If you have some old film reels, chances are you have some Super 8 film.
Super 8 film was introduced by Kodak in 1965, and it made the home-movie process so easy for good ol’ Dad, the film industry would never be the same.
Prior to Super 8 film, 16mm film had to be hand threaded into a video camera. When one side had been recorded, the spool had to be opened, the film flipped, and the whole set-up rethreaded before filming could continue. Just imagine how many precious camera moments were missed before Super 8 film came onto the scene!
What if you wanted to get your hands on some of that precious Super 8 film now? Where could you find it? Well, the bad news is that the production of Kodahcrome Super 8 film stopped in 2012, but the good news is you can skip the perms and parachute pants, because you won’t have to travel back to MTV circa 1981 to get it! You can actually still get Super 8 film from a number of online retailers and specialty photoshops. It’ll cost you a pretty penny, but to some filmmakers, the vintage look of Super 8 film is totally worth it!
In 2017, Kodak revived Super 8 film with Ektachrome, making Super 8 film available in this format, though the Kodachrome format remains discontinued. However, if you still just can’t imagine anything but the vintage Super 8 film, there are boutique film shops all over the world that will take old 35mm film, perforate its edges, and repackage the film into Super 8 film cartridges. Again, not the most cost-effective option, but some film fans find this novelty entirely worth the price!
If you miss the grainy, sometimes spotty images of family memories, and sound of the Super 8 film projector, you may have to look no further than the opening credits of The Wonder Years. Remember that warm, sepia feeling? If you love footage shot on Super 8 film, you’ll be glad to know there are entire film festivals dedicated to this craft! Festivals, like the Super Gr8 Film Festival devote their entire celebration to footage caught on Super 8 film. The festival takes place every fall, and great Super 8 film makers come from far and wide to participate in this imaginative affair!
If you’re looking for Super 8 film, you’ll be relieved to know you can still find it! Your most convenient online big box store has it for sale, as well as boutique photo shops in the United States and internationally. The best part about the new Super 8 film is that it’s easy to digitize for compatibility with updated motion picture formats!
However, if you’ve got some old Super 8 film lying around, you probably don’t have the equipment to process those beloved family heirlooms. Legacybox has state of the art equipment and trained technicians that can digitize your Super 8 film for you, so while you can keep those precious reels, you can also watch those videos any time, with ease!
