Discussion:
Super8 to DVD?
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Traveller
2005-06-10 12:17:08 UTC
Permalink
A colleague at work has 10 reels of film to convert. He's shopped
around to see who could do this but it's extremely expensive, well
over $150.00 or so. He was wondering if he could do it himself The
difficulty lies in that there are no "out" connection on the project
at all. Any means of trying to film the Super8 would give a horrible
picture. Was wondering if anyone knew how to do this that would
produce a great picture but that would not cost the earth. Tx.
Dave
2005-06-10 12:33:20 UTC
Permalink
Post by Traveller
A colleague at work has 10 reels of film to convert. He's shopped
around to see who could do this but it's extremely expensive, well
over $150.00 or so. He was wondering if he could do it himself The
difficulty lies in that there are no "out" connection on the project
at all. Any means of trying to film the Super8 would give a horrible
picture. Was wondering if anyone knew how to do this that would
produce a great picture but that would not cost the earth. Tx.
Without modifying the projector the best way is to setup a daylight viewer
in from of the projector (a device with a mirror and a back screen for it to
reflect onto). Get the pictire as small as possible and in focus on the
screen then position the camcorder on a tripod, possibly with a macro lens
in fixed focus as close to that as you can monitoring the picture on a TV
screen.

Use a slightly darkened room, you may need to mess about with the speed
control on the projector and alter some manual adjustments on the camera -
white balance, exposure etc.

DaveB
UK
Ashton Crusher
2005-06-10 15:25:24 UTC
Permalink
Post by Dave
Post by Traveller
A colleague at work has 10 reels of film to convert. He's shopped
around to see who could do this but it's extremely expensive, well
over $150.00 or so. He was wondering if he could do it himself The
difficulty lies in that there are no "out" connection on the project
at all. Any means of trying to film the Super8 would give a horrible
picture. Was wondering if anyone knew how to do this that would
produce a great picture but that would not cost the earth. Tx.
Without modifying the projector the best way is to setup a daylight viewer
in from of the projector (a device with a mirror and a back screen for it to
reflect onto). Get the pictire as small as possible and in focus on the
screen then position the camcorder on a tripod, possibly with a macro lens
in fixed focus as close to that as you can monitoring the picture on a TV
screen.
Use a slightly darkened room, you may need to mess about with the speed
control on the projector and alter some manual adjustments on the camera -
white balance, exposure etc.
DaveB
UK
Why wouldn't you use a completely darkened room? I've made pretty
good conversions doing nothing more then projecting the film onto a
screen, in a dark room, and recording it on a video camera. If the
room is not dark it washes out the projected film image.
Mike Richter
2005-06-10 18:36:10 UTC
Permalink
Post by Ashton Crusher
Why wouldn't you use a completely darkened room? I've made pretty
good conversions doing nothing more then projecting the film onto a
screen, in a dark room, and recording it on a video camera. If the
room is not dark it washes out the projected film image.
If you project onto a screen, a darkened room is needed - and you still
need to deal with screen faults, beading and so on. The recommendation
was a setup designed for the purpose where the image is transmitted
(usually via ground glass). The result is far brighter than reflection
and so only needs shielding from glare and excessive light levels in the
room.

Ultimately, the issue is the quality one is trying to get. Recording
from reflection is cheap and sloppy; from transmission, moderate in cost
and quality; professionally, most expensive and best result. You pays
your money and you takes your choice.

Mike
--
***@cpl.net
http://www.mrichter.com/
Richard Crowley
2005-06-10 19:31:25 UTC
Permalink
"Ashton Crusher" wrote ...
Post by Ashton Crusher
Why wouldn't you use a completely darkened room? I've made pretty
good conversions doing nothing more then projecting the film onto a
screen, in a dark room, and recording it on a video camera. If the
room is not dark it washes out the projected film image.
The light "bias" is sometimes helpful in reducing flicker. Depends on
many factors of the specific setup. Only empircal experimentation will
reveal the best combination.
Dan Wenz
2005-06-11 00:20:21 UTC
Permalink
Post by Richard Crowley
"Ashton Crusher" wrote ...
Post by Ashton Crusher
Why wouldn't you use a completely darkened room? I've made pretty
good conversions doing nothing more then projecting the film onto a
screen, in a dark room, and recording it on a video camera. If the
room is not dark it washes out the projected film image.
The light "bias" is sometimes helpful in reducing flicker. Depends on
many factors of the specific setup. Only empircal experimentation will
reveal the best combination.
Flicker will probably be evident, I'd think, due to the 18 fps of Super
8 vs the ~30 fps of video.
Dave
2005-06-12 18:01:42 UTC
Permalink
Post by Richard Crowley
"Ashton Crusher" wrote ...
Post by Ashton Crusher
Why wouldn't you use a completely darkened room? I've made pretty
good conversions doing nothing more then projecting the film onto a
screen, in a dark room, and recording it on a video camera. If the
room is not dark it washes out the projected film image.
The light "bias" is sometimes helpful in reducing flicker. Depends on
many factors of the specific setup. Only empircal experimentation will
reveal the best combination.
Flicker will probably be evident, I'd think, due to the 18 fps of Super 8
vs the ~30 fps of video.
That is why it may be necessary to mess with the projector speed and camera
settings to balance this.

