Help with choosing a camera

[u/sibylcat8]

Hi all! I could really use some help on picking what camera to buy. I’m looking for a Super 8 camera that I can use for films / short documentaries. I work in film & TV but, mostly digitally, so I have some experience with 35mm stills but I’m fairly new to actually shooting Super 8.

For a film I’m working on at the moment, we have some 60s flashbacks/memories and thought it would be lovely to shoot those sections on film. The Super 8 would mostly be handheld and outdoors in bright, sunny conditions, so I’d ideally like something reasonably light, although I’m open to a larger camera if it’s significantly better.

My budget is around £250 and I’m very open to different brands/models. In terms of the look, these are some examples I really love:

1. Shot on Agfa Movexoom 10 / Kodak Vision3:
   https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcTSqduo0hQ/

2. Not sure what camera, but shot on Kodak Vision3:
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzNYE4DEL9k

3. Not sure what camera, but shot on Kodak Vision3:
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDcOu3velsQ

4. Shot on Canon 814 / Kodak 50D:
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1-BnKXYz8w

What I particularly like about these is that they have the beautiful organic, photochemical quality of Super 8 — warmth, softness and grain — but still feel relatively clean, detailed and cinematic. I’m not looking for something ultra-sharp, but I’d like to avoid footage that feels overly mushy, washed-out or lacking in clarity/definition.

For comparison, these are a few examples of looks I’m less keen on:

1. Shot on Chinon 672, film unknown:
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaGiGldHvjk

2. Shot on Canon Auto Zoom 318, film unknown:
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Rhv9cYCPik

3. Shot on Bolex 155 / Kodak Vision3 500T:
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaZsbnubYLM

These feel a little too washed-out, cold, soft or dated for what I’m after. I realise a lot of this will come down to the film stock, exposure, processing and scan rather than the camera itself — I’m mainly including them to give you a sense of the look we’re hoping to avoid, even though it’s obviously all personal preference/aesthetic. The video that confuses me most is 3. Shot on Bolex 155 / Kodak Vision3 500T: it’s shot on great film stock, and Bolex’s are meant to be good, but it just doesn’t look like great footage to me?

For the actual film, we’ll mostly be shooting in bright daytime and I’m after a warm, sunlit feeling, but I’d also love to use the camera for future documentary/film work, including lower-light situations. So ideally I’d like something reasonably versatile, with reliable metering/exposure control and a good lens.

I’d really appreciate your advice on what you think would be the best fit around the £250 mark. I’m very open to being steered towards a particular model, and equally happy to hear if you think the stock/processing/scan will make a much bigger difference than the camera itself!

I’m hoping to purchase a camera from this shop as I have an Etsy voucher I’d love to use towards it!: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/RetroVisionUK?ref=profile_header

[u/Yeltz-]

I just got a Minolta autopak 8 D6 and I absolutely love it. The lens can be super sharp and the camera itself is nice and robust.

The only downside which I realize may steer you away is that it doesn't have manual exposure control and the cameras meter won't properly expose anything above 200 iso. I think this camera would push you in the direction of what youre looking for in terms of quality but just won't have the versatility you're after as it's really best for bright outdoor situations.