Going Retro?

[Adam R Davis]

My neighbor works in administration at a local elementary school. He found this old beast sitting around, unused for years but otherwise in great shape for it's age. Knowing I love playing with cameras, he brought it home for me to play with. It got me thinking; with all the chasers out there with high quality HD (and now 4k) cameras and GoPros all over the place, the odds of a tornado being documented in super high quality from every angle is pretty high. So why not document chases with the media I remember seeing my first chase videos on? A little backwards maybe, but some nostalgic fun. And certainly no pressure to compete with anyone else for the best shot.

(Dog ate the foam microphone screen promptly after the camera was dropped off)

 

[Shawn Gossman]

While I don't see anyone making a profit using older technology like that, I'd still watch what you had to record with it I think it would be neat really - and just think, back in the day, a camera like that was probably considered high grade!

 

[Todd Rector]

Amazing!
I had one very similar to that and it brings back fond memories of the several second delay between pressing "record" until it actually started recording, and (for my Toshiba, at least) extremely poor battery life. I can see several advantages of chasing with a camera like that - for one, not feeling compelled to run back to the car to protect the camera every time it looked like I was going to get a little wet. Good luck, and if you do get some footage, please post it!

 

[Alex Heimberger]

Should use it. Always fun to do something unique. Some of the best tornado video's from the time period and technology. Also, it would give me a quick chuckle if I drove by and you were using it

 

[Adam R Davis]

While I don't see anyone making a profit using older technology like that, I'd still watch what you had to record with it I think it would be neat really - and just think, back in the day, a camera like that was probably considered high grade!

Yeah, these were the cameras I used at my community access station back in the 90s, so it's like seeing an old friend who's been away for years. I'm not really one to try to profit from my chasing videos so that's not a worry. But I still love to share.

 

[Blake Naftel]

Adam:

I would encourage you to utilize the now "vintage" SVHS technology in full, plus the AG-450 is a great camera, regardless of being standard definition. I've been working in conventional VHS, 3/4" (attached to older CCD and tube-based video cameras), combined with Super 8mm and 16mm movie film to achieve artistic and analog effects for years now; then integrating certain elements digitally (i.e. color bar breaks, static, video/audio drop outs, distortions). Many of these are being integrated as format-to-format transitions that cannot be fully achieved digitally (in terms of quality) to the Storm Chasing Anthology documentary series currently in post production. Examples of what I'm referring to can be viewed within this recent preview; specifically at around the 7:26 mark (jumping from 8mm film to SVHS video).

It's just a fun way to show the progression of technology through the ages; and there's certainly nothing wrong with just toying around while out in the field.

Blake

 

[Adam R Davis]

I actually have a Bolex 16mm camera as well, but the cost of film, lab fees, and telecine these days are too exorbitant for chasing, so I've never done it.

 

[Drew Terril]

My grandpa had a camcorder like that (might still have it). It was just sitting there collecting dust last time I was there. I should have asked him if I could have it. I don't think it was that high end, but it was still nice.

 

[Blake Naftel]

@Adam R Davis - Motion picture film is another story, and with rapidly declining film gauges/stock availability, shooting film should be reserved for specific instances or events. The last few chases shot on the wonderful, but now defunct Ektachrome 100D color reversal Super 8mm film turned out great - those specifically were 14-April-2012 and a period in early/mid June 2012 across southern Saskatchewan. These were shot on a Canon 814 and 310XL. I chose not to haul the Canon Scoopic MS 16mm on either of those days as that gauge, even in B&W, is far more costly to process/scan. While one can technically add "movie" effects using non-linear editing, true motion picture film scanned using a digital telecine looks brilliant! Again though, it's a niche that the vast majority either know nothing about, want nothing to do with, or lack the financial flexibility to spend on three minutes of unexposed film.