I am in the UK so that is easier for me as my camaera records at 25fps my
projector will operate at 24 fps with some adjustment possible.

Even if the film was shot at 18fps I can record it at 25 the slow it in the
PC if necessary.

DaveB
UK
Traveller
2005-06-15 05:52:56 UTC
Permalink
Post by Dave
Post by Traveller
A colleague at work has 10 reels of film to convert. He's shopped
around to see who could do this but it's extremely expensive, well
over $150.00 or so. He was wondering if he could do it himself The
difficulty lies in that there are no "out" connection on the project
at all. Any means of trying to film the Super8 would give a horrible
picture. Was wondering if anyone knew how to do this that would
produce a great picture but that would not cost the earth. Tx.
Without modifying the projector the best way is to setup a daylight viewer
Is there no other way to do this? I imagine the time involved and
loss of quality will be great. You speak of "without modifying the
projector" ... would there be a way to modify it so that one could
output directly to a recording source maybe?

Thanks. :oD
Post by Dave
in from of the projector (a device with a mirror and a back screen for it to
reflect onto). Get the pictire as small as possible and in focus on the
screen then position the camcorder on a tripod, possibly with a macro lens
in fixed focus as close to that as you can monitoring the picture on a TV
screen.
Use a slightly darkened room, you may need to mess about with the speed
control on the projector and alter some manual adjustments on the camera -
white balance, exposure etc.
DaveB
UK
Dave
2005-06-15 07:39:57 UTC
Permalink
Post by Traveller
Post by Dave
Post by Traveller
A colleague at work has 10 reels of film to convert. He's shopped
around to see who could do this but it's extremely expensive, well
over $150.00 or so. He was wondering if he could do it himself The
difficulty lies in that there are no "out" connection on the project
at all. Any means of trying to film the Super8 would give a horrible
picture. Was wondering if anyone knew how to do this that would
produce a great picture but that would not cost the earth. Tx.
Without modifying the projector the best way is to setup a daylight viewer
Is there no other way to do this? I imagine the time involved and
loss of quality will be great. You speak of "without modifying the
projector" ... would there be a way to modify it so that one could
output directly to a recording source maybe?
Thanks. :oD
The only way that I am aware of is buying a projector with the CCD (the bit
in a camcorder behind the lens that captures the video) built in or as a
bolt on. I have seen very few of these and the prices are such that you
either need a very lot of film that you wish to transfer ot you are setting
up a business to charge others.

To try to modify an existing projector involves a few stages one of which is
altering the lamp set up as a typical lamp of 100 or 200 watts is far too
bright - I believe that about 10 or 15 was recommended in the last artical I
saw on the subject - but in the same subject it involved enlarging the film
gate, placing a translucent piece of plastic (like bottom of butter tub) in
front on which the pictire was projected, the camera being on macro and
possibly some other close up lens attached, threading the film inside out (I
think) and mounting the camera upside down.

I have not tried it but was told it works very well.

DaveB
UK
Traveller
2005-06-16 07:38:29 UTC
Permalink
Post by Dave
Post by Traveller
Post by Dave
Post by Traveller
A colleague at work has 10 reels of film to convert. He's shopped
around to see who could do this but it's extremely expensive, well
over $150.00 or so. He was wondering if he could do it himself The
difficulty lies in that there are no "out" connection on the project
at all. Any means of trying to film the Super8 would give a horrible
picture. Was wondering if anyone knew how to do this that would
produce a great picture but that would not cost the earth. Tx.
Without modifying the projector the best way is to setup a daylight
viewer
Post by Traveller
Is there no other way to do this? I imagine the time involved and
loss of quality will be great. You speak of "without modifying the
projector" ... would there be a way to modify it so that one could
output directly to a recording source maybe?
Thanks. :oD
The only way that I am aware of is buying a projector with the CCD (the bit
in a camcorder behind the lens that captures the video) built in or as a
bolt on. I have seen very few of these and the prices are such that you
either need a very lot of film that you wish to transfer ot you are setting
up a business to charge others.
To try to modify an existing projector involves a few stages one of which is
altering the lamp set up as a typical lamp of 100 or 200 watts is far too
bright - I believe that about 10 or 15 was recommended in the last artical I
saw on the subject - but in the same subject it involved enlarging the film
gate, placing a translucent piece of plastic (like bottom of butter tub) in
front on which the pictire was projected, the camera being on macro and
possibly some other close up lens attached, threading the film inside out (I
think) and mounting the camera upside down.
I have not tried it but was told it works very well.
Thanks, Dave. Seems to much time/cost to bother with esp., as you
say, when considering the amount of film involved. I spoke with my
colleague yesterday and seems a much better option is just to hunt
around some more to find a place that charges more reasonably than
what he has found so far.

Thanks for everyone's help. This was a great thread and I learned a
lot.

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