How does the Wolverine (1080p) scanner deal with 4:3 aspect ratios from Super 8 film?

[Jacek Kropinski]

Thanks Jacek. I have a project half done with the tiny sensor that measures the film reflectance. I.e. if the film is passing by the sensor it will reflect back the laser beam and if a perforation passes by it will not reflect and give a lower reading. The capstan was a pinch type with two neoprene rollers.
I can resurrect the design if interested.

Amazing Stan Jelavic !!! Why did you abandon this concept? It seems to me to be the holy grail of this thread. As I posted in another thread, with so many great minds on this forum and you who have so much skill and experience, I don't understand why a machine like that is not on the market already.

I only want high-quality scans of 30-40 priceless Super8mm films without paying a couple of thousand dollars to do so, but I don't understand why we all have to put up with the crappy machines on the market like the Wolverine. There appears to be a great need out there for a solution.

I'm not certain if I have the necessary electronics skills to make something like this - I'm more a MacGyver kind of guy, but I will first mess with the old Wolverine I bought and see if I can convert that to a capstan-driven, stepper motor drive, with a big-megapixel USB camera that works with a Mac, using bits off the 8mm projectors I have where necessary.

I really like the flat-bed concept you used above - as a filmmaker, I started many years ago on a KEM editor. That approach makes more sense to me than upright spools, but maybe I'm missing something.

Thank you again for the experience, knowledge and inspiration. And for sharing it.

[Stan Jelavic]

Hi Jacek,
I abandoned the project because I was swamped with the 16mm projector modifications. Been selling those for a while. I add the RPI HQ camera and then you scan at real time (24 FPS). The quality is very good and it has sound as well. The latest mod was with the iPhone with a custom lens that I designed.
Also completed several Elmo 8mm projectors, some are with sound. These are high quality machines and pretty gentle on your film.
So maybe that is a apart of the reason why I did not continue with the custom machine.
But, in an case let me know what your plans are and I can help you with the project.
Should be very interesting.
Regards,
Stan