Anyone who shoots film (either stills or motion) knows the frustration of an ever-shrinking pool of available equipment. Finding a quality, tested and working 8mm system can be particularly difficult. Danish father/son company Logmar Camera Solutions, founded in 2009 in Aalborge, DE has the dream of reviving and reinventing the 8mm movie camera. Enter the Logmar Super-8, an 8mm system for the modern world.
While some cinematographers never stopped shooting this beautiful little format, more and more pros are picking up an 8mm system every day. Independent filmmakers such as Derek Jarman, Sam Raimi, Nathan Schiff, Jem Cohen and others flock to 8mm for its nostalgic, lo-fi qualities. High-budget TV and films often turn to 8mm for flashback footage or, in the case of The Walking Dead, quite a bit of normal footage. Add to this the fact that an increasing number of people are picking back up 8mm systems, it becomes clear that the market is ready for a high-end 8mm camera.
This new system, to be made available in December of this year, will sell for around $5,000 from Pro8mm (quite a bit more than the ~$3,500 Lagmar had initially predicted).
The camera's design is truly unlike any of the super 8 systems that have come before it. As seen in the cover image (above), the Logmar 8mm features a live view monitor (digital viewfinder), audio recording on SD, filming history on SD, a C-Mount, USB upgrade options, Wi-Fi remote control compatibility, video out, trigger options, a customizable feature button, NFC capabilities, a world class built-in light meter, 48V phantom power, timelapse support, and phase advance support.
Unlike most consumer 8mm systems, this camera brings the film outside of the Kodak cassette and winds it into a gate with an integrated pressure plate and pin registration as pictured below. According to No Film School, this serves to freeze the film during the exposure and prevent the bouncing that is often found on other systems.
Below is sample footage by Friedmann Wachsmuth with a prototype Logmar Super-8, Schneider Optivaron 6-66mm f/1.8 lens, and Kodak Vision 3 50D film.
https://vimeo.com/87243287
While there's absolutely no way I'll be adding one of these to my kit (due to price), it's inspiring to see companies like Logmar Camera Solutions, Cinestill, FILM Ferrania, and others remaining dedicated to passionate film shooters and reinventing ways to enjoy this beautiful medium.
[Via No Film School & Pro8mm]
As we receive more information about this camera's availability we'll be sure to update this post.
This is amazing. I hope it does well!
Interesting that Kodak still makes super-8 film. Too bad you can't get larger reels, and the hardware to take them. There's roughly 3-5 minutes of recording time in those little cartridges.
And it goes fast, Spy Black. :) Budgeting the (little) film you have has been one of the biggest challenges / greatest rewards of my own experience with 8mm.
I think you'll find that Derek Jarman will have a bit of a problem flocking to 8mm. He's been dead for over 20 years.
His main formats were 16mm and/or 35mm. 8mm only had a bit part.
Lol too true, sorry that was a little bit unclear. Jarman had a bit of 8mm work in (I believe) a "Jordan's Dance" flashback sequence that I was a fan of.