Eight by Two Films

The Parts That Built My 16mm Scanner

How I turned a 1928 projector into a 4K film scanner with a Raspberry Pi.

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🧠 Compute & Storage

Raspberry Pi 5 (16GB)
The brain
→ Pi 5 Power Supply (27W)
Official USB-C — required for full performance
→ microSD Card (32GB+)
Flash Raspberry Pi OS with the Imager
→ Micro-HDMI → HDMI Cable
Pi 5 uses micro-HDMI
→

🎥 Capture

Raspberry Pi HQ Camera
The capture eye
→ Microscope / Macro Lens
Frame-level macro on the gate
→ Pi 5 Camera Cable
Newer narrow connector
→

⚙️ Motion Control

Arduino Uno (ELEGOO)
Motion controller
→ TB6600 Stepper Drivers ×2
Drive the transport + take-up
→ NEMA 17 Stepper Motors ×2
Transport + take-up reels
→ Motor Power Supply (12–24V)
Matched to the TB6600 / NEMA 17
→

🖥️ Live View

7" HDMI Monitor
Live frame view
→ Magic Arm / Rig Mount
Holds the monitor
→

🎞️ The Transport (the heart)

A 1928 film projector — vintage, sourced on eBay / from estate sales. The one part you can't buy new — but any sturdy 16mm projector with a clean film gate works as a transport base.