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  • Author Author: Matt
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Modding a Super 8 Camera into a Digital One -- Episode 382

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One mans trash is a makers treasure! Clem found a super8 camera in the trash, and soon realised that the original analogue films and the processing is crazy expensive nowadays. So he creates a drop in replacement for the film cartridge that turns the super8 camera into a digital one! But that is easier said than done!

Clem's Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the image quality so bad compared to modern cameras?

This super 8 camera is 47 years old. The films originally used were very light sensitive (much more than any modern sensor that could fit in there) and even with the correct film home videos filmed in super 8 looked like that. The lens is what determines picture quality for the most part. if you want to see the difference a lens makes check out videos on my personal channel (http://youtube.com/mayermakes) and watch some the oldest and newest videos those were shot with the exact same camera(Nikon D3300) but with different lenses(old: Kit lens f4.5, new Nikkor 35mm prime lens f1.8) and more light. you may understand it better if you see it for yourself.

So the look of the footage I've taken with the Super8 camera is pretty authentic for "1970s home video". that is just how it was when your Parents were young, or even grandparents depending on how old you are.

Couldn't you just remove the lens of the picam and put it directly in place of the film?

No.Tried that in multiple version, but no the focal distance and the sensor width are extremely different, you can only get a blotch of light by doing that+ you can't even get to the exact same plane because of parts that would hold the original film and should not be damaged. 

How did you get it to focus then?

Extended the picam lens to near maximum and found a position that allowed me to get alignment with the shutter by trial and error, focused to UE and pushed back and forth until the image was mostly sharp. this ended up being a position multiple centimetres back which resulted in the need to extend the case.


Why the big case?

See above + I damaged multiple flat flex cables when fitting everything in the tiny version ,with only a day left until deadline i had to make sure that won't happen again + easier to install the buttons.

Will you do another version?

I plan to but It may be  a longer term project with dedicated self developed hardware.

if you would like to see that leave it in the comments below.

Supplemental Images and Links:

-  Episode 382 Resource Files  

-  Super 8 Camera Digitizer -- Episode 505  

{gallery} My Gallery Title

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Bill of Material:

 

Part

Raspberry Pi 3A+

 Raspberry Pi 1 Buy Now

Raspberry Pi Camera

 Raspberry Pi 1 Buy Now
Adafruit powerboost 1000 Adafruit 1 Buy Now
Tactile Switch, B3F Series, Top Actuated, Through Hole, Round Button, 100 gf, 50mA at 24VDC OMRON 1 Buy Now
Signal Relay, 3 VDC, DPDT, 1 A, TQ Series, Through Hole, Non Latching Panasonic 1 Buy Now
METAL FILM RESISTOR, 1KOHM, 500mW, 1% TT Electroniks Welwyn 1 Buy Now
LED, Red, Through Hole, 5mm, 20 mA, 1.8 V, 643 nm MULTICOMP 1 Buy Now
molex Board Connector FFC / FPC Board 1 mm, 15 Contacts, Receptacle, Easy-On 52610, Surface Mount molex 2 Buy Now
molex Premo Flex Jumper FFC / FPC Cable, 14 Core, 1 mm, Same Sided Contacts, 12 ", 305 mm, White molex 1 Buy Now

 

Additional Parts

Product Name

Stranded Wire

Used Super 8 camera

Kodak Super 8 Film cartridge for Size and Position Reference

3D printed Case and Buttons (files are available for download)

image
Modding a Super 8 Camera into a Digital One

element14 Presents  |  MAYER MAKES VCP Profile  |  Project Videos

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  • on popular demand here are some FAQs:

     

    Why is the imagequality so bad compared to modern cameras?

    this super 8 camera is 47years old. The filmes originally used were very light sensitive (much more than any modern sensor that could fit in there) and even with the correct film homevideos filmed in super 8 looked like that. the Lense is what determines picture quality for the most part. if you want to see the difference a lens makes check out videos on my personal channel (http://youtube.com/mayermakes) and watch some the oldest and newest videos those were shot with the exact same camera(Nikon D3300) but with different lenses(old: Kit lense f4.5, new Nikkor 35mm prime lense f1.8) and more light. you may understand it better if you see it for yourself.

    So the look of the footage Iǘe taken with the Super8 camera is pretty authentic for "1970s homevideo". that is jsut how it was when your Parents were young, or even grandparents depending on how old you are.

     

    Couldn't you just remove the lens of the picam and put it directly in place of the film?

    No.Tried that in multiple version, but no the focal distance and the sensor width are extremely different, you can only get a blotch of light by doing that+ you can't even get to the exact same plane because of parts that would hold the original film and schould not be damaged.

     

    How did you get it to focus then?

    Extended the picam lense to near maximum and found a position that allowed me to get allignment with the shutter by trial and error, focused to UE and pushed back and forth until the image was mostly sharp. this ended up beeing a position multiple centimeters back which resulted in the need to extend the case.


    Why the big case?

    See above + I damaged multiple flat flex cables when fitting everything in the tiny version ,with only a day left until deadline i had to make sure that won't happen again + easier to install the buttons.

     

    will you do another version?

    I plan to but It may be  a longer term project with dedicated self developed hardware.

    if you would like to see that leave it in the comments below.

Comment

  • on popular demand here are some FAQs:

     

    Why is the imagequality so bad compared to modern cameras?

    this super 8 camera is 47years old. The filmes originally used were very light sensitive (much more than any modern sensor that could fit in there) and even with the correct film homevideos filmed in super 8 looked like that. the Lense is what determines picture quality for the most part. if you want to see the difference a lens makes check out videos on my personal channel (http://youtube.com/mayermakes) and watch some the oldest and newest videos those were shot with the exact same camera(Nikon D3300) but with different lenses(old: Kit lense f4.5, new Nikkor 35mm prime lense f1.8) and more light. you may understand it better if you see it for yourself.

    So the look of the footage Iǘe taken with the Super8 camera is pretty authentic for "1970s homevideo". that is jsut how it was when your Parents were young, or even grandparents depending on how old you are.

     

    Couldn't you just remove the lens of the picam and put it directly in place of the film?

    No.Tried that in multiple version, but no the focal distance and the sensor width are extremely different, you can only get a blotch of light by doing that+ you can't even get to the exact same plane because of parts that would hold the original film and schould not be damaged.

     

    How did you get it to focus then?

    Extended the picam lense to near maximum and found a position that allowed me to get allignment with the shutter by trial and error, focused to UE and pushed back and forth until the image was mostly sharp. this ended up beeing a position multiple centimeters back which resulted in the need to extend the case.


    Why the big case?

    See above + I damaged multiple flat flex cables when fitting everything in the tiny version ,with only a day left until deadline i had to make sure that won't happen again + easier to install the buttons.

     

    will you do another version?

    I plan to but It may be  a longer term project with dedicated self developed hardware.

    if you would like to see that leave it in the comments below.

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