contributed more the the super 8 film community. Plattsburg Photgraphic Services PPS http://members.aol.com/Super8mm/Super8mm.html
Then you can check this & other sites for listings. There a plenty of labs in the US + Canada, and endless more in Europe.
http://www.littlefilm.org/Labs.20011030103256.html
And if you get REALLY into it like me, you can get your own LOMO tanks from Olexander Kallyanchenko, chemicals from Kodak or others and process your film at home!

Cheers, good luck, have fun and welcome to a great new hobby/ obession!

[gianni1]

KII film is good for practice loading with, and to check if the camera mechanics can pull film through the whole roll. Click here to see the loading 8mm film on ourmedia.org servers. If you have like a twenty or maybe a hundred rolls of the KII, you could try and recover the silver.

A few cameras give up the ghost after 40-50 years. Methinks the Kodak above will still work if it looks clean and not rusty/musty/mouldy. It's not the best compared to other cameras, it ought to record fine if you use modern film.... I've got an online example of films shot with a Soviet 8mm camera of the same era... The film was Cinechrome (K25) from John Schwind... and my first attempt of home telecine. The camera, and projector were both found at local fairs or flea markets. 8mm home movie k25

It's more important that you compose thoughtfully, have good lighting, and edit in the camera so you don't waist too much film.

Gianni 8)

[Super8rules]

Brownies are crap. Crappy lens, crappy iris, unstable transport. It's a decoration and that's about it.

Whatever :roll:

Brownie cameras were not meant to make epic motion pictures. They were built to be enjoyed by the American family throughout the 50's and 60's and they served their purpose and then some.

My grandmother filmed HUNDREDs of rolls of 8mm with her brownie and when she gave it to me, I shot nearly 200 rolls throughout the 70's and early 80's without ONE SINGLE PROBLEM. Sure it has a little plastic lens and a simple iris wheel, but like I said, it wasn't meant to make Hollywood movies. I few years ago I shot a roll and it came out beautiful.

I recently watched some of my old Brownie shot 8mm movies and they still looked good despite the little lense.