Digital Super-8 Cartridge for 8mm film cameras¶

This is one of the articles from forum Best VISION Application added by registered user.

Revitalize old Super-8 movie cameras by creating a digital Super-8 cartridge. The concept is to use the Ximea MU9PC-MBRD USB camera board module in combination with a small Development Board. The MU9PC-MBRD is unique with its small 15mm x 15mm size, which makes it the only USB camera available that can fit within the form factor of the Super-8 cartridge.

The camera is placed into a newly designed, 3D printed Super-8 cartridge, right at the movie camera focal plane. The MU9PC is externally triggered to synchronize with the Super-8 movie camera's shutter via the flash trigger signal that many of these moviecamera's have.

This solution enables owners of many old Super-8 cameras to slide the Digital Super-8 cartridge into their camera's and by connecting it via USB to the external Development Board unit, through custom built software using the Ximea API, they will be able to capture film digitally. The beauty is that the high quality optics and the typical 18fps look of the Super-8 camera is kept while shooting hours of film without having to worry about getting old cartridges of filmstock and no need to worry about developing film.

Already the concept has been tested and with the MU9PC 18fps can be achieved at 640 x 480 resolution. See https://youtu.be/iicnFxDuyd8