Can you still record and develop old 8mm and 16mm film?

Maybe you just got your film reels digitized.  Maybe you were inspired by Steven Spielberg’s movie Super8. However you fell in love with the vintage look and feel of old film, you might now be wondering: can I make new movies using this format? Do they still produce and sell this film? How can I get started on my own projects? 

These days it is a little bit easier to find Super8 film supplies over the standard 8mm film. Unfortunately, due to differences in sprocket holes and location, Super8 films are not compatible with 8mm cameras and vice versa. You can read about the difference in types of film here. 

Regular 8mm film is rare these days, and can be difficult to find. But there are some vendors and personal collectors who might be selling some. 

B&H is a go-to resource for many artists shooting film of all formats.

Search your options on sites like eBay.

You can also check out: Mono No Aware in NYC, or Urbanski Film.

Etsy supports a variety of local and commercial retailers selling antique stock. Check out these stores to see if they have what you’re looking for:

Eco Retro Store has a variety of film and camera options.

MonsterFlips USA exclusively stocks professionally refurbished Super8 cameras.

The camerashop stocks a variety of movie cameras, and also has a small selection of projectors for viewing your film.  

Not ready to commit to buying a camera? You can try renting. 

Du-All Camera, based in New York City, offers Super 8mm, as well as 16mm film cameras for rent.

There are places where you can get film processed.

Yale Film and Video processes Regular 8mm, Super8 and 16mm film reels. 

Most in-house development happens in larger cities like LA and NYC, so you may have a hard time finding a local business.  If you are comfortable sending your film away try googling “Where to get 8mm film developed.” If you want to check if there is a place near you searching “8mm film developing near me.” Before sending off your film, make sure the company processes the type of film you have. It's more common to find darkrooms that process 35mm film, but these places might not have the equipment to develop cinematic film. 

If you have your own darkroom you can develop your own film.

Want to hand edit your clips? Some other equipment that could be helpful in your creation would be:

Splicer- used to physically connect separate pieces of film

Projector- to view your footage

Once you have completed your film get it digitized with EverPresent. Or check out this article to learn how to do it yourself.