Super 8 Scope

[Graham Ritchie]

Sorry folks I cant resist not posting this short video I took a while back. Derann really did a brilliant job with this Scope feature. The wide picture captures it well, it really does show what you can get out of Super 8 film in the Scope format .

[Chip Gelmini]

It helps using the big scope lenses from big cinema for superior optics, too.

[Osi Osgood]

Back in the days when they thought that the Titanic went down in one piece, and came up, barnacle free!

[Chip Gelmini]

Raise the Titanic was originally released in 70 mm. I don't know if it was shot that way or perhaps it was and the 35 mm prints were reduction.

[Patrick Walsh]

Raise the Titanic was originally released in 70 mm. I don't know if it was shot that way or perhaps it was and the 35 mm prints were reduction.

RAISE THE TITANIC was shot on 35mm, the film was blown up to 70mm which was common on big films, I sold Graham his print of the film which im still kicking myself over doing in a moment of weakness! I got it on 35mm but it has faded slightly.

[Graham Sinden]

Technically speaking though is most Super 8 Scope which is printed full frame not the full image the top and bottom is cropped. I remember the big debate about Derann's Pod Race extract which is cropped slightly. I think the cineavision prints are the full image.

[Brian Fretwell]

Derann's Super 8 print of "Speed" had an extract shown on a full size cinema screen at the Liecester "Film is Fabulous" event, that really showed how good that print was. It was shown on John Clancey's HMI GS 1200.

[Graham Ritchie]

Graham S I will have a look at the Super 8 frame of "The Pod Race" tomorrow and get back to you

This one should bring back memories

[Osi Osgood]

I have that Pod Race extract as well. It was alright, but I was slightly annoyed that the image looked a little dupey in comparison to the DVD. However, projecting it really big on the wall, really kicked the arse off the DVD, which could only be as a big as my 50 inch HD TV could display.

[Graham Ritchie]

Hi Graham

Super 8 Scope "The Pod Race" I took this photo from my print last night, its full frame.

[Graham Ritchie]

This is a screen shot from my 35mm print.

Super 8 Scope...


The problem not getting the full frame onto the screen is because of the size of the Super 8 aperture plate not the film itself

[Graham Sinden]

Thanks Graham,

It look like on the frame it's cropped slightly but not by much and as you say the projector used makes a difference as some have a different size plate. There is more discussion here.

[Rob Young]

Er, super 8 scope from 35mm scope is cropped top and bottom because the super 8 version is a wider ratio than the 35mm equivalent. Either that, or, as Cineavison did, crop the edges with black bars so it isn't as wide.

It isn't often an issue, but sometimes can be. I remember the odd scene in Romancing The Stone with subtitles, which had them cropped off the bottom.

An if you have a print of Derann's Star Wars, just look how close Darth Vader's head is to top of frame when he first enters!!

So, normally not too much of a problem, but technically, yes, the top and bottom of original frame is cropped off.

Wider aperture plates on different projectors may give a little more, but the super 8 is usually printed cropped compared to the 35mm.

[Graham Ritchie]

Your Welcome Graham

PS Graham after looking back at your above link I never did try the DCT, right I better give it a go, I had forgotten all about that projector.

I carried out some more measurements.

These are from top to bottom of the image itself.

"Grease" Scope 200 footer 4.21mm

"The NeverEnding Story" Scope 4.52mm

Now for "Prophecy "masked print" 3.26mm

""Hindenburg" Universal 2/400ft again a "masked print" 2.98mm

Elmo ST1200 Aperture Plate measured from top to bottom 3.80mm.

It might not seem much but if "The NeverEnding Story" is anything to go by, we are not getting the full Scope image that's there on the screen with those prints. I remember running the inching knob up and down while screening it a while back, The conclusion I came to, is that aperture plate needed to be adjustable ie open up "top and bottom". If some here is good at engineering I guess it could be done, hopefully the projector lens would allow itself for the bigger picture, top and bottom.

I believe that as far as Scope prints are concerned we are being short changed with the aperture plate with the Elmo. Interesting enough the Eumig 810D has a larger aperture plate top to bottom in Super8 than the Elmo.

I sometimes think wouldn't be nice to have a Super8 projector that you could carry out that adjustment as its running, to get that full frame to the screen, plus a decent non zoom lens to go with it.

"Pearl Harbor" 400ft Scope



This is the masked print of "Prophecy"

And lastly my two "Ernemann 2" 35mm aperture plates, there are different sizes in 35mm but those to I use the most one being for 1:85:1 the other for 2;35:1 Scope..

Top and bottom masking stays the same for both formats only side masking moves out or in, its not perfect by any means but its the best I can do for home, using a almost 100 year old projector.

35mm Scope




The NeverEnding Story" one of the best Super 8 films released in the Scope format by Derann, now anyone game to make a adjustable aperture plate?

[Rob Young]

Adjustable aperture would be nice, although you still won’t get the whole 35mm frame equivalent as it’s simply not there, right? It’s lopped off!