film?????

[Moogyboy]

Say, just out of morbid curiosity, has anyone on this board ever shot underwater on film, as in movie film, like, with a movie camera? In particular with amateur or semi-pro formats like Super8 and 16mm. I'd love to hear any stories, anecdotes, warnings, etc...

Call me an incorrigible masochist. I just think underwater scenes look so much better on film than on video. I can just imagine putting an old spring-wound Bell & Howell or Kodak or Krasnogorsk 16mm camera in some kind of housing...and then cursing myself when I'm actually out there handling the thing in the water.

Anyway...

cheers

Billy S.

 

[cdiver2]

Say, just out of morbid curiosity, has anyone on this board ever shot underwater on film, as in movie film, like, with a movie camera? In particular with amateur or semi-pro formats like Super8 and 16mm. I'd love to hear any stories, anecdotes, warnings, etc...

Call me an incorrigible masochist. I just think underwater scenes look so much better on film than on video. I can just imagine putting an old spring-wound Bell & Howell or Kodak or Krasnogorsk 16mm camera in some kind of housing...and then cursing myself when I'm actually out there handling the thing in the water.

Anyway...

cheers

Billy S.

Used a Eumig Nautical supper 8 back in the late 70s. Still have one 600' spool left and lost another in a house move. The down side was only 4 min filming

 

[meekal]

i've been looking for an "IN" on this type of question; just didn't know how to approach it. i have just acquired a CANON XL1 and it has (supposedly) the ability to shoot in MOVIE (24FPS??? - not sure till i get the manual i guess!) MODE but just can't quite get my head around the concept of "WHY?" the only thing i've found that points in that direction (execpt for other posts about transfering to FILM in the future and such) is that images are more "STABLE" because of the low frame rate.

any feedback from you PROS would be greatly appreciated!

 

[hermosadive]

i've been looking for an "IN" on this type of question; just didn't know how to approach it. i have just acquired a CANON XL1 and it has (supposedly) the ability to shoot in MOVIE (24FPS??? - not sure till i get the manual i guess!) MODE but just can't quite get my head around the concept of "WHY?" the only thing i've found that points in that direction (execpt for other posts about transfering to FILM in the future and such) is that images are more "STABLE" because of the low frame rate.

any feedback from you PROS would be greatly appreciated!

Film projected at a frame rate of 24fps. Video typically is 60fps. We have grown accustom to the look of film projected at 24 frame per second and associate is as a "more pleasing - softer" look that the "more real - sharper" look of video.

Regarding you XL1, it does not offer a 24fps mode, but it does have a setting for "Frame" mode. I believe frame mode records at 30 fps which is getting closer to 24, but still different than film for many reasons. In frame mode (also available on GL1), I think you loose some horizontal resolution compared to the standard video, NTSC. Many people like the softer look, but artifacting and other issues can come into play depending on the subject matter so it is not suited to all applications.

The newer XL2 does offer variable frame rates, 60i/30p/24p. The "i" stands for Interlaced and the "p" for progessive. I'm not going to attemp to explain all of this, but the 24p mode is a strong selling point for this camera. This camera will be competing against the Panasonic DVX100 which also offers variable frame rates. The game will get more complicated when Sony's new "prosumer" HiDef camera is available. It will make justifying the $5k for a XL2 more difficult.

To try and answer your "why" questions, the indi filmmaker wants to be able to create an image that will compete with the look of tradition film, but doing it with a smaller budget using affordable video equipment. Some film makers are proving that with proper lighting, good scripts and good acting, direction, the audience doesn't really care what you used to record the story.

Do you plan on taking your XL1 into the water? I hope you considered the cost and the availability of housings before you made this purchase. Have fun with the camera when you get it.

 

[meekal]

hermosadive - thanks for the info. yup, it'll be 99% for use underwater, - not sure if the more pleasing - softer" is what i'd be looking for in U/W video. i like the "more real - sharper" concept so i guess i'll be sticking to 60fps.
but if you know for sure the "but artifacting and other issues can come into play depending on the subject matter (U/W vidoe) so it is not suited to all applications." maybe you can save me a world of hurt (and wasted time!!!)

on the housing issue it's kind of a funny story (ha ha) i was looking around for a external monitor for my BAJA / SONY PC100 combo and stumbled across one on eBay. it was then that i noticed that the external monitor was attached to a GATES XL1 housing! for just a bit more than the external monitor by itself i got the whole kit-N-kaboodle! now i'm just waiting for the camera to come in!