Although a Super-8 film frame is 12 times smaller than a 35mm film frame, super-8 film can still be projected to extremely large sizes. Xenon Super-8 film projectors can actually project the super-8 film frame up to 20 feet high!

Now that we are in the Digital Age, Processed Super-8 film is usually transferred to digital video, at which point it can be treated just like any digital video footage, but with one big difference, Super-8 film will still look like film even after it has been transferred to video, and that is why Super-8 filmmaking has actually experienced a resurgence in the digital age!

Kodak offers an after hours emergency phone number for ordering and having film delivered on the next flight out. The phone number is 1-800-404-2016, the service is called Shoot Saver.

Kodak Super-8 Film Stocks fall into two basic categories, one category is called Reversal Super-8 Film and the other category is called Negative Super-8 Film. Reversal Super-8 film can be put into the "instant gratification" category of super-8 filmmaking since it can instantly be viewed after being picked up from the lab via a super-8 film projector, a super-8 movie viewer, or even a light table with a loop. Some Super-8 users actually process reversal Super-8 film themselves!

To the far upper right of this Review is a time-exposure image of the letter E that I filmed on Kodak Ektachrome Reversal Super-8 film. It was filmed with a super-8 camera, no computer tricks involved. Getting to know about Super-8 filmmaking led me to create that image and I find it far more satisfying to get out of the computer chair and go create something.

Kodak Reversal Film Stocks include Plus-X Black and White, Tri-X Black and White, and Color Ektachrome 64T.

Kodak Color Reversal Kodachrome 40 was discontinued in 2005 on it's 40th Anniversary, however Dwayne's Lab in Parsons, Kansas can still process any remaining Kodachrome 40 that you may have. The more out of date Kodachrome 40 becomes, the more chance there is that the film may look discolored, washed out, or just weird. I never hesitated to shoot Kodachrome 40 that was 1 - 3 years out of date, but anything older than that and it's likely the film will have a somewhat increased chance of color shifting. Dwaynes Lab is the only remaining lab in the entire world that is processing discontinued Kodachrome 40 Reversal Super-8 film! I have some kodachrome 40 from 2003 that was never refrigerated that held up very well on a recent shoot, so that means at this point unrefrigerated 4 year old kodachrome 40 holds up.

Kodak Ektachrome 64T is the Super-8 Reversal film stock that replaced Kodachrome 40. Although many in the Super-8 community were upset that Kodachrome 40 had been discontinued, Kodachrome 40 could only be processed by two labs in the entire world whereas Ektachrome 64T can be more easily processed by many more labs all over the world. Some Super-8 film Labs even offer same day processing at no additional charge! Many in the Super-8 community have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Kodak Ektachrome 100D which is supposed to be a tighter grained version of Color Ektachrome 64T.

The two Kodak Black and White Reversal Film Stocks are beautiful. Plus-X Black & White Reversal Super-8 film is good enough that one could shoot a low budget movie with it with the intent of selling it afterwards. Plus-X is rated at 100 ASA. Tri-X Black and White is rated at 200 ASA and is a fine stock as well with more sensitivity and a bit more grain than Plus-X. Many use Tri-X and might even "push" the film stock at the time of processing (there is an additional fee for this special technique) to create an even grainier look.

In addition to Kodak Super-8 Black & White Reversal and Color Reversal Film Stocks, Kodak Super-8 Color Negative Film Stocks are also available.

Kodak sells Vision 200T Negative and Vision 500T Negative in Super-8 film cartridges. I have used both of these fine film stocks and have been very excited at the versatility and very tight grain structure that these two Kodak Super-8 color negative film stocks deliver. The higher ASA film sensitivity allows these negative film stocks to be used in ways that previously were impossible with lower, less light sensitive ASA Super-8 Reversal Film Stocks. Negative Super-8 Film Stocks have to be processed and then transferred to video before being viewed. Apparently, there was a service being offered in Europe that would allow Super-8 prints to be made from the processed Super-8 camera negative original, but I don't know if this service is still offered, how long it takes, or what it costs.

Kodak Negative Super-8 Film Stocks are more sensitive to lower light levels than Kodak Super-8 Reversal Film Stocks. The negative film stocks are also more forgiving if you do not set the camera's exposure meter setting correctly. This exposure forgiveness is also called film latitude and Super-8 Negative Film Stocks have more latitude than Super-8 Reversal Film Stocks. However, it's always best to be accurate when setting your f-stop meter at the time of shooting. Once your Reversal Super-8 Film Stock or Negative Super-8 Film Stock is transferred to digital video, computer video editing is now easily possible.

