converting cine film

In message , Mynews
writes:
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"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message
...
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I have a certain amount of standard and super 8 film; fortunately not
sound, so that's one less thing to worry about. I _think_ I still have
the projectors (-:!

I'd be interested to hear others' experiences in converting these: do
you just set up the projector and point a video camera at the screen?
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https://www.amazon.com/8mm-film-view...=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3
A8mm%20film%20viewer


Wolverine F2D Mighty 20MP 7-in-1 Film to Digital Converter
by Wolverine
$99.99(2 used & new offers)
See newer model of this item


That's for stills only - it can do 8mm film, but it would take an
incredibly long time to make a video with it (there are 4000 frames in a
50 foot/4'10" reel of standard 8).

The same page does also show the (also from Wolverine) "Film2Digital
MovieMaker", which seems to be the only machine priced for the amateur
market, but that's $300 (less a cent!), and not yet available in the UK
(though its power supply would work here). Reviews are mixed - the
general impression seems to be that it's a good basic machine, but uses
far too much compression in making the video files.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

They are public servants, so we will threat them rather as Flashman treats
servants. - Stephen Fry on some people's attitudo to the BBC, in Radio Times,
3-9 July 2010

In message om, John
Dulak writes:
On 7/2/2017 3:48 AM, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
The recent thread (in the W7 'group only) about converting VHS (to DVD was in
the title of that thread, but to disc file equally) made me wonder:

What experience have people had with converting old cine film? (Or
[]
While I've never done this there IS a product that claims to do what
you want in a dedicated package for $300 US.

http://secure.mm5server.com/merchant..._Code=WD&Produ
ct_Code=F2DMM100&Attributes=Yes&Quantity=1

http://www.wolverinedata.com/videos/...ieMaker_V1.pdf

No idea what the quality is like.
[]
I've been (back burner) looking into this, and, of the devices that
aren't just variations on point-a-projector-at-a-camera (or both at a
screen, sometimes via a box), and are within the price range of (fairly
rich!) amateurs:

I've found two actual chassis, with assorted electronics (or the same
electronics but varying firmware).

The "reflecta super 8 scanner" looks to be sturdily built out of metal;
however, I've only found one
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/reflecta-s...r/182681842414, which
runs out in less than a couple of hours and has minimal information (but
is a fairly current product - USB, seller bought it 2017-1-27). I can't
see a screen on it, so it may work entirely with the PC.

The other is a plasticky thing made in China; several reviewers (of the
Wolverine version) said it developed worrying noises after doing a
fairly small number of reels. Nevertheless, about 50% of reviewers are
five star happy with it and several more four or three star (again, the
Wolverine version) - read the reviews on the USA version of Amazon.
(This is the one John Dulak linked to above.) The Wolverine version:
costs about $300; scans at 2 frames per second, making a 720p .mp4 file
on an SD card (which only plays back at 30 fps, not the 16 18 or 24 of
the original film - though this is easily corrected in software, a fact
many of the reviewers haven't grasped), and uses rather high compression
(thus making visible artefacts) you can't turn off. Make sure you get
the one with the later firmware that allows framing and sharpness
adjustments. This chassis only takes 5" reels (not a problem to me),
though many reviewers have come up with ways round that.

Two others I've found obviously use the same chassis, but (the listings
I've found) contain scandalously minimal other information, given the
price:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Winait-Fil...-/222539739492
is the WinAit, which _seems_ to be identical to the Wolverine other than
mentioning "1080p", and
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Reflecta-F...-/311918371968
is the Reflecta, which given the price they're asking has scandalously
no information at all! Definitely the Wolverine-type plastic chassis,
not the same as the other Reflecta above.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

The early worm gets the bird.

In message , Wolf K
writes:
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Just received a Wolverine 8mm to MP$ converter, will let you know what
I think of it. I figured that paying for conversion of 8mm to MP4 would
cost a minimum of around $1200 for "TV quality", and upwards of $2000
for HD for my own films, plus I have a bunch of stuff from relatives.

I will be very interested to hear. From the reviews I've seen, the basic
scanning is fair (though could be higher resolution), but then they put
it through some unnecessary compression (the files wouldn't be that big
by modern standards), and the compression artefacts are often visible.
But still on the whole better than projector/camera attempts.

Problem: the MP4 will be 30fps. 8mm is 16fps, Supoer-8 is 24fps. So
I'll need a video editor that can interpolate frames to bring the 8mm
to correct speed. Do any of the recommended free video editors do that?

Does it need to interpolate? If I get one, I just intend to play the
files at 16/30 and 18/30 of their natural speed. (I think Super-8 is
only 18 FPS, unless it's sound, which is indeed 24, but the Wolverine
doesn't have a sound pickup [no problem to me as I have no sound
films].)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

We must, of course, ensure that we display no bias. The bias I worry about
most is the bias against understanding. - Nick Robinson, RT 2017/4/8-14