December
1999
Introduction.
Super-8 was introduced in 1965.
Canon was already making high-quality Standard-8 cine
cameras and it was not long before they had entered the
Super-8 market. By 1967 Canon had three Super-8 cine
cameras available in the UK - the Canon 318, 518 and
814.
The
318 is the
most compact of the three original Canon Super-8 cameras,
with a 10 mm. to 30 mm. f/1.8 zoom lens, reflex
viewfinder and automatic metering. The camera films at 18
f.p.s. only and does not have single frame. In 1967 it
cost almost £70. This version of the 318 disappeared
very quickly. A new 318, the 318M, appeared in the UK in
about 1973. It has a similar specification to the
original 318 but has single frame. In 1973 it cost almost
£60. The 318MB has a different body (black) but in
other respects has the same specification as the 318M. It
cost about £75 in 1976.
The
518 has a
9.5 mm. to 47.5 mm. f/1.8 zoom lens, reflex viewfinder
with microprism rangefinder and automatic metering. Like
the 318, it has only one filming speed (18 f.p.s.) and no
single frame. In 1967 it cost almost £90. In 1968 a
slightly improved version, the Auto Zoom 518, was
introduced which had 36 f.p.s. and a power zoom. It cost
almost £100. Both of these cameras had disappeared
from the UK market by 1975.
The 518 SV was introduced to the UK in
about 1971, when it cost almost £150. The lens
specification is the same as the Auto Zoom 518 but the
camera has a fully-closing iris for fades, and the
viewfinder includes over/under exposure warning signals.
The filming speeds are 18 and 24 f.p.s. and slow motion,
and single frame. In 1971 this camera cost almost
£150. The 518 series ended in about 1976 (at least
in the UK).
The 814
has a 7.5 mm. to 60 mm. f/1.4 power zoom lens, reflex viewfinder and
automatic or manual exposure. It has 12, 18 and 24 f.p.s. and a remote
release socket for single frame. In 1967 it cost over £165. The
814E (picture)
is very similar but has slow motion (approx. 40 f.p.s.). In 1973 it
cost almost £220. The 814 XL Electronic appeared in about 1977.
It has a variable shutter which can be set to 150 degrees for normal
use and 220 degrees for low-light use as well as closing fully for
fades. The reflex focusing has a split-image rangefinder and warning
lamps in the viewfinder indicate over/under exposure, film transport
and end of film. It has automatic exposure with manual override. FIlm
speeds are 9 and 18 f.p.s. plus slow motion (about 36 f.p.s.) and
single frame. It has a pulse generator for synchronous sound and in
1978 it cost amost £314.
The
1218 was
introduced to the UK in about 1968. It has a 7.5 mm. to
90 mm. f/1.8 zoom lens with two speed power zoom, 18
f.p.s and approx. 54 f.p.s. slow motion, automatic
exposure with manual override and reflex viewing with a
microprism rangefinder. In 1968 it cost almost £400.
It did not sell well and is now comparatively rare. It
disappeared from the UK market in about 1975.
The Canon Zoom
250 is a
simple camera with a 10.8 mm. to 27 mm. f/1.8 zoom lens,
automatic exposure and zone focusing. It has 18 f.p.s.
only and no single frame. Introduced to the UK in about
1969, it cost about £60. It disappeared from the UK
about two years later.
In our opinion one of
the best of all the Canon Super-8 cameras is the Canon
1014, with
7 mm. to 70 mm. f/1.4 power zoom, reflex viewfinder with
split-image rangefinder and automatic exposure with
manual override. It has 18 and 24 f.p.s., slow motion
(approx. 54 f.p.s.) and single frame. Up to 60 frames
limited backwind permits automatic lap dissolves. In 1974
the 1014E cost almost £400.
The Canon
512 XL was
the first of the Canon available light cameras to come to
the UK, appearing in about 1975 when it cost about
£185. It has a 9.5 mm. to 47.5 mm. f/1.2 zoom lens,
with a reflex viewfinder and split-image rangefinder. It
has 9 and 18 f.p.s. plus slow motion (approx. 36 f.p.s.)
and single frame. It has automatic exposure and limited
fade capability.
This available light
camera was joined by others the following year. The Canon
514 XL has
a 9 mm. to 45 mm. f/1.4 zoom lens with reflex viewfinder
and split-image rangefinder. It has 18 f.p.s., single
frame, and automatic exposure. In 1976 it cost over
£140.
The Canon
310 XL is
another of our favourite cameras and one which we use
fairly often. It has a 8.5 mm. to 25.5 mm. f/1.0 zoom
lens with reflex viewfinder but no rangefinder. It has a
plastic body which makes it quite light and easy to
carry, 18 f.p.s., single frame, and automatic exposure.
In 1976 it cost over £100.
By 1977, sound cameras were beginning
to take over the Super-8 market and Canon developed sound
versions of many of their best Super-8 silent cameras.
However, sound film is no longer available so I have not
bothered with listing the sound models. Most the
developments of the silent range had happened by 1977
although there were some small variations
later.
Most Canon Super-8
cine cameras (the 250 is the only exception) have a
number which identifies the lens specification; the first
digit (or two digits in a four digit number) identify the
zoom ratio and the last two digits give the lens maximum
aperture. For example, the 318 has a 3 to 1 f/1.8 zoom,
the 518 has a 5 to 1 f/1.8 zoom and so on. The 1014 has a
10 to 1 f/1.4 zoom lens.
Filter
sizes.
All filters are screw fitting except
Series IV. This is the only filter size information I
have for these cameras.
|
310XL
|
8.5 mm to 25.5 mm
f/1.0
|
43 mm.
|
|
AF310XL
|
8.5 mm to 25.5 mm
f/1.0
|
43 mm.
|
|
AF310XL-S
|
8.5 mm to 25.5 mm
f/1.0
|
43 mm.
|
|
514XL
|
9 mm. to 45 mm.
f/1.4
|
43 mm.
|
|
514XL-S
|
9 mm. to 45 mm.
f/1.4
|
43 mm.
|
|
AF514XL-S
|
9 mm. to 45 mm.
f/1.4
|
52 mm.
|
|
814XL-S
|
7 mm. to 56 mm.
f/1.4
|
62 mm.
|
|
1014XL-S
|
6.5 mm. to 65 mm.
f/1.4
|
72 mm.
|
|
Autozoom 1218
|
7.5 mm. to 90 mm.
f/1.8
|
Series IV
|
|
Autozoom 814
Electric
|
7.5 mm. to 60 mm.
f/1.4
|
58 mm.
|
|
Autozoom 1014
Electric
|
7 mm. to 70 mm.
f/1.4
|
58 mm.
|
|
Autozoom 512XL
Electric
|
9.5 mm. to 47.5 mm.
f/1.2
|
48 mm.
|
|
Autozoom 518SV
|
9.5 mm. to 47.5 mm.
f/1.8
|
48 mm.
|
|
Autozoom 518
|
9.5 mm. to 47.5 mm.
f/1.8
|
48 mm.
|
|
Autozoom 318M
|
10 mm. to 30 mm.
f/1.8
|
40 mm.
|
|
Single-8 518 SV
|
9.5 mm. to 47.5 mm.
f/1.8
|
48 mm.
|
Australian Prices: All 1981. Canon
318M - $150; Canon 310XL - $250; Canon 514XL -
$330.
Note: I like to give price information in both
sterling and American dollars. However, this information
is not always available to me, in which case I use
whichever I can get. I do not convert from one currency
to the other; market conditions vary and camera prices
were often very different in the U.S.A. and Britain, so
conversion would not give an accurate picture.
Top of Page