Brand new project, wanting input.

[Dennis Shelgren]

Hello all, first post. I'm in school for Data Science, online of course. We're required to do a SIP, special interest project. Mine is 8/Super8 film to digital conversion as a middle grade brand new option. Initially as a machine or kit & open source software. Eventually leading to a plug & go, install this software solution.

In case you're worried, I'm 46, with 20 years experience doing video and stills conversions.
Started as a lark, but with just the junk I've got laying around & some AI open source stuff. It's looking closer to a commercial offering vs a single diy unit.

Just scanning complaints on the "Wolverine". It looks like the top problems are(feel free to correct me).
#1 it's cheap and gets stuck on splices, etc.
#2 it's slow as heck.
#3 it assumes what you want and makes it's own files, vs a frame stack, or other formats.
#4 zoom, like other cheap devices is done digitally, so output resolution is sub par.

I'd love a look at one up close, just to see if it's what I'm imagining.

My current setup is a 5mp usb camera, stepper motors, rollers only, and just scripts that automate vlc to make a frame stack. Then some software bits, blender, adobe, etc. to assemble a movie. I have literally zero test film at this point, so it's all just test targets right now. I'm just at optical tests & designing the frame right now.

What are the features you'd like? At what price would extra features and total control seem reasonable?

And yes any and all questions are 100% awesome right now.

Thanks for accepting me into your community.
-Dennis

[Stan Jelavic]

Hi Dennis. Not sure what the scope of your project is i.e what hw platform would you be starting with but here are a few Wolverine comments.
1. I would reverse the order of your list. For me the most annoying problem with Wolverine is digital artifacts and that it offers only one output format.
2. Auto exposure that goes into hunting mode
3. Colors, although pleasing to some are not very good for me. Don't like the yellow tinge. Fixing that in the post is very difficult.
4. Continuous takeup and resulting jitter (frame to frame shake)

Hope this helps.
Stan

[David Brown]

Dennis

Wolverine units are scarce these days. New ones on Ebay are as much as $700!!! Crazy. I just checked for used units or parts only, the lowest price is $300. I never bid, just look at the "buy it now" offers.

Good luck finding one quickly.

I liked this project, but the last post was in 2013. I never saw any more progress advertised to the public. It looks simpler than modifying a projector, if you're handy with electronics.

https://www.chrisgavin.com/2013/10/a...m-scanner.html

Good luck on your 8mm project, it's a popular DIY that has spanned decades!

[Dennis Shelgren]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. It's important that I get as much info as I can. Thank you Stan for explaining your problems with the wolverine. I'm certainly no expert, but was always planning to "overscan" at 8mp or 4k, and to allow for frame stacks or other formats initially. And yeah the hunting problem is just their camera choice. I'm trying to keep costs low while offering flexibility. Oddly, I'll probably need a custom camera made if I ever see production. On my prototypes, I'm putting in a delay to let things settle. And of course on a frame stack, there are open source tools to get rock solid frame lock.
And of course I'm always hinting at possible partnerships, etc.

[Stan Jelavic]

At Shapeways they have a few sprocket wheel designs available. Here is one from Chris Gavin (the guy from David's link):
https://www.shapeways.com/product/X9...li=marketplace
The wheel is large enough to be able to engage a film with several damaged holes.
I think this can be tested pretty easy with my Hawkeye rig:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/QUWn5FEkRwTTdYCm7
The Hawkeye board can be redesigned to include the stepper controller so that there is no need for expensive Wolverine components.
One of the pulleys can be replaced with the sprocket wheel driven by a stepper.
The controller can be MSP430 based or RPI and can drive the sprocket wheel for a required amount of degrees, then stop and provide the trigger to the cam and so forth.
Don't think 2 sprocket wheels are required depending on the torque and jitter requirements.
The gate can be custom design. There are a few that Chris posted in Shapeways but they are 16mm. Possibly can contact him to see if he ever did it for 8mm.

[Lee Mannering]

It's a shame that the emphasis these days is so much film transfer and not on creative film making on S8 which after all you will need to have done in the first place to have something worth transferring.
Film scanning is the easy bit, its creative film making that is the art that will open doors in the work place.
Compared to the pro scanners the wolverine is a piece of plastic fun as it may be.
Scanning at 2k is a massive file undertaking so if you are thinking of true 4k scanning get ready for some reel investment in HD towers.

[David Brown]

I'd be surprised if anyone in this forum is creating new content on film and there won't any pickup shoots, the actors have all retired, or worse.

Film scanning is only easy with $$$$. Those who joined Kodak's Analog Renaissance back in '16, get their developed film returned as files.


No need for a home telecine.

But hey, no argument with those massive file sizes!

[Stan Jelavic]

The topic here is "Film to Digital Conversion". Perhaps a new topic can be created or it already exists on creating the new content. Would love to see that.