super 8 films: on DVD

Post by **tlatosmd** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 2:07 am

There's a S8 4:3 aspect ratio making-of on the DVD of Dirty Harry I. It featured actual clips from the film, yet back then, those people making the reduction prints seemed like they said to themselves, "Oh, what the heck, it's just S8..."

So it came to that the clips of the actual film actually look worse in the making-of than the actual S8 making-of footage. For example, colors were off, it was much grainier and softer, and worst of all, they pasted the Cinemascope ratio right into the 4:3 screen, not by squeezing it but simply cutting anything left and right, and it looks like they've never heard about pan&scan.

Post by **Evan Kubota** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 7:07 am

"...This is one of the best films *I have ever seen* and there is a lot of Super 8 footage included in the extras. (the super 8 footage is nothing spectacular) "

I recently got the Criterion DVD and just watched it tonight. Amazing film, and Kaneto Shindo's interview is probably the best I've seen on any CC DVD. Even at 91, he's much more articulate and astute than many (unnamed) Euro directors that are in their 60s or 70s.

FWIW, I thought the Super 8 (probably Single 8) shot by Kei Sato looked very good. I'm sure the transfer helped, but it looked sharper than anything I've shot on an R10

Post by **steve hyde** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 8:07 pm

Evan Kubota wrote:"...This is one of the best films *I have ever seen* and there is a lot of Super 8 footage included in the extras. (the super 8 footage is nothing spectacular) "

I recently got the Criterion DVD and just watched it tonight. Amazing film, and Kaneto Shindo's interview is probably the best I've seen on any CC DVD. Even at 91, he's much more articulate and astute than many (unnamed) Euro directors that are in their 60s or 70s.

FWIW, I thought the Super 8 (probably Single 8) shot by Kei Sato looked very good. I'm sure the transfer helped, but it looked sharper than anything I've shot on an R10

I loved Onibaba too.

Nikon R-10s have slow shutter speeds. Like 1/48th at 24fps. I persoanlly think this slow shutter speed softens the focus nine times out of 10.

I don't use mine much anymore now that I have a Beaulieu 4008 with a mirror shutter that gives 1/86th and yeilds a sharper focus since 1/86th is fast enough to stop action.

That's my theory for what it is worth..

Steve

Post by **Evan Kubota** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 9:27 pm

The shutter is variable, though... in some bright situations I could have closed it down but I've never actually used the feature. The auto exposure even compensates for the variable shutter setting ;)

Post by **steve hyde** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 12:22 am

Evan Kubota wrote:The shutter is variable, though... in some bright situations I could have closed it down but I've never actually used the feature. The auto exposure even compensates for the variable shutter setting ;)

Yeah, this is true. I've used this feature, but got underexposed results. I guess I need to learn how to compensate. I had it set to + 1 and used the auto exposure. I also ran the camera at 54fps so I probably should have gone for + 2

at 80 degrees the R10 will give about 1/81 sec. at 24fps (from the R10 manual)