Want to get some info on this.

Is it hard to develop it yourself?? (Black and white) and is it expensive??

I've been fascinated with old vintage camera's for some time and want to try to shoot some film on my own. But it seems to be hard (in Belgium) to get the material like a development tank, the chems and the film. All other equipment is readily available on flea markets.

Anyone into this??

Posted by Uncle Goose Want to get some info on this. Is it hard to develop it yourself?? (Black and white) and is it expensive?? I've been fascinated with old vintage camera's for some time and want to try to shoot some film on my own. But it seems to be hard (in Belgium) to get the material like a development tank, the chems and the film. All other equipment is readily available on flea markets. Anyone into this??

8mm, or Super 8, is indeed heading the way of the dinosaur. Too bad. How many film makers cut their teeth with the family's home movie camera? I saw a Super 8 camera in a display case at an antique market recently, and I was nostalgic for that long-ago summer where I ran around shooting everything I could see with my uncle's Super 8 camera.

Years later, as a film student, I asked my prof if the film was still being produced, where I could find it, and where I could get it processed. He told me it's not terribly difficult to find stock, but getting it processed is hard and expensive.

As I understand it, there's a place in Washington state...which doesn't help you in Belgium...but if there's one place that still processes Super 8, then there are others.

I'd suggest you head to a film school and ask around. Die-hards are ripped on the stuff, foregoing digital and even regular old video in favour of real film. Otherwise, contact Kodak...maybe they know something. I'm sure they still manufacture it.

Good luck.

Of what I heard it's very difficult to develop the color ones but I tend to stay with the B/W film since I'm a fan of that. I found a place in Holland (closer to me) that probably sell stuff (certainly the films made by kodak). And that's not a bad Idea to poke my nose inside a film shool, never know what turns up there.

All I can say is it's easy to find stock and get it developed, both color and black and white for both regular 8mm and super 8, here in the states. I have no idea about over in Europe though.

Some googling around may help. I know there were several small gauge film sites around, but i haven't looked in awhile.

Asylunt

They've been saying super 8 is going the way of the dinosaur since 1975 and I can and do still buy the film in at least four local camera stores and a major drug store chain. Perhaps projecting it is old fashioned, but it looks hot transferred to DVD.

Processing is free if you buy the Kodakchome - not so free with any other stock. I send mine to Toronto to get processed (along with my 16mm), because the guy running our local lab died and so did his lab.

Neat little story in the Globe and Mail (Saturday, August 13, 2005) about those Kodak home movies...you know the ones...shot on super 8, etc.

I would say that without a doubt the best source of information on super 8 and other small gauge film formats is this; http://www.filmshooting.com/

There's a strong super 8 community in Europe, you just need to know where to look. Super 8 is pretty strong in Canada too, particularly Toronto which boasts three super 8 labs.

Beyond that super 8 is still going strong despite all the hurdles that have been thrown at it over the past several years. I know of at least half a dozen feature films shot on super 8, dozens of shorts, commercials, music videos. Recently a super 8 film won best short at the Westchester(NY) film festival. Two new super 8 magazines also started up this year. Hell, a super 8 film screened at Cannes this year. Cannes!

I wouldn't say super 8 is anywhere near dead.

I just picked up an old bell and howell 8mm movie camera at a garage sale for 5 bucks and was interested in possibly using the old bugger.

Rocky Mountain Labs still processes 8mm.

They do EVERYTHING!

http://www.rockymountainfilm.com/

The problem I ran into (in Toronto at least) was finding the actual 8mm film to begin with. I found one place that would take 16mm, split it down the middle, then sell me two rolls of 8mm for an exorbitant amount.

Super8 is easier to find.