Okay Kodak, you had our curiosity when you first teased your new hybrid digital and analog Super 8 camera almost a decade ago, but now that you’ve officially announced it you have our attention. Yet, what we don’t have from y’all just yet is a release date — or any specific information about when we’ll get more clarity on when we’ll be getting our hands on one to try it out.
Which is fine, there’s no law saying a company has to have a concrete release date when a product is announced. But, with the amount of fanfare and interest around this new Super 8 camera, as well as controversy perhaps — at least regarding its price point — it would be nice to see the roadmap here.
Especially considering this camera has been in the works for almost a decade. So, to help those searching for answers just like us, here’s everything we currently know — and expect to know soon — about the new Kodak Super 8 camera.
The Kodak Super 8
As we covered in our initial write-up on Kodak’s announcement of this new Super 8 camera, we’re very excited to see this product come out. It combines many of our passions together, including old-school real-life analog filmmaking as well as our love of the modern conveniences of digital videography.
Dubbed by Kodak as featuring the “magic of analog filmmaking meets modern convenience,” this limited edition camera body promises to bring that traditional Super 8 look and feel with its 16:9 widescreen extended gate recording, but add on modern features like a 4-inch LCD display and digital menu and even a SD card slot for audio.
There’s also a 14:9 full-frame option that can allow for the camera to be edited together with other modern mirrorless and digital cameras. As far as lenses go this new Super 8 will use an interchangeable C-mount lens that will come with a 6mm 1:1.2 optic. (Plus you could also use any other C-mount prime lenses or adapters to mount the lenses of your choice too.)
The Kodak Super 8’s Long History
What’s perhaps most fascinating about this new Super 8 camera though might simply be its long road to even get to this point. Originally teased as long as back as 2016, this re-invention of Kodak’s classic Super 8 camera model has always made too much sense to not do — but perhaps not enough sense to bring it together quickly.
Of course there have probably been plenty of technical challenges, as well as most certainly a need to keep up with the fast-moving digital camera industry itself which seems to reset every other quarter basically.
However as analog filmmaking has also obviously been on the decline over the past decades, it’s perhaps understandable that Kodak might have been focused elsewhere if they had deemed this new Super 8 as nothing more than a gimmick. Which, to some, it still might be — at least with its over $5,000 price point being what it is.
When will the Kodak Super 8 Release?
Still, the biggest question here is simply: when will this Super 8 come out? So far all Kodak has provided has come down to basically saying “hopefully soon” for now. It is worth noting that if you go to Kodak’s site to review and purchase, there is an option to sign up to buy the camera where you’ll be given options including: “as soon as possible, within 3 months, later 2024 or in 2025.”
Which seems to indicate that this question isn’t as much an order form but rather a survey that Kodak could use to decide how quickly they should launch the camera.
One good sign though is that the Kodak Super 8 camera is also up on B&H now as well, which — if you are interested in purchasing ASAP — might be one of the best links to bookmark for when it eventually does. Until then though, here are the specs and only current purchase options to review for now.
- Accepts Standard Super 8 Film Cartridges
- Extended Gate Super 8 Format
- C Lens Mount; 6mm f/1.2 Lens Included
- Frame Rates: 18, 24, 25, 36 fps
- 4″ Articulating LCD Viewfinder; HDMI Out
- Crystal Sync at 24 and 25 fps
- Mic & Line Level Inputs; Headphone Out
- Built-In Light Meter & Manual Controls
- Top Handle & Removable Pistol Grip
Author: Jourdan Aldredge
This article comes from No Film School and can be read on the original site.
