Pseudonymous maker and historic re-enactor “TankArchives” has constructed a digital improve for a basic movie digital camera from the Forties, utilizing a Raspberry Pi Zero W single-board laptop (SBC) and a Raspberry Pi HQ Digicam Module — and it is absolutely reversible.
“I do re-enacting and needed a Forties digital camera so I can take photographs with out breaking authenticity, however movie is pricey and dealing 40s cameras are much more costly,” TankArchives explains of the challenge’s origins. “Enter the Raspberry Pi. No modifications have been made to the unique digital camera.”
This alternative again for an early-Forties movie digital camera provides it a reversible digital improve. (📷: TankArchives)
TankArchives’ construct is predicated round an Argus A 35mm movie digital camera, first launched in 1936. To this, the maker added a Raspberry Pi Zero W with an HQ Digicam Module sensor, a contemporary M12-mount 16mm lens to take a seat between the sensor and the digital camera’s authentic lens, the Adafruit Pleasure Bonnet for management, and a lithium-polymer battery plus increase converter for working the machine on-the-go.
“I went out and bought the elements comparatively blindly,” the maker explains. “If I used to be going to so this once more, I might in all probability begin out with a unique digital camera module, one which has a smaller board and autofocus. I needed to noticed off part of the HQ digital camera to suit into the lens gap. The main focus can be manually adjusted and it is a bit of a ache since I’ve to screw off the complete lens to take action and modify the intermediate lens, then screw the entire thing again on to examine.
TankArchives is not the one tinkerer who fancies the appear and feel of a classic movie digital camera with the comfort of digital however is unwilling to break authentic {hardware}: earlier this 12 months Michael Suguitan confirmed off the Leica MPi challenge, which reversibly upgraded a Leica M2 digital camera to digital utilizing a alternative again — and that, like TankArchives’ model, used a Raspberry Pi Zero W SBC because the driving {hardware}.
The eletronics all match into the Argus A’s authentic Bakelite physique with out injury, and might be eliminated to revive the digital camera’s authentic movie operation. (📷: TankArchives)
“The entire thing is kind of gradual and takes a few minute to begin up and some seconds to take every photograph,” TankArchives writes of the expertise of utilizing the gadget. ” 450mAh battery lasts for about an hour, low-cost ones from AliExpress final about 35-40 minutes. The photograph high quality just isn’t nice. With out excellent lighting the photographs end up very darkish/noisy. Fortunately, re-enacting often occurs in broad daylight, so these largely come out high quality.”
Extra data on the challenge is obtainable in TankArchives’ Reddit submit, with pattern images accessible on Imgur.
