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finally, a digital super 8 cartridge
  • 39 Replies sorted by
  • We achieve 720p at 18fps. This cartridge is not to compete with 4K. It is to shoot Super8, at RAW so you can develop whatever way you want

  • ....everything competes against everything else....if you're planning on marketing. Marketing will require, imho, 720/24p 10bit raw camera that fits inside a super8 cartridge, including storage, or a tether to a smartphone. But that would require camera modification, more complicated than just removing the gate. Remember these cameras are at least 30 years old , and most, like my 3 super8 pro cameras are already in our camera museums ! Yes, I read that your camera module can't achieve 720/24p. And did I read correctly that just the camera module cost 500 euros ? Today you're competing against the bmpcc for a grand. Tomorrow...who knows ? Otherwise , two thumbs up....it's a bangup good science fair project ! Congratulations.

  • @ Kurt I think it is not to compete against bmpcc or RAW or 4k or RED or GH4 or .... quality. It is to transfer the special super 8 feeling we had long time ago into today´s technology. If it is 24 fps it is not super 8 because super 8 was 18 fps. And watching my old super 8 and doppel 8 film rolls- it is not 720p quality. It is much less.

  • IQ is not necessarily why such a device would sell. People enjoy using cameras because of the neat-factor. I still hope in vain for new lines of digital 16mm mags.. I don't think PS Technik did much beyond their SR prototype.. there's some other company that made one as well.. (same engineers?)

  • @hini

    If it is 24 fps it is not super 8 because super 8 was 18 fps

    what ?

    And watching my old super 8 and doppel 8 film rolls- it is not 720p quality

    what ?

    ...hini...s8 resolution depends on many things like registration at the gate, lens used, filmstock, not to mention how it's transferred. Most experts do think s8 has 720p resolution. And many of the more professional s8 cameras shoot 24fps....all the way up to 72fps in the beaulieus. i personally own three....beaulieu 4008zmii, canon 1014xls, and a nizo 6080, as well an an elmo gs1200. Not only that but I have a fully functional super 8 sound double system that can run four reels.

    @robertGL....I agree, but the camera they're using cost 500 euros, which means there's no way this would ever cost less than a grand. That's why I compared it to the bmpcc. Personally I think the new kodak is more interesting, because it's real film and the new gate size....short of one fatal flaw...well besides price. No kodachrome film !

    I suggest those that think s8 is lacking resolution, look about 3/4 of the way down this thread.... http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=2083

  • @ Kurt thank you for the link. Think I need to dive deep into avisynth. Until now I watched my old film rolls without the magic help of this software. Must be something like witchcraft.

  • Thanks everyone for the supportive comments. Wil provide updates here and on my Twitter.com/super8digital as we develop. Next is to port to Raspberry Pi2 and 3 and try a C.H.I.P. Single board computer. Www.getchip.com. Might fit in the cartridge.

  • @DigitalSuper8 ....really...thanks...it's very cool, all criticisms aside, which were meant to be constructive. Good luck, and do keep us posted.

  • Btw the Kickstarter project is available in draft.

    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/super8/730068742?token=c8f64dae

    We'll launch it once we have ported to Raspberry Pi since that gives a more economic solution. In the end we might make this available as an 'IKEA' style DIY kit. Imagine we pack soldered PCB with 3D printed cartridge, touch screen, power bank and Ximea MU9 camera plus software image on a microSD card into an easy to assemble kit. Raspberry Pi optional in case you already have one. Instruction videos provided on the Digital Super 8 YouTube channel. Let's see if we can achieve that.

  • Bravo !!!!

  • Potentially of interest - I'm pretty sure that a pi zero is smaller than a super 8 cartridge!

    http://www.engadget.com/2016/05/16/raspberry-pi-zero-camera-module/

  • This project is really exciting... looking forward to hearing about the progress.

  • Hi everyone, so here we have 720p at 12bit RAW and 18fps. And it runs on a raspberry pi 2! The port was successful.

    For 720p this is about the best we can achieve with the Ximea MU9 with its Aptina MT9P031 2592 x 1944-pixel CMOS sensor with global shutter. Reason is that we have to use the Global Shutter (Global Reset Release to be precise) in order to get true Super 8 effect, NOT rolling shutter (although rolling shutter would give higher frame rates). Global Shutter ensures that each trigger-signal from the film-claw triggers the sensor to capture exactly one image. So really just like super 8. A rolling shutter would just 'roll on' capturing images, unsynchronized. The read-out time of the Aptina sensor is what limits the resolution. Inside the ~55 milliseconds (at 18fps) that we have for exposure and read-out we simply cannot read out more lines.

    Things to further try are: 1. run this at 24 fps and 12 bit RAW but the sensor read-out limitation will then limit us to 1280 x 540, which is not 4:3 like regular super 8 but a nice 21:9. But it could of course also be set to 720 x 540 to get the 4:3. 2. port the software to a C.H.I.P. SBC, by NextThing (www.getchip.com). Ordered one that will hopefully arrive in June. Given what I read from the specs it might just fit into a Super 8 cartridge and be powerful enough for capturing the images. It might then even be possible to connect the cartridge to any other given PC/Laptop/smartphone via bluetooth or WiFi in order to control it (start/stop image capturing) and copy the captured images off the cartridge into the pc/laptop/smartphone. On that pc/laptop/smartphone the image processing, color-grading and film-developing/rendering can then take place, including upload to Youtube functionality.

  • well now you're getting someplace nice ...look forward to seeing the 1280x540 24p