2. The trapezoid effect is very minimal, when the camera is not exactly in line with the projector (obviously.) I can't think of a way around this except I've seen those portable mirror telecine things, anyone used one? Quality of projection??? same, better? worse? on ebay for about $20.

If you can find a piece of translucent plastic that is thin enough for the projected image to show on the rear of the plastic, You can have the projector and camera in a straight line. Plastic must be smooth or you can use Frosted Glass if the Frosting is smooth and even.

The problem is the Image as recorded by the camera will be reversed left to right. You can correct the Left to Right flip in Powerdirector. There is an effect for that. (Flip Canvas) reverses Left to Right.

3. Has anyone an opinion on whether it's best to shoot a close up, small projection, or a further away, larger projected image?

You frame the camera as close to full frame as you can, it is best to crop the edges of the projection a little. In the case of 4:3 VS 16:9 you frame the 4:3 projection in the middle of the 16:9 camera shot.

Size of the projected image does not matter much. If you have a projection that is the size of a standard sheet of paper (A4 or Letter size), it would be easy to frame the digital camera, the question is, can the projector focus an image that size. Cost of the translucent plastic would be reduced with a smaller size projection.

As you know there are film projection devices made to convert film to video. The device has a mirror inside that does two things.
The mirror does a Left to Right reversal and reflects the image at a right angle. The screen is a frosted glass for the image to appear for the digital camera to record.

One such device:
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/film-transfer

4. Files again...confuse me. Should I produce them as avi files?? or am I going make H264 AVC files ?(remember I want to make blu rays, avchd dvds and also store the files for safety.)

You use the files your camera produces. You can edit the Camera files directly in Powerdirector. If your camera makes H.264 video, all the better.

One advanage, if your camera is HD, you will have an automatic conversion of SD Film to HD Video. Even 8 mm film has a lot of image information, albeit a small frame.

How good the image you capture depends on the quality of the film projector and the screen you project onto.

One other thing, be sure everything is rock steady. Solid mount the pieces and digital camera on a solid mount (tripod).

Vibration may be a problem. The projector will be the source of vibration, but sure the projector is not touching any of the other parts of the capture setup. If the projector is mounted on a rubber mat or springs, you would dampen the vibration.

I know converting 8 mm film to digital is hard work, but once the set up is right it goes easy.
You can get as good a result as sending the film to a professional lab for a lot less money.

I recommend you film in a darkened room, keep outside light to a minimum. That does not mean no light, the amount of light a night light makes would cause no harm and you can see what you are doing. No outside light on the projected image.


Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

I have done this in the past (capturing with a Hi8 camera and using Pinnacle software to edit). I recall a few issues I encountered at the time.

First, the distance between the projector and the screen determines the brightness of the projected images: the closer the two are, the brighter the image.
It is very likely that your projector will create a hotspot (bright spot) in the center of the screen. Size and brightness vary with the distance between the screen and the projector. You will have to experiment with the distance a bit to find an optimum between overall brightness and the appearance of the hotspot.

Another issue was that of the framespeed. I live in a PAL country, which means that video is recorded at 25 fps. The Super8 films I wanted to captured played at a speed of 24 fps. This result was the characteristic flickering. Again, you will need to experiment to find the best playback speed of the projector.

Last but not least is the soundtrack. A projector makes a rattling noice, that evidently will be recorded by your camcorder. So you may need to record the soundtrack of the original 8mm film separately (off line) and resync it in your PD11 project.

Quote: If you can find a piece of translucent plastic that is thin enough for the projected image to show on the rear of the plastic, You can have the projector and camera in a straight line.

That describes a "Rear Projection Screen".

As jr-video said the distance between the screen and projector makes the image brighter or dimmer.

As to the flicker, you will have to experiment. Setting the camera to 50 or 60 fps may reduce the flicker. If the camera has a 24 fps setting, try that. You may have a hard time syncing the flicker and camera, at some speed you can get black frames in between good frames or half frames.

The other method is a single frame per shot deal. I am pretty sure you cannot afford the price of that equipment.
Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

Carl and jr - they are wonderful replies, thankyou.
You've answered a lot of my questions.

Carl - I never gave a thought as to the 'steadiness' of my camera. I had actually started the project on a card table, with the camera on a small tripod, but right on the table next to the projector. It didn't occur to me that there would be vibration.
I'll deal with that instantly. I'll mount the camera on a tripod as close to, but under the projector table.
I will also keep my transfers in H264. I thought as much, but as I don't understand files at all, I do rely on you guys to tell me!! I'm learning though.

I'm trying to get the best possible projection, which should result in the best possible image transfer. I'll let you know how it goes in a week or so with a demo clip straight out of the 1960s!

I've heard (and tried it, on my Hanimex DualMatic projector) that with a variable speed projector, the flicker is much reduced or even eliminated by adjusting the speed that the film is playing at. I successfully eliminated the flicker completely, though had to have my hand on the speed dial all of the time for fine tuning. This is on the old Hanimex, I have a new Sankyo variable speed projector and hoping it will do the same.

CARL -

As to the flicker, you will have to experiment. Setting the camera to 50 or 60 fps may reduce the flicker. If the camera has a 24 fps setting, try that

I don't quite understand this. Sorry to sound such an imbecile, but I just use my HA setting which is 1080/50i (so I can make blu rays and dvds).

JR I live in Sydney, PAL too. I don't know how to find out what speed the original film was shot in, some say 18fps some 24.
A slow down of the speed of the old Hanimex resulted in eliminating the flicker, but I still never worked out a) what the original speed was b) what speed I was playing it at (no marks on the dial.) I guess it didn't matter. But now I have a new projector (or will in a week) it may be worth finding out, but how??

I don't believe my film has sound. I think it's silent.

I learned lots of things from your responses, will get back to you with results.

Jenny

CARL -As to the flicker, you will have to experiment. Setting the camera to 50 or 60 fps may reduce the flicker. If the camera has a 24 fps setting, try that I don't quite understand this.

Sorry to sound such an imbecile, but I just use my HA setting which is 1080/50i (so I can make blu rays and dvds).

Flicker is caused by the effect of the shutter in the film projector is conflicting with the shutter speed of the recording camera.

Most film is run at 24 frames per second (Home film may be as slow as 18 frames per sceond), digital cameras make 25 or 50 interlaced frames per second. (PAL)
There will be times when the image from the projector is black or dark at the same time the camera's shutter is open. Humans preceive that flash of black as flicker.

The fact that the shutter on the projector is a rotating 'fan blade' it is seen by the digital camera as a moving shadow. Which humans see as flicker.
Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.