Getting HQ digital stills from 16mm frames w/o cut

[Ted Langdell]

Hi,

 

Am looking for viable ways to pull high resolution digital stills from 16mm motion picture film from the middle of a reel without cutting the film.

 

The results will be used in a color coffee table book.

 

I seem to recall (from back in the era when I had hair =:o) some devices that mounted in place of 35mm still camera lenses and had a "gate" for 16mm film.

 

Assuming that the mount for, say, a Nikon version of the device would fit a Nikon high-end digital still camera... we'd be able to get something that would offer the portability and simplicity we need.

 

There may be other methods that come to your mind or actual experience.

 

Don't want to re-invent the wheel, so if you've been able to successfully do this by one means or another, I'm interested in what you did and having a look at the results.

 

Thanks,

 

Ted Langdell

Ted Langdell Creative Broadcast Services

Marysville, CA

[David Mullen ASC]

There is a device called a "Duplikin" that holds a piece of 16mm print in front of a macro lens on a 35mm camera. I've used that before but the contrast can get rather high because you're duplicating a print.

 

My best results have come from transferring the film (neg or IP) to 24P HD-D5 and pulling frame grabs off of the HD tape. At 1920 x 1080 pixels, it makes fine photo reproductions. In fact, both the posters of "Jackpot" and "Northfork" are frame grabs from an HD master.

[Ted Langdell]

There is a device called a "Duplikin" that holds a piece of 16mm print in front of a macro lens on a 35mm camera.  I've used that before but the contrast can get rather high because you're duplicating a print.

 

My best results have come from transferring the film (neg or IP) to 24P HD-D5 and pulling frame grabs off of the HD tape. At 1920 x 1080 pixels, it makes fine photo reproductions.  In fact, both the posters of "Jackpot" and "Northfork" are frame grabs from an HD master.

David...

 

The Duplikin is the device I remembered from back in the hair days.

 

That appears to be a practical method for this project. The contrast can be adjusted in Photoshop after the fact.

 

Thanks also for the 24p/HD-D5 frame grab method.

 

Ted Langdell

Ted Langdell Creative Broadcast Services

Marysville, CA

[David Mullen ASC]

If you can't duplicate a low-contrast film element like a neg of IP, strike a low-con print instead of a projection print at the least. Adjusting contrast with Photoshop doesn't help you if there's no detail to adjust in the dark shadows or bright highlights.

[GeorgeSelinsky]

If you want to give it a shot, try to carefully wind the film to the frames you want to scan and then carefully mount the film strip (without cutting of course) into the scanner in a secure way so its flat to the glass. I've done this before. It's not easy and requires patience, but it can work nicely.The idea is not to bend the film.

 

You could also try using one of Kodak's still duplicating films out there if you want to try the Duplikin method and have lesser worries about contrast. You can even "preflash" the still film, too. I don't know where you can find a Duplikin these days, other than a lucky find on Ebay. I also don't know how good they are optically.

[Mark Lyon IMPOSTOR]

I would suggest getting 2k scans made. We routinely get them from the digital department at Fotokem in Burbank, and the results are great (we actually use this approach as a way to get clients to let us shoot on film instead of video). To get scans made this way, you do need to have the keycode value for the frame(s) you want. The prices are very reasonable--on the order of $10 per frame.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Mark Lyon

Mighty Max Films

www.mightymaxfilms.com