Cartridge CAD models, measurements, or blueprints, for super-8 and single-8

[Jenny List]

I thought people might like to see my CAD model taking shape.

[Julian Baquero]

Dear Jenny, I am an industrial designer and have electronics engineering studies. I am a fan and collector of film, anyway I find your project interesting. Super 8 film has become increasingly expensive and difficult to develop, in my country Colombia, the only option is DIY or sending the film abroad at very high cost. I have two very nice Canon super 8 cameras in perfect working condition, so having the option to use the camera to record digitally seems to my as a useful idea. I hate the idea of having the cameras just as decoration. It would also be nice to have the option to record audio digitally. Super 8 sound cartridges are long gone and won't come back. It would be even better (though I don't have the slightest idea of how to do it) if it were possible to alternate between digital and analog.

[Jenny List]

All I can say is: watch this space

So far on my 4th prototype cartridge. I have a real one to copy waiting for me at my friend's house in the UK, but haven't had a chance to pick it up. Meanwhile I'm tweaking my design.

The first aim is to end up with something equivalent to 8mm film in quality and framerate. I'm looking for the Super 8 aesthetic from original lenses & cameras, if I wanted 4K at 60fps I'd use an appropriate camera instead.

I'm not planning sound, it would be too noisy alongside the camera mechanism. Super 8 cameras are surprisingly noisy inside.

However the advantage of digital production is that you can record the sound on something as simple as a mobile phone and bring the two together in post production.

[Jenny List]

A little progress update. The model in the photo above went through a few more iterations. Surprisingly complex shapes, film cartridges!

Here's a pic of current progress. Needs power supply (batteries) installing, then it becomes a software problem.