Jian Cyrus Farhoumand Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 Is it even practically conceivable? Or am I just having an amusing daydream? Because some of these old 2x8mm cameras are a really nice compact size and shape. Such as this one: http://www.super8camera.com/images/zenith_quarz.jpg And considering the dearth of 2x8mm stock and processing these days would it not be a nice idea just to widen the gate, change the mount and lens and shoot some straight 16mm through one of these puppies? What do you think? Anyone ever done it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Mulder Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 How are you going to achieve the extra pull down with the current claw > ? That and the lens mount are the show stoppers here. There are some other variations on the theme though that could be fun if you had the time ... Search the forum archive for added enjoyment ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jian Cyrus Farhoumand Posted October 27, 2007 Author Share Posted October 27, 2007 How are you going to achieve the extra pull down with the current claw > ? That and the lens mount are the show stoppers here. There are some other variations on the theme though that could be fun if you had the time ... Search the forum archive for added enjoyment ;) Haha, thanks Nick. Well, I'm not sure of the exact mechanics of it right now, but just the fact that the main body of the camera can already run a 16mm wide film is a good start. The claw and mount would indeed take some tinkering but i don't see why an accurate conversion could not be possible. (Though I imagine some here might chime in now with "Well why don't you just buy an S16 camera then!?" but i really do just like the compact size of these 2x8 ones. They're awesome!) So has anyone here ever tired it? I couldn't find it in the forum search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saul Rodgar Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 (Though I imagine some here might chime in now with "Well why don't you just buy an S16 camera then!?" but i really do just like the compact size of these 2x8 ones. They're awesome!) So has anyone here ever tired it? I couldn't find it in the forum search. It could be done. If you were so inclined, I suppose. The time you would spend would offset the benefits, I think. Also THERE ARE S-16 mm cameras that are just as compact as the ones you are refering to, such as the A-minima and the A Cam SP16 (this one is really small) on the contemporary camera level and the Classic 16 on the "older camera up to current standards." http://www.pro8mm.com/main.php http://www.aaton.com/products/film/aminima/index.php The main problem, beside the pull down claw issue is that 8mm is a fourth of the image size as 16 mm. So your 8mm lens would have to go and instead you would have to literrally make room for a bigger lens with a bigger apperture. I don't now if the chassis would even acomodate for that on most compact designs. Those two issues alone could mean soooo much trouble. If you are a tinkerer and you don't mind the years of (trial and error) hard work tryng to retrofit a technology that was never intended to be used the way you want it to, go ahead. Plenty of people have, with extreme levels of successs and failure and everything in between. I would just rather get a camera someone else engineered and built and shoot some film with it. But that is just me. And I don't know of anyone ever trying it. Most people would probably think is better to start from scratch than spend two years of gureling work to MAYBE make the retrofit work. But then again, you could be the one who makes it work and prove us naysayers wrong. Nothing like a little bit of challenge to get one going, I supposse. Good luck and let us know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Mulder Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 The other ideas were not to go super 16 but still use the current pull down but double the wideness of the shot... So no claw mod needed but lenses with larger coverage and a re-centre ... You'd scan it 'normally' and then pull it apart and reformat into a proper sequence in post... What speeds do your favored models for conversion run at ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Brown Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 Is it even practically conceivable? Or am I just having an amusing daydream? Because some of these old 2x8mm cameras are a really nice compact size and shape. Such as this one: And considering the dearth of 2x8mm stock and processing these days would it not be a nice idea just to widen the gate, change the mount and lens and shoot some straight 16mm through one of these puppies? What do you think? Anyone ever done it? Hi All Martin here in UK has modified many cameras to S16 even a 8mm Bolex http://www.stecica.co.uk/2.html Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandro Malfatti Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 An idea that just popped into my head, instead of changing the pulldown you could modify the shutter, so that the camera pulls the film down twice between frames, then somehow accelerate the whole mechanism. Just a thought... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Mulder Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 An idea that just popped into my head, instead of changing the pulldown you could modify the shutter, so that the camera pulls the film down twice between frames, then somehow accelerate the whole mechanism. Just a thought... That would require changing the gearing inside if the shutters aren't the butterfly type (in which you could simply black one out) - you would also then only have half the shoot time per spring wind (hmmm, unless that might have to be the case in any of these modification suggestions)... You might tear sprokets at that speed, and image steadiness could be a problem with only friction holding the film in place with no registration pin or even pressure plate on some models. I sound pretty negative huh ... But go for gold! it would be a good learning experience, but just have a lot of patience stored up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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