Modding the Kodak Reels 8mm Film Digitizer (Firmware Hack)

[Rob_A]

A small addendum to ThePhage's splendid User's Guide to 0dan0's Enhanced Firmware...
In the FrameRate section I read "8mm film is 16 fps; Super8 film is 18 or 24 fps".
While it is true that the frame rate for standard-8mm cameras was 16fps in the days of spring-driven ("clockwork") motors, with the arrival of battery-power, circa 1961, most manufacturers adopted 18fps as standard. Thus when scanning standard-8mm film the appropriate setting depends on the camera that was used; older film almost certainly 16fps, post-1961 possibly 18fps.

 

[0dan0]

I've been collecting my thoughts for some comments and queries about the updated firmware and use of the Kodak Reels in general, but this discussion of alternative lenses prompts me to jump in now with a specific question that seems relevant. 0dan0 unhappily reports that "16mm AZ-231622S-MAC hasn't worked, I couldn't get a focus at this short distance". Might it not be possible to achieve focus at a closer distance by adding a supplementary lens? Back in the sixties I used a 1 dioptre "close-up" lens on my Sankyo 8mm camera when shooting animation. Similarly a 2 dioptre supplementary on my 35mm Voigtlander enabled me to copy prints etc. at a shorter distance than the standard (fixed) lens allowed. Granted that we're now considering a MUCH shorter distance than in those cases I suppose that in principle it might be possible to come up with a supplementary that would appropriately reduce the focusing range of the 16mm lens. Others with more knowledge of optics will be better able to calculate the required spec for such a lens, but it seems to me that it might be a feasible solution. Obviously any additional glassware potentially degrades the achievable quality by some margin, but maybe not enough to offset the advantage of an optimised field of view?

This thread has been an invaluable resource while I've been getting to grips with my "Kodak" Reels and I have to express my appreciation of all the contributors, particularly those responsible for the hugely impressive firmware and hardware enhancements. My scanner is as yet unmodified, until I have completed an initial digitisation of my family's 8mm archive (1958-82) but I hope that in due course I'll be able to take advantage of all that voluntary development work.

I have tried diopters. That might work if the focus was almost in, it wasn't close with the above lens. I expected the sensor needs to be mounted higher. In basic optical terms it makes sense, the longer 16mm lens, requires more distance from the front element to the sensor. Moving too much higher is both not practical, and could defeat the goal of greater magnification. A lot of work for a film format that doesn't resolve that much anyway.

 

[ThePhage]

A small addendum to ThePhage's splendid User's Guide to 0dan0's Enhanced Firmware...
In the FrameRate section I read "8mm film is 16 fps; Super8 film is 18 or 24 fps".
While it is true that the frame rate for standard-8mm cameras was 16fps in the days of spring-driven ("clockwork") motors, with the arrival of battery-power, circa 1961, most manufacturers adopted 18fps as standard. Thus when scanning standard-8mm film the appropriate setting depends on the camera that was used; older film almost certainly 16fps, post-1961 possibly 18fps.

Thanks for the clarification and history, Rob_A. I've updated the User Guide appropriately.