It may be incorrect to say that reversal film is less expensive than negative film IF the reversal film requires more lighting and stricter contrast ratios to expose properly. Sometimes reversal film stock can slow down your shooting schedule while possibly requiring more lights or at the very least, more powerful lights, which usually are more expensive and require more electricity. The more power and lights that are needed, the more heat that will be generated, so lets not forget about your actors make-up melting more quickly and more often from the higher intensity light sources.

Kodak Film Stocks are available from Kodak's main offices in Rochester, New York and in Los Angeles, California. All of Kodaks Super-8, 16mm, and 35mm film stocks can be purchased via Kodak's 800 number, 1-800-621-FILM (3456). Pretty much all Super-8 Film Labs around the world stock Kodak Film as a convenience to their customers. In North Hollywood, California, Spectra Film and Video is open Saturdays until 5 PM for Saturday film stock purchases, rank cintel transfers, and super-8 camera rentals. Spectra also sells 16mm.

You can find out more about Super-8 Filmmaking on my About Me Page to help get you started.

Super-8 film is sold in a colorful cardboard box whereas 16mm film stocks are sold in either metal cans or plastic boxes. Super-8 film is actually pre-loaded inside of its own plastic film cartridge and does not require much prepping. 16mm film is larger and must be loaded onto either daylight spools or film magazines, either way this would be done in a changing bag. Super-8 does not require a changing bag. I do recommend turing the Super-8 spindle in a clockwise direction a couple of times (when the spindle is facing you) to take up any slack that might have occurred prior to you being ready to use the film. The film should turn relatively smoothly. Make sure the spindle does not "unwind" prior to putting it into the camera. You don't have to do these steps. I like to do them and they seem to help prevent film jamming. Should you buy used film? When you cannot afford to have your shot not come out right because you are filming actors or a one time event, or have too much money invested in what you are shooting, then you may want to only buy FRESH Kodak or FRESH Fuji Film only from an authorized Kodak or Fuji dealer.

However, if you have room to experiment and don't have a lot to risk, you can find some real eBay bargains on used, unexposed film. To minimize your losses if you do decide to buy out of date film, don't buy too much out of date film at one time, check out the feedback of the seller & check to see how the film was stored. Properly refrigerated film can last a long time after the expiration date. If you decide to buy a batch of used Super-8 film off of eBay, shoot one cartridge of film as soon as possible, process it, transfer it to video if you will be editing the footage on the computer, and see how it comes out before shooting anymore film. The one thing you don't want to do is compound a mistake by shooting a lot of expired film before checking to see how any of it came out. If you feel the film is defective but you waited more than a week or two to test the film, the seller will be much less accommodating.

If you win an auction for used film, don't mix the boxes or cans with other stock you have purchased elsewhere. Put a small mark on the film, perhaps a 1 out 10, 2 out of 10, etc, that way you can track unused film and optimize when you use the film. It is my opinion that as long as film was stored in good condition (a cool, semi dry, indoor, darkened environment), most color reversal film stocks will hold up for between 6 months to 3 years out of date, and some people have had luck with film that was out of date much longer than that as well. There is one color negative motion picture film stock that apparently does not hold up as well after the expiration date as other negative film stocks and that film stock is Kodak 50 ASA Color Negative, also known as 5201 in 35mm, and 7201 in 16mm. The blue grain may not come out as vividly as if it were shot before the expiration date, however I do not know how long of a "window of opportunity" the 5201 and the 7201 actually have after the expiration date other than it probably is less than other color negative film stocks. Apparently Kodak no longer puts an expiration date on their Vision 200T and 500T film stocks so I am assuming that means they are meant to last a while, especially if kept refrigerated in the original sealed foil and box.

I seem to recall that Reversal Black and White Film has no expiration date on it in Super-8! At the very least we can assume that Black and White Reversal film can be older than Color Reversal Film and still come out, but one must make sure that the lab you will be using can still process that particular film stock as the processing chemistry may no longer be available. You may discover that out of date color film stock has a quirky look to it that is perfect for a certain kind of mood or feeling you want to create. But once again, check with a film lab to make sure they can still process certain out of date films before you commit to buying the expired film on eBay. Please don't be mean to the film lab if the expired film you purchased comes out ganky after it has been processed. If it were up to the film lab, they would only process fresh, new film stocks.

