2006Brackets/Widgets forum
Adapting miniature cameras as video taps for 8mm film cameras
20 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- Miniature spy cameras roughly the size of sugar cubes can be mounted to film camera eyepieces to serve as video taps.
- The eyepiece of a film camera is designed for viewing at infinity, so any imaging device used with it must also focus at infinity.
- Miniature camera lenses require precise positioning, typically backed off by about an inch from the eyepiece before producing a usable image, and very small lateral adjustments cause the image to disappear.
- At correct working distance, miniature cameras may only fill a quarter of the video frame and produce a very fiddly setup requiring significant trial and error.
- Film camera eyepieces sometimes have threaded mounts that could accept adapted C-mount camera bodies without lenses.
- Removing the original eyepiece and using a different lens focused closer and with magnification is an alternative approach but requires extensive experimentation.
Depends on
- This discussion focuses on adapting miniature spy cameras; results may vary with different camera models or eyepiece designs.
- The approach was characterized as very fiddly and difficult to align, requiring precise positioning and patience.
- One participant mentioned trying a miniature camera on a super 8mm camera specifically, with limited frame coverage.
- The viability of using threaded eyepiece adapters with C-mount bodies was discussed but not confirmed as tested.