Kodak Is Bringing the Super 8 Video Camera Back Kodak's Super 8 Camera would make dad proud.
This story originally appeared on Fortune Magazine
Kodak on Tuesday announced that it was reviving the Super 8 video camera, with some updated modern features.
Despite the Super 8 Camera featuring a 3.5-inch rotating viewfinder, rechargeable battery, and microSD support it will also accept traditional film. According to the camera's specifications, it will accept Kodak Super 8 cartridges with 50 feet of film.
According to Kodak, the company is committing resources to going beyond this initial Super 8 Camera. The firm is currently working on "a roadmap that includes a range of cameras, film development services, post production tools and more," according to the press release.
Kodak is framing the announcement as a "Super 8 Filmmaking Revival Initiative," which it intends to leverage the previously mentioned roadmap and support from Hollywood's biggest directors such as J.J. Abrams, Steven Spielberg, and Quentin Tarantino to make film a mainstream item once again.
Taking design cues from a time before everyone constantly had a high-quality video camera in their pocket, the Super 8 is reminiscent of something dads chased their kids around the living room with on Christmas morning.
A handle along the top of the camera is flanked by a grip sprouting out of the bottom, akin to Super 8 cameras from decades before it. Dials adorn the lens, with retro numbers.
The camera is expected to ship this fall, with Kodak telling The Wall Street Journal it expects the device to cost between $400 and $750. Each film cartridge will set you back another $50 to $75, with Kodak processing the film and creating a digital copy of its contents for its users.
Kodak's CES announcement isn't the first to invoke thoughts of the '80s, with Monster announcing a boombox it calls the Blaster on Tuesday.
As the saying goes, everything old is new again… at least that's how it appears CES 2016 is shaping up.
