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Nikon D90 for DIY film telecine


Regan Luke

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The Nikon D90 DSLR is capable of high definition video at 24fps. I am wondering if anyone has attempted to use this mode to convert their s8 or 16mm projections to digital. Any insight? Thanks

Edited by Regan Luke
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The samples Nikon provides:

http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/...en/d-movie/#c-4

 

I find the appearance pleasing, and for my purposes may serve well to film my projections. I've seen other DSLR's that can capture video at a high frame rate, but never thought of using one digitize. Hope I can develop a good workflow.

Edited by Regan Luke
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I wouldn't recommend it with the current firmware. I own that camera and I have big issues with the way the footage is compressed, and the rolling shutter. It may look fine online. But once you watch the footage off the camera and on a computer monitor, full size, then there are some serious issues with it.

 

Currently, any 1/3" CCD / CMOS HD camera such as Canon Vixia will look much, much better. Which is disappointing. but not strange as the D90 is a DSLR that also happens to record HD video - whereas the small HD vid cams have been designed to shoot motion pictures, yet happen to take stills as well. :blink:

 

Here is hoping Nikon will develop (and make available) a better firmware for the camera.

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  • 2 weeks later...
The samples Nikon provides:

http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/...en/d-movie/#c-4

 

I find the appearance pleasing, and for my purposes may serve well to film my projections. I've seen other DSLR's that can capture video at a high frame rate, but never thought of using one digitize. Hope I can develop a good workflow.

 

In principle, this should work fine. You could check out moviestuff.com for some interesting setups. I don't think you'll have a CMOS rolling-shutter problem, since there is no movement during the exposure time. As I understand it the rolling shutter only causes problems when the subject moves (relative to the camera lens) while the shutter is open.

 

It might be a bit overkill though. I'll have to check the numbers, but I suspect the resolution of the d90 dwarfs that of a super8 reversal stock.

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The real problem you are going to have, if your projector doesn't have a variable speed control (like a Revere) is syncing the shutter speeds of the camera and the projector- for the D90 has no scan adjustment. And the D90's video resolution doesn't dwarf S-8's.

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