Super8 sample transfers

Post by **KimmoH** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 7:28 am

Here's little super8 "DIY telecine", made with my super8 transfer unit prototype. Original film material was filmed last spring and summer with Canon 814 AZ and K40. No color correction, white balance is not correct and some other problems but this is just a prototype...

98MB, mpeg2 file

http://batman.jypoly.fi/~robin/super8/siirtodemo.mpg

18MB, mpeg1 file

http://batman.jypoly.fi/~robin/super8/siirtodemo1.mpg

Post by **jean** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 12:10 pm

Wow, that's very impressive!!!!

I'd try a basic curves correction, to bring more details in the shadow and ligthen the images up a little, since it seems that the shadow detail is there. But that's just a suggestion, the quality really is fantastic.

'm impressed how nice the highlights came out, in most diy telecines the highlights are lacking detail and tend to be blown out due to the limited dynamic range of the video cameras used.

Makes me very curious what you are using, a filmscanner? Or a digital camera photographing frame by frame?

Keep it up!!

Post by **KimmoH** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 12:51 pm

My transfer unit is really cheap and at this moment really ugly but it does its job.

Porst Synchroton Super 8 projector (stepless speed control), original halogen is replaced with normal 40W light bulb, removed optics from the projector, 12x macrolens for my Sony D8 camera which is pointed to projectors film gate and that's it.

Projector was 30 euros, light bulb and connector 2 euros and macrolens kit (6x, 12x and 24x lenses) from local dealer 134 euros. Anyway, less than $200 and it gives me a quite good quality. There's still a lot to improve and picture quality is going to be much better in future.

I'm going to manufacture some special part's in next few weeks and make machine which is capable transfer Super8 and 16mm by replacing just projector.

Post by **jean** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 2:09 pm

Kimmo,

excellent work, and effective setup! I'll look after these projectors myself now, it's well worth the effort. My own telecine approaches are limited since I don't have a video camera *sigh* and won't have one anytime soon. I want to try with a digital slr capturing frame by frame, but I'm really not there yet.

Post by **MovieStuff** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 2:37 pm

KimmoH wrote:My transfer unit is really cheap and at this moment really ugly but it does its job.

It certainly does! Looks great!

KimmoH wrote: Porst Synchroton Super 8 projector (stepless speed control),

So does this mean that you are transferring in real time, as opposed to frame by frame at a slower rate? Just curious since you mentioned the stepless speed control, I assume you are synching the shutter rate of the projector to the camera.

KimmoH wrote:removed optics from the projector, 12x macrolens for my Sony D8 camera which is pointed to projectors film gate .......... macrolens kit (6x, 12x and 24x lenses) from local dealer 134 euros.

Are you using a Digital8 Sony? Does it have removable lenses or are these 6x, 12x and 24x lenses added to the front of the existing lens? I've never seen a front mounted add on lens that would let you shoot off of something as small as a super 8 frame with any degree of clarity. I could understand if your camera's lens was removable and you use extension tubes but not diopters for the front of the lens. Pretty impressive results if these are diopters. I'd be interested in who makes them.

Roger

Post by **KimmoH** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 3:24 pm

So does this mean that you are transferring in real time, as opposed to frame by frame at a slower rate?

Yep, at this moment I'm transferring in real time. Maybe next version will be frame by frame...

Are you using a Digital8 Sony? Does it have removable lenses or are these 6x, 12x and 24x lenses added to the front of the existing lens?

Camera is old Sony Digital8 (DCR-TR8100) and lens is not removable. I just add macrolens front of the existing lens, there was also available 30x, 45x and 60x lenses but these gives too much magnification for super8 frame. Great lenses if you want to shoot really small animals or anything else tiny things. I think that lens manufacturer is Raynox.

Here is my fingertip filmed with 24x lens ;)

http://batman.jypoly.fi/~robin/super8/fingertip.jpg

Post by **MovieStuff** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 6:09 pm

I checked out Raynox. Looks interesting.

So how did you mount your camera upside down? Or did you post process the image to rectify it?

Roger

Post by **Skylab001** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 9:09 pm

looks nice, I'm very impressed, How far is your lens from the film plane? Does it need to be right up close to the gate?

Post by **tangent** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 11:37 pm

Porst Synchroton Super 8 projector (stepless speed control), original halogen is replaced with normal 40W light bulb, removed optics from the projector, 12x macrolens for my Sony D8 camera which is pointed to projectors film gate and that's it.

Were you able to find a 40w buld that fit the projector's socket, or did you have to wire in a new socket (or directly wire the bulb)?

Thanks...
jt

Post by **KimmoH** » Sun Nov 16, 2003 9:54 am

So how did you mount your camera upside down?

After capture I rotate and mirror the picture in Quicktime Pro.

How far is your lens from the film plane?

About 8-10cm

Were you able to find a 40w buld that fit the projector's socket

First I try 40W halogen (just like original 100W halogen and same socket) but it was too bright and hot spot was really big problem. I replaced the original socket with E14 socket and use normal 40W/230V light bulb.

I will send some pictures in next week, when I get digital camera in my hands...

Post by **studiocarter** » Sun Nov 16, 2003 6:29 pm

What is

stepless speed control

?
It sounds like a bit more than a simple variable speed dial.
The MPEG2 looks terrific. Great job.
Those lenses work on digital still cameras, too, but how did you sync the capture so it didn't flicker?
Michael

Post by **KimmoH** » Thu Nov 20, 2003 4:53 pm

Here's few pictures of my setup

http://batman.jypoly.fi/~robin/super8/emma/

It sounds like a bit more than a simple variable speed dial.
The MPEG2 looks terrific. Great job.
Those lenses work on digital still cameras, too, but how did you sync the capture so it didn't flicker?

Variable speed would be the right word for that speed control.

And the sync... I just put Auto Shutter from Sony to off and then adjust the speed from the projector.

Post by **attenka** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 11:21 pm

I made one test using Kimmo's system. I used PathÃƒÂ© Baby 60 -projector and Sony TRV900 camera, 6 fps. The biggest problem was that frame frequency of old projector varied all the time.

There are unknown people from France, Pornichet (on the coast of the Bay of Biscay near Nantes) in that film. It is from the year 1931. Look and see how they used PathÃƒÂ© camera at that time!

(QT6, 4.7 MB)

http://www.ag.fimug.fi/~Atte/EmmaTransfer2.mp4

PS. I had to use digital zoom in Sony, because its analog zoom wasn't enough.