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High Definition Super-8, 8mm Telecine Models

TVT-8 HD

Sold without camera—Choose from Canon or Panasonic

             For your protection, we are pricing the HD machine without the camera. You need to buy it yourself new from an authorized dealer so you will have a warranty. We have tested the Canon T2i or T3i and Panasonic DMC-GH2. Send it to us for installation, after testing all functions. We do not make any modifications to the camera that would void the warranty, just menu setting changes.

 

In General: The film runs at close to the correct original filming speeds, either 19.2 or 25.6 FPS (frames per second,) without objectionable flicker. (Optionally we can build the unit for 24 FPS only, with no lower speed that is suitable for copying home movies.) Recording is to an SDHC card.

 

Compression Mode: This may partly determine which camera you want. AVCHD (and the similar H.264) video compression gives excellent results in live-action shooting. However, we have noticed that AVCHD is visibly inferior to MJPEG for transfer from 8mm film. We think this is because AVCHD mainly records the differences between a given frame and the preceding ones. With

8mm film, the random film grain, unsteadiness, dirt, scratches, and exposure fluctuation will cause consecutive frames to be almost completely different in myriad small details, thereby overloading the compression engine and causing loss of resolution, which has been called “mud” in the literature. On the other hand, MJPEG compression records each video frame on its own merits, and has a much higher data rate to handle more detail, so it does not overload as easily. The Panasonic camera has both AVCHD and MJPEG recording available, however there is no HDMI output for large-screen monitoring when using MJPEG, so you have to peer closely at the tiny rear LCD panel throughout the transfer to check for gate hairs, improper framing, etc. The Canon has only MJPEG, but large-screen monitoring is available. Since MJPEG seems to be preferable, and presently only the Canon gives large-screen viewing while recording MJPEG instead of having to squint cross-eyed at the tiny camera viewscreen, we are currently suggesting the Canon instead, although it has fewer film rate and recording options and has some exposure shading in the picture, visible mostly in white leader when running at 19.2 FPS. Your mileage may vary. See the chart below.

Highest Possible Picture Quality With Advanced Optics

A multi-Megapixel Full HD sensor and our advanced and simplified optical system gives the best picture quality you can get from 8mm film, unspoiled by the extra mirror, field lens, cheap projection lens, zoom lens, uncoated plastic “Coke bottle bottom” close-up lens, grainy little ground-glass screen, and flimsy unstable mountings of assorted lesser equipment. You can operate with normal room lights turned on.

The image is correctly oriented with no need for vertical or horizontal reversing. The camera has a wide selection of adjustments for manual or auto white balance, color saturation, and more. Be sure to study the thick instruction book, as well as our much shorter instruction manual, before use. Usual high standards of TCS rugged construction with 3-motor transport, universal switching 100 to 240 volt power with sprocketed model, 400 foot reel capacity. Film counter for no-argument billing can be specified to read feet or meters. Running hours counter for scheduling maintenance.

             Here is a chart comparing the features of Panasonic vs. Canon cameras:

Rights Notice: Material on film, tape, disc or otherwise may be subject to stated or implied Copyright or Performance Right, or the right to privacy, etc. depending on the laws of your country. Unauthorized duplication may be a violation that is civil or criminal in nature. Equipment or services offered by TCS Inc. should not be construed as inviting criminal activity. The user should ascertain if duplication might violate any rights, and obtain a written release from each affected party. Consult your attorney about any specific instance.

◄ Film as composed originally or in 4:3 transfer

 

Film in 16:9 pillarbox transfer ►

◄ Film as composed originally

 

Film magnified to fill 16:9 width ►

Pillarbox is recommended to minimize customer complaints about heads and feet being cut off, instead of enlarging the image to fill the width. Or if you do magnify the image, it will be very labor intensive to do “pan-scan” to select what part of the frame can be safely omitted, if any.

 

             *? — Only with PAL version DMC-GH2 camera sold overseas. Capabilities are presently uncertain.

 

For the Panasonic DMC-GH2 camera we also need to receive the DC coupler DMW-DCC8. For the Canon T2i or T3i camera we also need the DC coupler set ACK-E8. We have no need for the lens, straps, AC adapter/charger, USB cable, battery, manual, CD, box, etc. but do include the body cap to protect the sensor. Let us know which camera you are sending please as the preparations and connections are slightly different. Other camera models have not been tested and may or may not be at all suitable.

 

Note that when recording in MJPEG, a high speed Class 6 memory card is required, and recording time per file is limited to about 8 minutes.

 

TVT-R8HD for regular 8mm film. Feed and holdback sprockets. Running speeds are 19.2 and 25.6 FPS.  Camera and DC Coupler not included,  send to us so you will have warranty protection on the camera.  Price $3195.

TVT-S8HD for super-8 film. The sprocketless mechanism is a Dual-8 but locked in the Super-8 position. Running speeds are 19.2 and 25.6 FPS. Camera and DC Coupler are not included, send to us so you will have warranty protection on the camera. See note below. Price $3395.

 

P.S.- The picture on the home page shows the Panasonic viewfinder flat against the camera body for minimum width. The picture above shows the Panasonic finder hinged open towards the operator for more convenient use. The Canon T3i finder is also hinged, the T2i is not.

 

High Definition equipment ordering worksheet is here.

 

Confusing footnote: If you are a computer whiz and want 4:3 Progressive Scan now, please check out our TVT-8PHD models. These use a CCD camera instead of CMOS, with no rolling shutter artifacts such as blending of film frames, and exposure shading errors. Also consider the TVT-8HSD model which outputs HDMI video directly, at either NTSC or PAL friendly rates.

 

Note on Locked models only: We are now building these with a Locked Dual-8 sprocketless mechanism for the best million-foot longevity and lowest maintenance cost, comparable to the standard Regular-8 sprocketed mechanism. It is locked in position to prevent mechanical instability and fiddly user adjustments. We do have to match the special low-friction non-cogging Supply reel motor to the user’s line voltage, and NTSC units will be equipped with a 120 volt motor, and PAL units will have a 240 volt motor, unless otherwise specified. Since the film gate is oversized, the width of the right-hand pillar will vary with super-8 according to the size of the film camera’s aperture, and may need masking in the software for consistency. Add $200 for optional regular-8 locked dual-8 sprocketless mechanism which however will show part of the film’s sprocket holes intruding into the left-hand pillarbox, requiring masking the left edge of the image in the software.