THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY SUPER-8 CAMERAS

Few experiences are more surprising to young filmmakers studying cinematography than the texture of a Super-8 work shot with high-quality colour reversal film like the new Kodak Ektachrome 7294 or the Fujichrome Provia. When a reversal film is projected directly onto a screen, it is literally an eye-opener. This is one of the reasons that motion pictur film being used more and more frequently in the field of education.

Kodak Ektachrome 35 mm slide

Government schools are often required to buy brand new equipment, so they cannot take adventage of the availability of used Super-8 cameras. Fortunately, Kodak is in the final stages of development of a new Super-8 model made with the educational market in mind. The camera will have new features such as interchangeable lenses with C mount, Max-8 gate (the invention of Phil Vigeant from Pro 8mm), video assistance with a LCD viewing screen, digital sound recording onto SD card, and several shooting speeds. 

Kodak Ektachrome 35 mm slide

Although the Kodak camera will be ideal for use in film schools, others who work with Super-8 will continue to use the top models produced in the golden age of the format, the seventies and eighties. These models are technically complex, from the gate to the variable shutter, which makes producing something similar today unrealistic. Fortunately, the handful of models which form the "League of Extraordinary Super-8 cameras" are readily available through online dealers and auction sites because they were mass-produced during the heyday of Super-8. It is important to keep in mind, however, that the purchase price may not include inspection and necessary cleaning and repairs by a specialized technician, which can in some cases cost more than the camera itself. Therefore, whenever possible, it is better to buy from a specialized store that offers a guarantee.

The "League of Extraordinary Super-8 Cameras" is my personal Top Seven List: 
Bauer A 512 Egido Version Mark II,
two Canon XLS models,
Nikon R10, 
Nizo Professional, 
Beaulieu 4008 ZMII, 
Leicina Special, and, especially, the
Fujica ZC1000
Each model is studied in detail in my three-page article of tight text in the latest issue of Photoklassik International (subcriptions: https://photoklassik-international.com/ )
This magazine is published in Germany in English, lustfully printed on high quality paper, with a print run of 10,000 copies.

In little more than a year (although the Editor had the experience of almost two decades of its German-language edition), it has become the "bible" of reference for those interested in photochemical art, with articles of imperishable interest.