White Screen Projection Issues

[Resident311]

I have been projecting super 8mm film onto a white screen and recording with a Hi8 camcorder. I usually shut the blinds in my room so the picture is more visable on the screen but when I go to record it, the recorded image comes up fuzzy and very dark. Usually the quality is fuzzy and not clear with the Hi8 camcorder so I am assuming I need a dv camcorder. I can get one easily but will that help the lighting/quality issues? Let me know what you think I should do. Thanks!

Resident311

[mattias]

try projecting a smaller image. that makes it a lot brighter. most people who do transfers like this project at less than the size of an a4/letter, which is often used as a screen by the way.

Usually the quality is fuzzy and not clear with the Hi8 camcorder so I am assuming I need a dv camcorder.

huh?

/matt

[wahiba]

With a normal 100 watt projector bulb I find that A4 (297mm X 210mm) works fine.

A bit of trial and error is needed with individual set ups. My biggest problem has been 'glare' from the bulb. It is difficult to see on the screen, but certainly shows up on the video. By making sure the projector and camcorder are at an angle to the screen, only a few degrees, seems to get rid of it. If there is any distortion to the film I have never really noticed it.

Also, focus the camcorder from the computer screen. My Canon has auto-focus which works most of the time, but I can override it and feel this gices a slightly sharper image.

I know there are better systems, but this is what I have, and can afford.

[studiocarter]

I still use a Hi-8 camera and have captured from a white screen, a silver screen, and a nonbeaded smooth white screen, and a rear projection screen. The screens were large sizes and the rear one a small size. Never did the paper thing. Did get a glair spot, too. Now I use the Hi-8 with a workprinter. My web site has the video samples on it; 8mmUS, there are some notes telling which is which and how and so on.

[scott brooks]

A large part of the problem is the fact you're using a Hi-8 cam - you'll get better results with a 3-chip mini dv cam like a Sony VX-2000 where you can white balance, set your shutter speed and aperature - A one chip will be a little better than hi-8 but you won't have manual shutter speed, aperature, etc - To quote Carleton on Shumways

"project an image that is about 4 inches tall on to it. (You can make the image bigger but you might lose some resolution) Put your camera right next to the projector and zoom in on the image until it fills the screen. It is a good idea to hook your camera up to a monitor, so you don't have to keep looking through the viewfinder and risk bumping it.
Now that it is centered, turn off your camcorder's automatic controls. Automatic focus, exposure, shutter, and white balance will all get confused when filming a pre-recorded image. Put your focus in manual mode, set the exposure to 1 stop higher than auto had it at, leave shutter at 1/60th, and set white balance to outdoor mode. Also, turn steadyshot off, it will try to compensate for the film's movements. Once you have all these settings in their "locked-and-upright-position" you are ready to shoot your masterpiece...umm...again..."

or

"If you want to spend a little money you can buy a "transfer box". Transfer boxes have one side that you project the film into, and another that you point your video camera into. There is usually some sort of mirror that directs the projector's image onto your video camera's lens. (Sima makes a few different versions, but they don't sell all of them on their site) These boxes are better than the previous method because they block out all light and retain the film's original resolution better. (getting super 8's full resolution onto a miniDV tape is impossible since Super 8 has over 1300 lines and miniDV is only capable of about 540 lines)" - S

[MovieStuff]

To quote Carleton on Shumways

"project an image that is about 4 inches tall on to it. (You can make the image bigger but you might lose some resolution) Put your camera right next to the projector and zoom in on the image until it fills the screen. It is a good idea to hook your camera up to a monitor, so you don't have to keep looking through the viewfinder and risk bumping it......

or

"If you want to spend a little money you can buy a "transfer box"...... These boxes are better than the previous method because they block out all light and retain the film's original resolution better.

Sorry but this information (the second paragraph) is completely bogus (not offense to you, Scott, as you're just the messenger here). The Sima, Ambico, Sony, etc boxes are cheap little scams that have a rear projection screen and will look like pounded dog doo compared to projecting on a smooth white sheet of paper. In fact, they do NOT help retain the orignal resolution of the film at all because rear screens by their very nature diffuse the collected image a bit or they wouldn't work. There will be a definite hot spot and the grain of the screen will always be visible.

Use a piece of Epson non glossy, photo quality ink jet paper. It has zero sheen and comes 100 sheets to a pack of 8.5x11. Line up the projector and camera on about a 10 inch wide image and it will look like gangbusters compared to those transfer boxes referred to above. They are nothing but a rip off and do not work worth spit.

Roger

[theshortspan]

Now that it is centered, turn off your camcorder's automatic controls. Automatic focus, exposure, shutter, and white balance will all get confused when filming a pre-recorded image. Put your focus in manual mode, set the exposure to 1 stop higher than auto had it at, leave shutter at 1/60th, and set white balance to outdoor mode.

I have tried most of this with a single chip dv camera, it looks ok but I am finding it impossible to capture the sharpness or the correct color temprature of the projected image. I think a fully manual white balance might help.
Any ideas?

[wahiba]

Using my crude Hi-8 and whit paper system I have never recorded at the same resolution as the projected image. However because of my computer I can only record at 320 X 240 so wonder if recording at 640 X 480 would improve matters.

I think the advice on paper looks good. Worth experimenting.

[Angus]

Rather like Wahiba I have an older hi8 camcorder and use white paper most of the time, though sometimes brown gives better colour rendition depending on white balance.

I've bought a CCD camera head with C mount so that I can attach a manual iris lens and adjust shutter speed and so on...I reckon this might help make better transfers but haven't been able to try it yet.

I find if I try capturing much higher than 400x400 or thereabouts my computer crashes, which must be a software problem because exactly the same happened when I had a much slower machine. And I have never been able to reliably capture uncompressed frames.

but projecting onto a piece of paper and aligning a camcorder to it gives good results...even if you record to VHS.