Any pc software for 9.5mm film scanning?

[Geoff Nichol]

Any pc software for 9.5mm film scanning? Hi , I have recently been trying to convert some family 9.5mm film to digital using the frame by frame method.
If the film was 8mm or super8 there would be no problem as there are a number of 3D printed designs and software on the web.
I redesigned one of the 3d printed designs to take account of the different frame size but the software will not work because it uses image recognition to locate the sprocket holes and 9.5mm sprockets are in the centre of the film.
What I need is a fairly simple piece of software to:-
1. Show image of the film frame for alignment and focusing.
2. Store image of the frame
3. Send a comand via a com port to a arduino / stepper motor to advance one frame.
(I have the arduino part working)
4. Repeat a set number of times.
I am a bit puzzled why most of the software runs on a rasberrypi? written in python. Which inturn requires a special pi camera and and special lens and adapter over £150 pounds in all.
I already have a fast pc with over 2tb of storage. A good Tamron macro lens, an 8mp usb3 astro camera , and the ability to 3d print any adaptors or extension tubes. I also have an 9.5mm projector with two sprocket drums and claws which will form the basis of the film transport mechanism.
I did have some success using a canon dslr with the arduino firing it by led. But the shutter count is at 250,000 so l am reluctant to carry on useing it.
I have tried to write some software ( minimal skills) using Visual Studio but am overwhelmed and confused by the complexity of it. Basic scripting on the arduino I can do.
I have managed to make a simple program using "Simple Visual Basic" that should do what I want. But when I run the program for 10 frames the video freezes and I get 10 identical images.The video restarts once capture has finished Do I need to look into using threads?
Have scoured the forum with no luck.
Any help ideas and suggestions very welcome.

[Robert Held]

Hi Geoff,

Does your Astro Camera have its own capture software with a trigger function? If so, are you open to modifying your 9.5mm projector with a stepper motor instead of its original drive motor? If that is possible, you could control the stepper motor and camera with the Arduino. Load the film and focus on a frame, adjust exposure, etc., then run a simple program to:

1. Advance one frame
2. Trigger the camera (the triggers are typically 3V or 5V) which will tell the software via USB to capture the frame and save it to your PC
3. Repeat

I've found that even on very old 8mm projectors, the frame-to-frame vertical registration is very consistent. I would assume 9.5mm projectors are similar.

Another option is to trigger a mirrorless DSLR, which can be operated in electronic shutter mode and then you don't have to worry about high shutter counts and mechanical wear.

I have a frame-by-frame capture system running that way and it gives really good results. It's a variation of some other designs on the forum:

https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/vbb/f...636#post109636

Robert

[Geoff Nichol]

Thanks for your thoughts.
My astro camera is a Svbony Sv205 which is basically a 8mp gray scale webcam with no trigger facilities.
I have looked into mirrorless DSLRs and the ones with the electronic shutter option are out of my price range especially as i would need to acquire a matching lens, plus battery eliminator and remote.
The lens on my projector is in a very poor state misty and chipped around the edges(1937). So I will avoid using that and hope use the sv205 and my Tamron macro lens with appropriate 3d printed adaptor and extension tubes direct to the film gate.
I have just managed to produce my very first "Hello World " program using Visual Studio and VB so my programing skills progress if slowly.
So I am now hoping to find a vba project that uses serial com ports (to communicate with the arduino which drives the stepper motor) and a vba project that takes jpegs and hopefully sort of combine them.

[Robert Held]

I understand the mirrorless DSLR cost.

I know next to nothing about VBA programming. And almost next to nothing about programming an Arduino (C++), but I've had some great results using AI, especially Claude. With good prompts, it can create the program for you and also help debug it. Just a thought...

[Geoff Nichol]

Its an idea.Yet another learning curve.

[Nantawat Kittiwarakul]

...I also have an 9.5mm projector with two sprocket drums and claws which will form the basis of the film transport mechanism.
I did have some success using a canon dslr with the arduino firing it by led. But the shutter count is at 250,000 so l am reluctant to carry on useing it.

The only missing item to complete your setup is a mirrorless camrea, with FULLY ELECTRONIC SHUTTER MODE.

I've been using this Panasonic GH5 for scanning hundreds of thousands of super 8 films for years. The film transport isa gutted dual8 projector mechanism (slow speed dc geared motor, LED backlight). A magnet and a reed switch is hardwired to trigger the camera. No coding/programming - all hardware based setup, and it works!

[Geoff Nichol]

Yes mirrorless woud be the way to go ,but way out of my budget. I do not wish to use the lens on the projector as it is awful. But I think I have solved my problem :-
I use a arduino and stepper motor to run the projector at about one frame a second.
To use my sv205 webcam at 3264x 2160.
There is software program called Sharpcap which is used for taking star photographs. It has very comprehensive controls for the camera gain , brightness and exposure and more. It also has a button to take individual snapshots and the file names are indexed. The file and folder name can be configured to virtually anything.
So if I use another arduino to emulate a mouse with a LH mouse click. This will be triggered by a hall effect sensor on the projector which will be configured to fire evey frame .With the mouse cursor on the snapshot button an image should then be taken every frame.I will also able to monitor images being taken and no fiddly transferring of SD cards between camera and pc

[Robert Held]

Sounds like a great solution!

[Nantawat Kittiwarakul]

Not sure about UK, but at where I live (Thailand) the price for a decent mirrorless camera starts around $100 and upwards. If you can reach $300 range you'll get loads of choice then. Moreover using a camera means almost practically an all-in-one solution. Simply adding the trigger to fire the shutter, and it's done.

Regarding the optical performance this is what I get from shooting through "awful" projector lens, with a "cheap" Nikon kit zoom lens from 90's slapped onto my camera...

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FTD...ew?usp=sharing

(Please download it to the local drive in your PC in order to view it in full 4K quality.)

No intention to downplay any other solution. But trust me, this method is the proven ones.