Reminder: Nostalgia is a filter

"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch) 01/17/2018 at 11:55 • Filed to: None

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Kodak makes a super 8 film camera. yup. That super 8. I think its an effort to jump on the LOMO/retro vibe right now and you know what? Im not even mad. Neat. Options. However seeing this demo reel for their $3000 slice of retro (not including film) made me realize that nostalgic, romantic looks at the “good old days” are indeed looking at the world through rose colored glasses. I mean, this is the same “content” that would otherwise be unextraordinary but because it looks old its suddenly romantic and special? Now I understand that “art” is an emotion more than a science so if this tickles your specials than more power to you but to me it destroys the past, by reminding me that it wasn’t creamy and dreamy, only captured that way.

For Sweden > HammerheadFistpunch 01/17/2018 at 12:15

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Would you rather have $3000 of Super 8 or $150,000 of Red Weapon?

HammerheadFistpunch > For Sweden 01/17/2018 at 12:15

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$20,000 of Black Magic and lenses.

For Sweden > HammerheadFistpunch 01/17/2018 at 12:16

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If you’re not shooting 8k why even try

MonkeePuzzle > For Sweden 01/17/2018 at 12:16

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$150k of regular car subaru

For Sweden > MonkeePuzzle 01/17/2018 at 12:17

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Regular Camera Reviews

fintail > HammerheadFistpunch 01/17/2018 at 12:18

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Reminds me of the “new” Polaroid cameras aimed at hipsters.

One can probably go to an estate sale or thrift store and get working examples of both for $20 for the pair.

HammerheadFistpunch > fintail 01/17/2018 at 12:20

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I have a working super 8 at home. I don’t use it because its a stupid piece of junk. I think people are forgetting how horrible it was to shoot film. Reminds of people people bitching about the size of midsized truck...do they not remember there was a time when we were all excited for trucks that could actually hold 4 humans comfortably?

fintail > HammerheadFistpunch 01/17/2018 at 12:25

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Like you said, nostalgia is rose-tinted. People say they want a basic 1970s style item, but when it comes to opening their wallet, it won’t happen.

HammerheadFistpunch > fintail 01/17/2018 at 12:26

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There will always be small niche markets for these buyers, but I just don’t think people remember the headaches of the past...only the highlights.

fintail > HammerheadFistpunch 01/17/2018 at 12:28

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I suspect many of them never experienced it firsthand. I haven’t used a film camera in roughly 20 years.

And for 3 grand for the film movie camera, or $100 for the still camera, just kind of silly.

Thomas Donohue > HammerheadFistpunch 01/17/2018 at 12:52

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The thing that is most lost with digital video and images is thought . With a small 8mm camera you only had three or six minutes of film. You had to think about what you were going to capture, think if this was worth it, and then you had better get it right on the first shot. If you wanted to make an edit, you had to break out the razor blades and tape and start splicing. We would go on a seven day vacation, and my dad would end up with maybe four or five rolls of film at the most. Maybe 15 or 20 minutes of memories, which by the way had to be sent out to get developed. Now? I’ve seen people take 15 minutes of video at lunch. No though, just hit record.

Also lost is proper editing. These days, most people dump 100 pictures and 20 videos on Facebook....they just throw up (literally) everything on their phone after every weekend. Sorry....TL;DR

I guess my take is that if someone is taking the time to shoot, develop, and edit film (they are probably doing this digitally!!!!) then I’m all for it. Maybe they are just trying to be cool, but isn’t that pretty much what movies have always been?

I love digital photography, but damn I end up taking too many pictures, and spend too much time in Lightroom. Once or twice a year I’ll take an old film camera and some B&W film with me. Three rolls, three days, and a lot of thinking...

Nikon FE w/Tri-X (or maybe it was Ilford....)

HammerheadFistpunch > Thomas Donohue 01/17/2018 at 12:54

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I have nothing against anyone who sees the love of film. For me this was just a reminder that the past wasn’t any better than the present, its just remembered that way...in large part due to technology limitations.

Elumerere > Thomas Donohue 01/17/2018 at 16:39

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Everything you said I wanted to say, but you put it in such fitting words.

Thank you.

It might be a bit hipster, but it’s about restraint during capture as well as during ‘what to put out’. And that is a sadly lost art these days, one that will come bite us in the behind one day soon.

benjrblant > HammerheadFistpunch 01/17/2018 at 17:15

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I’ve got a Hasselblad and a Nikon F100 and I love them both. I’d honestly shoot with either of those two and film as I prefer it, but man alive is processing and scanning expensive.

benjrblant > Thomas Donohue 01/17/2018 at 17:15

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I couldn’t agree more.