WARNING: BUYING RECANNED FILM STOCK AND SHORT ENDS OFF OF EBAY just adds to the risk of buying outdated film! Beware. However, if the seller is the original owner of the film stock, or it is a reputable seller selling the recans or shortends, you may find a lucky deal, especially if the film is not out of date. I DO NOT RECOMMEND BUYING SHORT ENDS OR RECANNED FILM THAT IS THEN LOADED INTO SUPER-8 CARTRIDGES! This practice is not common but there are allegations that it does go on so if you are curious ask the seller whether or not they have loaded short ends or re-cans into their super-8 film cartridges or if the company they purchased the film stock from might have done such a thing.

The final question you may have is, why shoot Super-8 film in this day and age when digital video keeps improving and videotapes are so much cheaper with much longer running times, and they record sound! Many times people claim to not know the difference between film and video when watching a television show, yet whenever they see film there is definitely an emotional attachment that makes the person feel like they are watching a story. Additionally, Super-8 film stocks and Super-8 cameras allow one to start out with a film look that will remain even if the Super-8 film is eventually transferred to video.

Feature Films that were made from the 1900's and throughout the entire last century were all shot on film. Every 10 years or so Feature Films made from the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, and the 90's get retransfered using the latest & greatest video transfer systems. The result is these older films look better than the previous time they were transfered! The same cannot be said for any video ever shot. Any video shot 5-10 and even 25 years ago will never look better than it did back then because it started off as video with an existing level of resolution that cannot be improved upon.

Ironically, studios such as Sony Pictures probably wish to see film extinguished forever in favor of HD even though all the studios have made 10's of billions of dollars rereleasing their film libraries every 5-10 years to the latest and greatest consumer video format. First the film studios film libraries were released to the public on VHS & Betamax. Five years later the same films were being reissued at a higher quality onto Laser disc, then 5-10 years later those same films were being released onto DVD. Now those same films are being transferred AGAIN to HD DVD and Blue-Ray DVD, and once again, at an even still higher quality. The rereleases at higher and higher levels of quality would have been minimal at best if the original productions had been shot on video, whatever video quality that existed at the time of shooting would have remained virtually identical 20 years later.

The ongoing advances in film transfer technology has resulted in a higher and higher quality video master each and every time an older film gets rereleased to the public! Each time a motion picture film is rereleased due to the creation of a new video format, the original edited negative master is once again transferred to the newest high resolution video format using the newest film transfering technology, and each time the video copy quality comes closer to approximating the actual superior quality that always existed in the film negative master.

Today, 35mm motion picture film is still being used by many many feature films, episodic televison, television commericals and music videos. Film tends to look more like you are watching a story being told whereas many digital formats tends to look like you are watching a story as it happens. Both methods are fine, and that is why I am happy to have both digital video AND film available to me. Super-8 filmmaking has become a gateway to learning about film stocks before proceeding to a more expensive film format such as 16mm and 35mm.

On a final note, when I read or hear the media riducule the great heritage of film it saddens me. Film has captured high quality images for the past hundred years. Film has been a supercharged time-capsule of such high quality that it has taken video over 60 years to rival it. Whenever I read about a company like Kodak getting bashed in the news because Kodak still makes film I cringe at how the media has prostituted itself just so they can promote the latest and greatest digital equipment that just so happens to also be advertising in their newspaper, magazine, or on television.

Moreso, all Kodak has done is be an American Made Company making a product that was so good the upper limits of it's quality can only now be shown to the public because it has taken video this long to catch up to film. Rather than heap gratitude upon Kodak for a job well done for the past century, the news and entertainment media mocks Kodak and brings it to it's knees with public ridicule because Kodak still makes film. Does Japan ridicule Fuji because it still makes film? Doubtful. Since when does the American media thrive on ridiculing American Made companies like Kodak so that other countries businesses can swoop in and take Kodak's place? You'll probably have to ask Wall Street why they want to see Kodak, an American made company employing Americans, fail. Wall Street seems to thrive on turning America into an Import economy at the loss of millions of jobs that used to go to Americans living in America.