More of this! More of this KODAK. KODAK just announced, to everyone’s surprise, a brand new Super 8mm film camera. For once, there is a brand new film camera on the market, which is ripe to cause a few curious filmmakers to salivate. If the “You can shoot EKTACHROME Color Reversal Film” doesn’t excite you, I have nothing else to give.

For a company trying to find itself in the digital cinema world, it may be safe to say KODAK has stumbled and bumped along the ever-advancing future coming at them at a breakneck speed. I imagine a c-suite brainstorming session where the men and women in suits throw out new product ideas, and someone from the corner of the wood-paneled conference room shouts, “Why not make a film camera.”

The KODAK Super 8 Camera MSRP is $5,495, which is a price that is neither here nor there. But holy hell, if I don’t want an easy-to-use brand new 8mm Kodak film camera. Now, I do not usually start a post with the price of a camera or other gear, but this one is a bit different. No one has released a brand-new film camera in a decade or longer. Let’s dive into the details. 

4″ LCD Viewfinder

The new KODAK Super 8 Camera has a 4″ LCD viewfinder that swivels, allowing a wide range of shooting angles. Thanks to its expanded screen, navigating features like aspect ratio overlays, interactive menu selection, and camera settings is intuitive and straightforward.

Extended Gate

We are squarely in a widescreen world unless you’re on a phone. The Super 8 Camera’s extended gate optimizes more capture area of the film strip – allowing for an 11% larger image than traditional S8 cameras. This 14:9 full frame gives your Super 8 film the flexibility to intercut with other modern media capture formats, seamlessly filling the frame of today’s TV and video screens.

Interchangeable C-Mount Lens

The new Super 8 Camera comes equipped with a detachable wide-angle 6mm 1:1.2 C-mount lens, offering a range of creative choice for filmmakers of all levels. Use any other C-mount prime lens or adapters to mount the lens of your choice. Experiment with vintage lenses for a retro feel.

Connectivity & Crystal Sync

Capture high-quality audio seamlessly with the onboard sound recorder and external microphone connectivity via 3.5mm input directly to the integrated SD card reader. Monitor audio levels with live meters on the built-in LCD. The first modern Super 8mm camera with crystal sync at 24 and 25 fps, plus over and under crank at 18 and 36 FPS. Enhance capture with any HDMI-enabled monitor via the micro HDMI output.

Versatile Handling

The camera appears to have a sleek top handle design with an integrated run button to start and stop shooting. Comfortable handling. Perfect in any setting, from studio set to hand-held action.

Pistol Grip

Switch easily from the top handle navigation to the detachable pistol grip with an additional run button for eye-level shots and a traditional Super 8 camera feel.

Today’s Latest Film Technology

Each KODAK Super 8 cartridge is loaded with 50 feet of motion picture professional film – choose from 3 different KODAK VISION3 Color Negative Film stocks, or reversal stocks including TRI-X Black & White Reversal Film and EKTACHROME Color Reversal Film.

Good lord, you can shoot EKTACHROME Color Reversal Film. That brings me way back to my film school days. I think this is brilliant by KODAK. The film company needed a good way to introduce filmmakers to their film stock options. I couldn’t think of a better way.

What’s Inside the Box

• Pelican Case
• KODAK Super 8 Camera
• Wide Angle 6 mm Lens 1:1.2
• C-Mount Cap, Lens Cap and Lens Hood
• Pistol Grip with trigger
• KODAK Super 8 Camera Battery
• Micro USB Charging Cable(s)
• KODAK Super 8 Camera USB Power Adapter
• Cleaning Cloth
• KODAK TRI-X Black & White Reversal Film 7266
• Getting Started Guide