Modding a Super 8 Camera into a Digital -- Episode 382

Hello Community Members,
I started work on a new version of the Digital Super 8 camera !

This time we shall make it fit the communities wishes!
I need your input an ideas on how to achieve that goal.

Core aspects:

No modifications to the camera at all.

must fit like an original Super 8 cartridge!

readily available components from Farnell /newark/element14 prefered!

with the release of the Raspberry Pi HQ camera and the Compute Module 4 we now have options that did not exist when I  did the first version.

Please post your Ideas in this thread.

And if you happen to own a Super 8 camera I would apreciate detailed photos of them so we can identify possible troubles in compability as the standard was sometimes loosely followed.

Many super 8 cameras also use a side-load cartridge, I think many of the common ones from the 1960s and early 70s were designed that way. It would be great if the design could be shrunk to fit those if possible. Here are some photos of my ~1966 Kopil Kobena 221 and 421. They are largely identical, but the 421 has a battery tester and better lens. I'm excited to see how the next version will turn out! If you want more photos I'd be happy to take some.

Many super 8 cameras also use a side-load cartridge, I think many of the common ones from the 1960s and early 70s were designed that way. It would be great if the design could be shrunk to fit those if possible. Here are some photos of my ~1966 Kopil Kobena 221 and 421. They are largely identical, but the 421 has a battery tester and better lens. I'm excited to see how the next version will turn out! If you want more photos I'd be happy to take some.

thank you very much, that is indeed a major concern

I bought a few super 8s from various vendors but it I only have ones with back laoding here (seems to be more common among European manufacturers)

my goal is to make it compatible with all modells without modifications.

Shopping for cameras here in the US, most are from either American or Japanese companies and it does seem like those countries favored side loading. I think over here earlier cameras here are more likely to be side load, later ones are more likely to be rear load.