Movie Making With Fuji Single-8: Better than Kodak?

Kodak's Super 8 movie cartridge was introduced in 1965. It became a phenomenon throughout the world, but many people think there was a better format released at almost the same moment. It was Single-8, developed by Japanese camera giant Fuji. The Single-8 format used a slightly taller cartridge and film with exactly the same dimensions as Super 8; you can project either format on a Super 8 projector.

Single-8 has several advantages over its Kodak cousin - it can be run backwards, and image registration is more stable because the design uses a metal plate built into the camera to stabilize the film behind the film gate. Alas, Fuji's format never gained widespread acceptance outside Japan. Still, Fuji's line of Fujica cameras is respectable (I've mentioned the tiny AX100 before) and film can still be purchased, if you know where to look.

If you're interested in Single-8, I suggest dropping by the Retro Enterprises site. They're based in Tokyo and stock an amazing array of Single-8 cameras and accessories. They offer 5-packs of film including processing by Fuji, priced at 13,470 Yen (about $118). And they ship worldwide.

Retro Enterprises Single-8 cameras and film
Single-8 Film offers film and processing in the USA