Kodak's new Super 8 Camera

[timor]

Nice post, Derrel !

 

[compur]

To me the camera resembles lots of Super 8 cameras – just without the external controls.

Like this Nizo for example:

I agree with Derrel's post except that I think Kodak won't have much trouble selling this new camera. Maybe its appeal will fade in time but I think sales will be brisk when it is released and other models will follow. Used Super 8 gear has been selling quite well lately and I think those buyers will be all over Kodak's new camera.

But, more importantly, the reason I think this camera will sell is not necessarily logical. It has to do with a certain (... eh hem...) "Force" that was recently created on film and emanated from a certain glittery part of Los Angeles and promises to emanate again soon. The Force of which I speak is known to have an irresistible effect on the spending habits of young people including student filmmakers.

 

[vintagesnaps]

A future generation can now enjoy the fun of good ol' fashioned home movies - waiting for dad to fool with the camera, then he tells the kids to stand there and wait and starts filming before he says 'go'... I just hope nobody tells my dad that Super 8 is back.


There is the movement by some directors in Hollywood to shoot movies on film such as Quentin Tarantino, even using the same camera lenses used to shoot the '59 Ben Hur chariot race.

 

[compur]

A number of Hollywood types are lending their names to the launch of this product including that little bearded guy who made the shark movie plus other Oscar-winning directors and cinematographers:

link

At a time when buyers will shell out upwards of $1,000 for a useless Graflex 3-cell flash handle (check eBay if you don't believe me) simply because it was used as a movie prop, I think plenty of student filmmakers will see this new Kodak camera as manna from hipster heaven. They're already spending up to $50,000 a year for their film school tuition ...

link

... so the price of this little toy will be the least of their worries. College text books alone can easily cost hundreds of dollars apiece these days.

Or, on the other hand, maybe I'm wrong and this product will flop. Maybe the new generation of virtual reality, video gaming, text messaging iphoners won't be able to figure out how to load a Super 8 film cartridge or how to address an envelope to mail it in for processing and the whole thing will end up being Kodak's swan song ...

Time will tell, I guess.

 

[minicoop1985]

You know what I miss? The Ektar lens on the front of my Hassy 1600f. That's when Kodak really got it right. That lens was an outstanding design and made fantastic images. I wish my Mamiya lenses had that kinda character.

 

[compur]

In my list I forgot to mention Kodak High Speed Infrared film.