After Vidar's test for using surveys, I wanted to give it a go. I thought it could be interesting to learn a bit more about the other members here. I will try to make a weekly survey here for a while if people like it and want to respond.

First out is a survey for which gauges we collect.

Why does it come up as 'You don't have the rights needed to participate in this vote'?

I think that is only after you've voted Robert, to stop multiple uploads from the same member.

I think the way it works is you can tick as many as is applicable but only once can you upload your finished survey.

Thanks Andrew; I think before, it registered my vote, then stops you trying to vote again. I hope more will participate.

I'd never realised that Standard 8mm is still as popular as these early figures suggest.

7 already is a real eye opener to me.

I'd never realised that Standard 8mm is still as popular as these early figures suggest.

7 already and over 20% still use the format from those already voted, is a real eye opener to me.

It must be almost 40 years now since I last handled Standard 8mm film.

I checked 9.5 and 35mm, but not really collecting. Will keep my 35mm films, assuming not new ones in, unless it is an absolute must have

I have these two, not collecting, but keeping what I got

I put just super 8 and 16mm but I have standard 8 and 35mm too,it's in my collection but I don't collect it as such ,Mark

Do you have a 35mm portable projector Mark?

I do Andrew,I have two but very rarely use them,they we're my Dad's as we're all the 35mm films,Mark

Mighty impressive then Mark!
I take it your father is/was very keen on film and film collecting also then Mark?

Yes he ran his own cinema at one time Andrew,Mark

I am also a bit surprised how many collect Standard 8. I do too, but I don't have a lot as I prefer Super 8 (projector situation).

I also see that most people here collect both 16 and Super 8, but I would presume many have a lot more of one or the other. I started with Super 8 and went heavily over to 16 before I realized how much space it took and also because I got a much better Super 8 viewing condition with a new projector. Now I prefer Super 8 due to space issues, but I still collect 16 as it easier to do both to be able to find what I want.

Only one person who has so far voted doesn't collect Super 8mm film also as well as any of the other formats ,..interesting!

I collect standard 8, Super-8 and 16mm. I enoy all three gauges equally, though Super-8 accounts for the bulk of my collection.

What this survey is also seeing as the more that participate in it highlights, is hardly anyone now collects just one gauge.
I wonder if things have changed a little regarding this apparent statistic over the last few decades?

Maybe I can shed a bit of light on that Andrew. My first experience of watching any film on a projector outside of a cinema was at school, and it was 16mm, then we were taken to visit our local fire station, and we were shown a Jiminy Cricket cartoon on 16mm. When I got into home movies in 1973, Super 8 was the most popular guage; standard 8 was being phased out, and 16mm was too expensive, plus you couldn't buy feature films in that guage, only hire them. Plus, even though I was in a well paid job, 16mm equipment was out of my range. While we mourn the loss of film, it is the change over to broadcasting films on DVD that has allowed us to buy these previously unavailable films for often less that we were paying for Super 8. When I stopped buying Super 8 B&W features in the 80s I was paying £100, then forward to 2010 and I was paying £50 for 16mm features; secondhand yes, but the condition then was as new.

All bargain prices Robert!

Roll back the years to 2010 and earlier again please Robert.

My first features were all abridged on Super 8mm in the mid to late 80's, all from Derann, all those early ones were purchased second hand.

Films like 'That"ll Be The Day" or " The Devil Rides Out', " Night Hair Child" or "Fright" all came in at between £50 -£75 and all still had pretty good to very good colour back then.

I never purchased below a B+ grade and I considered these prices back then to still be reasonable for what has always been a very expensive hobby.

Going back to what I was saying though, in those FFTC and earlier still Movie Maker magazine days etc, it seemed there were far more collectors that had a specific affinity to one gauge or another than there ever is now these days.

Either way, it's all good of course

Well, all super 8 since I was 14 yrs old then about 18months ago and a visit to Ormskirk - brought me to 16mm and now, well you can guess I am looking to expand my storage space !!!

might be best david to have another ride to ormskirk and I will load you up with films at silly prices

Sounds like a bargain Andrew, but it took me a couple of months to buy a feature back in 1979. I would imagine it's quite difficult for the Super 8 collector now, as wages haven't increased like they should have. I think , going back to your question, that it was too expensive to collect flms and equipment in other guages. I remember when I got my new Eumig in 1975, father increased the home contents insurance, as my projector was the dearest item in the house, dearer than a new TV. Nowadays people own several projectors in just one guage; back then you only had the one projector, and considered yourself lucky. In the old Movie Maker 9.5mm still had a large following.

Standard prices from the old Derann lists back then Robert, circa 1985 -1987
Afterwards until the early 90's, I started buying later Derann prints some new, many still used but plenty of choice and typically at half the catalogue price for used films less than 12 months old from release dates.

Police Academy 2 being one such film, 'A' Graded Print, as new, 88 used price £79.
Stunning print quality on later stock and the very type of print that cemented my long term affinity to the Super 8mm gauge.
Nothing far earlier ever came even close to prints of this quality on the Super 8mm gauge.

There's one up for sale as we speak.

Ebay UK item number ; 282835587821