Filmfabriek Muller HDS 4k Archive Film Scanner

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FilmFabriek consists of a team of film enthusiasts, who created the Muller HDS : the one of the first sprocketless frame-by-frame filmscanner to digitize film. The only filmscanner with wetgate for all supported formats. This method makes old film look like ‘fresh film’ again!

All our scanners are modular, the scanners can be adjusted to all needs. For example, the camera can be changed for future models. This ensures a competitive business model which is future proof.

LED lighting is specifically designed for capturing analogue film. On-the-fly RGB gamma correction will ensure the maximum dynamic range in the captured film.

The adjustable color balanced lighting can be set for all types of film, including color negative film.

The simple to use restoration software will further increase the quality of the scanned footage. Dirt removal, sharpening, stabilization are done with simple clicks.

FilmFabriek is a Dutch based company with clients all over the world. All our filmscanners are designed, build and tested in The Netherlands. We focus on research & development, to offer innovative products and solutions to our clients. All parts are designed by our team, to ensure the best quality and availability.

Muller HDS

The Muller HDS offers sprocketless frame-by-frame scanning. The wetgate module supports all film formats. The only scanner which offers wetgate for formats from 8mm up to 16mm.

With the adjustable LED lighting, all films can be easily captured, from regular/super 8 to color negative/reversal 16mm. The modular scanner is future proof, cameras can be changed.

The Muller HDS is used by renowned film archives, professional film studios and scanning/digitization companies worldwide.

The Muller HDS is designed without sprockets and grabbers. All films can be caputered, from fresh film to the most fragile and shrunken film. PTR rollers are included to remove dust and dirt from the film.

Basic features

  • Wetgate for 8, 9.5 and 16 mm
  • Frame-by-frame scanning
  • Sprocketless transportation for shrunken and damaged film
  • PTR rollers for dirt and dust removal
  • 8mm film gate (r8 and s8), 16mm film gate (r16 and s16), 9.5 Pathé filmgate
  • Reversal and color negative film scanning
  • Transparant film
  • Auto Restoration Software (dust & dirt removal, sharpening, stabilization)
  • Scanner is configurable for hardware and firmware, e.g. new filmgates, lighting, camera, operation
  • Adjustable tension control for fragile film
  • Image output without compression for best quality
  • Reliable, practical and very low maintenance open modular system
  • 1 year warranty
  • Weight: 34,6 kg, height: 76,5 cm, width: 60 cm, depth: 35,5 cm

Specifications

Wetgate

To achieve the best result, wetgate scanning is required. FilmFabriek is the only one to offer wetgate for all formats, including 8mm. With wetgate scanning, old damaged film will look like fresh film again! Wetgate was available on many telecine film scanner. For archives and clients who require the highest quality, wetgate scanning is a must-have.

When a scratch or vertical line in the film emulsion is filled with fluid, light will travel through the film with less refraction. This results in less visibility of damaged parts of the film.

We use standard film cleaner, Isopropanol 99.9%. The high percentage of alcohol ensures that the fluid will evaporate before it winds up on the reel again. We advise the room to be sufficiently ventilated when working with wetgate for longer periods of time.

Our wetgate solution is very simple and cost effective. We advise scanning at about 5-15 frames per second when using wetgate.

General information

When we look at quality we look at multiple factors. The main ones are:

  1. Dynamic range;
  2. Lens quality (in combination with each camera);
  3. Resolution.

We advise to choose cameras with a good dynamic range and an optimal lens. FilmFabriek has tried out many lenses and cameras so we can advise you personally on this. The choice you make will most likely be a trade-off between resolution and speed.​ Our selected cameras are:

Specifications

Because of our modular vision, cameras can be easlly changed. In the current market, cameras develop rapidly.

Every year new exiting cameras are introduced. Because the use of USB 3.0 cameras, FilmFabriek is able to test many cameras. After thorough tests, new cameras are made available to our current and new customers.

We use the best optical solutions. In many cases only the camera body has to be replaced. It is also possible to work with multiple cameras. A type for high speed scanning at lower costs, and a camera, specifically for the professional high end market.

Scanning speed

The actual scanning speed largely depends on the camera you choose. Higher resolution cameras usually have slow capturing speeds. We offer high-speed scanning at full resolution (2048×1536) for 8mm (max 50fps) and for 16mm (max 35 fps).

When scanning with wetgate, we advise scanning at a maximum of 5-15 frames per second. This is the speed where the wetgate fluid will work at its best. It also allows sufficient time for drying the film through evaporation.

Cine2Digits

The Cine2Digits software corrects underexposed scenes automatically du​ring scanning..The software scans the film image first in 16bit utilizing the full dynamic range of the camera which results in maximum information in dark areas. The three color LED automatically exposes the dark scenes as high as possible.

​It is also possible to override the software and do manual corrections in exposure.​

We will pre-install the capturing software and restoration software for you. The system will work turn-key with the scanner on delivery. We use Windows 10 professional with language set to English for remote support by FilmFabriek.

Specifications for scanning

For scanning purposes we advise a minimum of i5 processor and a raid array of disks for fast write times (three/four disks in raid0).

Specification for restoration

For digital restoration software, we advise a minimum of i7 with multi-core processors.

The FilmFabriek workstation can be used for both scanning and digital restoration.

Specifications

  • i7 processor;
  • Multiple Disks in raid 0 (total 6 or more TB);
  • 1x SSD for Operating System;
  • Windows 7 Ultimate;
  • 16Gb memory

Monitor

We advise at least one monitor with preferably the same or higher resolution than the camera you choose. The captured image is shown realtime on screen. You can set the display in any image size but showing the image in its true resolution gives the best quality. Windows will otherwise rescale the on-screen image (only on-screen and not on the actual captured image of course)

Optionally a second monitor with less resolution can be used for the software control windows like the histogram and the auto RGB controls. But there are several customers who use just one monitor.