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Shooting for vintage-looking home movies, which kind of standard (double) 8mm film should I buy?

I have a Kodak Brownie Movie Camera Turret f/1.8 camera from the 1950′s, and want to make some movies for fun keepsakes. I’m not a professional, I just want to use it like it was meant to be used in the 50′s and 60′s. I’m looking for that high color saturation, vintage look about the film. Any suggestions of what/where to buy?

As far as I know, the only color film that is available for regular 8mm is Ektachrome 100D. There might be others, but that’s the only one I’ve been using lately. Up until recently, you could still get Cinechome 40 (Kodachrome). But Kodak is going to stop making Kodachrome and so that film isn’t available anymore. You might be able to find it if look hard enough. I think there are a few places that still have it.

There are a lot of different black and white 8mm films available, but for color you’ll probably have to use Ektachrome 100D. It’s a daylight balanced film, so it is mainly intended for shooting outside. It does give really nice saturated colors and it seems to be pretty forgiving with exposure.

You can shoot indoors with Ektachrome 100D if you have enough light and if you use a blue lens filter to correct the color. You can shoot it indoors without a filter if you want, but it will have kind of an orangish tint. It actually doesn’t look too bad though. I’ve done it before. Just be sure there is enough light.

I don’t know where you live, but there are a lot of places that sell and develop 8mm movie film. I usually buy it from Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas. Here is their website:

http://www.dwaynesphoto.com/

When you go to the website, go to the top where it says “order forms” and then select “Movie Film” and “Movie Film For Sale.” You can get a order form, which you will print and then mail out to order the film. (They don’t have online ordering yet, as far as I can see). You can also send the film back to them to get it developed. I’ve ordered several rolls of movie film from Dwayne’s Photo and got it developed there and they always do a good job.

I also found another place, Spectra Film and Video in Hollywood, California. They sell and develop 8mm and 16mm movie film:

http://www.spectrafilmandvideo.com/Film.html

One thing you need to know though is that those antique 8mm cameras are completely manual exposure. You have to adjust the aperture for the lighting conditions. You should look up what’s called the “Sunny 16 Rule.” It’s a guideline for how to use manual exposure outside.

I have a collection of vintage 8mm movie cameras and they’re a lot of fun. Email me if you have any questions.

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