New Digital Camera Emulating 8mm Film

[Janice Glesser]

"The Fragment 8 camera is the latest entry in the nostalgia-driven “retro” craze: a Super 8-inspired digital camera that trades 8mm film for 720p resolution GIFs or MP4s shot on a tiny CCD image sensor."

https://petapixel.com/2020/01/23/thi...l-of-8mm-film/

[Graham Ritchie]

I wonder why they say "Super 8" as the camera that inspired them is a 1955 Std 8 not a Super 8. Anyway my little Panasonic HC-V180 video camera has in its "Creative Control" menu a "8 mm movie"...It states Quote "you can record with a faded retro effect" although so far I have not tried it the words faded retro effect caught my eye........mmmmm I wonder if The Fragment 8 can do that

[Graham Ritchie]

Now this is interesting ....

[Graham Ritchie]

I have got an idea Janice, Wonder what would be involved in converting this old Canon Super 8, 514XL-S I have to digital. Have it so, that say you use an old Super 8 film cartridge, remove the inside of it and replace with a sensor, SD card and electronic stuff. Still use the original camera lens and zoom motor, batteries, plus the original boom mike. Next to the boom mike have a 3 inch LCD screen attached as well as using the original viewfinder. Once to have finished shooting, you could simply remove the cartridge and with a suitable cable, attached it to your computer for download. The contents would have to be at least 1080 or 4K.

[Graham Ritchie]

[Janice Glesser]

I guess it's theoretically possible Graham...but would it be worth the effort. Coincidentally I actually have that same camera ...and I was never really happy with the quality of the lens. In doing telecine work on my family 8mm movies... I thought my mom's old Bell & Howell cameras displayed a sharper image in both Std. 8 and Super 8 models.

[Graham Ritchie]

Probably not Janice, although I was looking at our old Panasonic video camera, the one I fell in the river with six months ago. The camera still goes, but the lens has had it. It wasn't worth fixing, but the SD card was fine and I used that in a replacement camera. Now if I could pull apart the old camera and use those bits for a Super 8 it might work, but will put that trial project on hold in the meantime.

[Brian Fretwell]

I remember in the early days of megapixel still cameras there was a sensor connected to a 35mm film shape that you could buy to put in a normal SLR, but it never took off. I thought ot ws an ideal solution as you didn't have to buy a new camera when the sensors improved. I assume the big camera firms preferred new sales every time and didn't support it.

[Onnie Granados]

The Fragment 8 camera is the latest entry in the nostalgia-driven “retro” craze: a Super 8-inspired digital camera that trades 8mm film for 720p resolution GIFs or MP4s shot on a tiny CCD image sensor."

And only $125! For a camera that'll do a fragment of what your cell phone camera already does!

I especially like the cleverly worded marketing verbage in their kickstarter page: "Vintage clips carry a romantic dull haze of memories."

[Onnie Granados]

Looking at the Fragment 8 brought back memories of the old Fisher Price PXL-2000 "camcorder" from the 80's -- a friend bought one of these as a lark many, many years ago, it held our interest for about a week or so, then I dunno what happened to it ... though if he still has it apparently these things go for big bucks on ebay in working condition. Time to check out those boxes in his parents' basement!