8mm Forum: Minimum projector screen size

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Topic: Minimum projector screen size

Matthew Smith
Junior
Posts: 20
From: Luton, England
Registered: Aug 2013

posted August 06, 2013 03:46 AM

Hi, I am about to telecine some old 8mm family movies into digital form. I would like to know if there is a minimum size screen which should be used for projecting onto, so if the screen was made smaller then you would begin losing detail/resolution. I could not find any previous threads discussing this. I want to capture the best resolution possible, I am using a hd camera too. Thanks

Also, I have the choice between an older kodak brownie movie projector and a newer eumig projector which definitely has a larger lens, would the eumig project with the best resolution/detail?

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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012

posted August 06, 2013 04:43 AM

If I was going to copy a film to video or Dvd Matthew, I would
first be looking for a prime lens, that will ensure overall focus, vital
to your recording.

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Dominique De Bast
Film God

Posts: 4486
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jun 2013

posted August 06, 2013 05:45 AM

Hello, Matthew. If you have to choose between two projectors, the best way is to project two films at the same time one image beside the other and compare with your eyes which of the two projectors gives you the best quality. That said, I have never digitalized any film as I prefer to watch them on a real screen, but I think that some people advised to have a projector that allows you to control the speed to avoid flicking, so I don't know if the quality of the picture is the only possible criteria. But don't worry, there are plenty of specialists on this forum...

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Dominique

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Martin Jones
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1269
From: Thetford , Norfolk,England
Registered: May 2008

posted August 06, 2013 05:53 AM

Matthew,
If you intend to project onto a screen and then record the projected picture with a camera I would suggest that the optimum surface and size(from my experience, anyway) is an A4 sheet of good quality Matt Photo Paper.
It is large enough to permit good focus and resolution, but small enough to give an adequately bright picture.
Bear in mind the previous advice: you will need to project at 16.667 fps (plus or minus 0.5 fps) to avoid flicker with a PAL camera... and then correct the speed of the result using a computer edit program.
Martin

--------------------
Retired TV Service Engineer
Ongoing interest in Telecine....

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted August 06, 2013 05:54 AM

A lot of people do transfer on a sheet of white paper sized 8.5 by 11 inches, so small isn't a problem, you just need to get the camera, screen and projector close together.

When I've transferred I use a corner of my regular projection screen and make the image about this same size.

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Matthew Smith
Junior
Posts: 20
From: Luton, England
Registered: Aug 2013

posted August 07, 2013 10:34 AM

Hugh Thompson Scott: thanks for the advice.

Dominique De Bast: Thanks for the tip, that is a good way to see which projector is best. I think the kodak brownie is a nice projector but it was made more to be portable.

Martin Jones: I didn't realize the needed screen size could be so small but it makes sense as 8mm has such a small film size. When I did telecine in the past with an camera that broke, you could adjust the frame rate to a very low frame rate which solved any strobing/flickering, but I noticed with a normal frame rate you did get that. I know have a different camera which is hd but its lowest frame rate is 1/25 I think, so I hope that doesn't cause problems.

Steve Klare: ok thank you.

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted August 07, 2013 01:15 PM

Just make sure that you don't use some kind of "beaded" projector screen and some nice reflective paper (no wrinkles) should do. The wrong kind of screen would be like watching your precious films on one of those old super 8 movie editor screens ...yuk, terrible!

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012

posted August 07, 2013 04:49 PM

Seriously Matthew, Eumig did make prime lenses for their projectors, I have one, a 20mm, but they do make a difference to your overall picture and contrast, that a zoom lens tends to lose
in the finished picture by losing the "bite".Also, give your film a
clean with something like "CRESCLENE" from CHC, this will hide
any light scratches in your transfer.

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Matthew Smith
Junior
Posts: 20
From: Luton, England
Registered: Aug 2013

posted August 07, 2013 05:14 PM

Osi Osgood: thanks, I have a very old worn beaded type screen yes but it is so worn I chose to get a new paper/card screen.

Hugh Thompson Scott: I appreciate your advice. I am unemployed right now and on a tight budget so I don't really want to make any extra purchases beyond the cheap paper/card for the screen etc. I was very happy with the eumig projector and kodak brownie projector's image though when I was doing the same type of project a few years ago. Ironically I do have a negative scanner but only meant for still photography film like 35mm/120mm, scanning 8mm movies manually would take centuries unfortunately! I've read of people rigging up frame by frame scanners and modifying a projector but that is a bit beyond my capability. thanks for the tip about the film cleaner.

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