Beautiful Little Short Film Showing An 8mm To Canon 5D Transfer Setup

Devin Coldewey

Devin Coldewey is a Seattle-based writer and photographer. He has written for the TechCrunch network since 2007. Some posts he’d like you to read: The Dangers of Externalizing Knowledge | Generation i | Surveillant Society | Choose Two | Frame Wars | The User’s Manifesto | Our Great Sin His personal website is coldewey.cc. → Learn More

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011


You wouldn’t think that a how-to for rigging up a 5D mk II to an old 8mm projector would stand much of an artistic treatment, but James Miller’s little piece has charm to spare. By switching out the projection lens for an element of a Canon 35mm photographic lens (as well as some other stuff, obviously), he’s made a real-time capture tool for 8mm film using common photographer’s tools and a little elbow grease.

And of course it’s a joy to watch. You can see some of the conversions he’s done with this setup over at Miller’s Vimeo page.

The music is Ennio Morricone’s theme to “Cinema Paradiso,” if you’re wondering.

[via Planet 5D and PetaPixel]