Newbie to Super 8 what film to get?

[WACOMalt]

Hey, I have a "Minolta XL-440 Sound" and I need to know what type of film I should get for it, inside the case it says ASA 40 : 160 I know thta has soemthing to do with the exposure.. here is the site I am getting film from http://www.8mmfilmstock.com/, or if you know any better place, but which on there should I get?

thanks in advance, I am after all a newb to Super 8

 

[Zensteve]

Yowza! That's some pricey film they carry!

A good reliable online store is BHPhoto.com

Here's their Super-8 list - >> link <<

The prices are cheaper, as well.

But the cheapest way to get new film stock is through Kodak themselves. The prices are not listed on their list of Super-8 film, but if I recall correctly a cartridge of Kodachrome (K-40) was $10.20 or thereabouts. Almost half what your site lists.

If you're just starting out, you'll be wanting to look for "reversal" films. That's the kind you can plop right into a projector after it's been processed.

Hope that helped a bit.

 

[WACOMalt]

Thanks alot!

now, the only reversal ones I see there say "silent movie film", is there a film that is reversal, and can also record sound? because my camera can record sound. If not, is there some way to find local labs I could send the other film types to? becuase I really want sound. and also, would all of those work for my camera, I just dont know what the "ASA 40 : 160" means on my camera. the closest lab I know of is a Fujitech place about 40 miles away...

EDIT: also, are those color films or b&w? I basically want a color film, with sound, which either is reversal or not, that really doesnt matter to me, which works with the exposure numbers on my camera...

 

[Zensteve]

Super-8 Reversal:

Kodachrome (k40) : Colour, very popular pick, btw.
Ecktachrome : Colour
Plus-X : b/w
Tri-X : b/w

(There is a Plus-X Negative, as well as Reversal)

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All Super-8 filmstock is now silent. Kodak discontinued S-8 film with sound-stripes a few years ago.

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All Kodachrome (K40) gets processed at Dwayne's. HailToTheKing has the scoop on getting it done there, half-price.

The rest of the film stocks can be developed at many labs. I've had b/w reversal developed at Yale. Not the cheapest and I should probably look around for another, though. (They also do telecine; transferring the processed film to mini-DV so I can import & edit on my computer).

You don't need to have a local lab. Lots of people mail in their stuff, and have it mailed back.

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Not sure on the 40:160 on your camera, but I suspect that's the ASA range that the camera can automatically adjust exposure for. That's just a guess.

 

[Zensteve]

also, would all of those work for my camera

Absolutely.

Super-8 film comes in a standard-size cartridge. It doesn't matter what load of film has been packed inside it... the cartridge will always be the same shape, and will fit exactly the same as any other.

It will also always be 50' in length... which is 2 1/2 minutes, at 24 frames per second.



(Just make sure you don't mistakenly pick up plain 8mm film. That's different. Super-8 is always Super-8)

 

[WACOMalt]

thanks for the description of the films, I guess Ill go with K40. and I suppose I can record sound separately, but it is sad they removed the sound strip. but then I read the quality of sound wasn't very good anyways.

as per the ASA 40 : 160 on my camera I think its because my camera hs a switch for indoor and outdoor so I assume the indoor is 40, the outdoor is 160.

should I PM HailToTheKing to find out about the half priced Dwayne's processing?

thanks again!

 

[Zensteve]

should I PM HailToTheKing to find out about the half priced Dwayne's processing?

If you like... he shared his info in this thread, happily.

I assume the indoor is 40, the outdoor is 160.

That is not correct, no.

The switch you have (like many Super-8 cameras) opens and closes a filter inside the camera.

When the switch is set to "Daylight", the filter is in place.

Film is normally "balanced" (or optimised) for either indoor use, or outdoor use. You can still use it where you like... but adjustments must be made.

Film speed usually lists two numbers... one for inside (Tungsten or "T") and outside (Daylight or "D")

If the film is Tungsten, you can still use it outdoors with a colour-correcting filter. (and vice-versa)

For example, take Kodachrome. It has a speed of 40 ASA. Take it outside (with that switch set to Daylight Filter) and the speed is 25.

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I'll have to look up your camera model to see about the 40:160. Is there a dial on the side somewhere to set the film speed?