up: Film Holders
Filmholder technique: Pressured
Filmsize: 35mm
(Taken from the Filmomat website who produces the Autocarrier along with other high quality film processing products.)
The 135 Autocarrier is a system for automated camera scanning. Film is fed through the carrier at an impressive speed of up to three frames per second. Your camera is triggered automatically. Each frame is pressed down and held in place by a magnetic pressure plate made by BOBACH. The same principle and the exact same pressure plates are used in professional Fuji Frontier film scanners. Twenty full-spectrum LEDs provide exceptional color accuracy and even illumination of the full frame. The LED brightness is fixed in a way to allow capture at medium aperture and low ISO, ensuring maximum sharpness and minimal sensor noise.
In automatic mode, our custom designed frame sensor detects and positions each frame on the film strip with pinpoint accuracy, guaranteeing consistent, perfect alignment across every scan. Besides the automatic mode, the Autocarrier can also be used in manual mode, where the film is moved manually using the control panel wheel, which is crafted to deliver exceptional haptic feedback for both precision and speed. The camera can be triggered easily with a dedicated button on the control panel, streamlining the scanning process.
Lastly, the Autocarrier offers a semi-automatic mode. In this mode, the film strip is automatically advanced by a fixed (adjustable) distance after each camera release. Semi-automatic mode is ideal for a rapid workflow when automatic frame detection is challenging - such as with slide film or heavily underexposed frames that are difficult to detect accurately.
Features:
- Impressive speed of up to 3fps (frame per second).* Speed is continuously adjustable down to around 0.8fps.
- Custom frame sensor, which detects and positions each frame with pinpoint accuracy.
- BOBACH full-frame pressure mask for absolute flatness and optimal sharpness.
- Automatic camera trigger via 3-pin 3.5mm jack connector. Adapter cable for your camera is not included!
- Twenty full-spectrum LEDs (CRI > 95, 5000K) for homogeneous illumination and high color accuracy.
- 3+1 modes: Auto, Manual, Semi (Semi-Manual and Semi-Auto).
- Beautifully designed control panel with exceptional haptic feedback.
- Compatible with uncut film and precut strips as short as 3 frames.
Combined with Filmomat’s SmartConvert software and the SmartConvert Control Panel pictures underneath, this system replicates the capabilities of a professional lab scanner.
Description of the operation modes:
- Manual mode: Manually advance the film using the hand wheel and release the camera.
- Auto mode: Just insert the film, and the Autocarrier automatically advances the film, positions the frames and releases the camera. Works best with well exposed negatives.
- Semi-Manual mode: After positioning the first two frames manually, the Autocarrier will save the frame distance. After each press of the camera release button, the Carrier will advance the film by the measured distance. This mode is ideal for slide film or underexposed film where automatic mode does not work properly.
- Semi-Auto mode: This mode uses both automatic frame detection and the measured frame distance. It is the most robust mode which offers reliable automatic operation for most work cases.
Delivery contents:
- 135 Autocarrier
- Autocarrier Control Panel
- 12V Power supply (100-250VAC universal voltage)
- Half-Frame Mask
- Lens hood to avoid stray light (not pictured)
To connect your camera to the Autocarrier you need a 3.5mm jack adapter cable, which is NOT included in the delivery. Please search for "camera model 3.5mm jack trigger cable” to find a suitable cable.
My Thoughts
I think that the development of these kinds of products in the camera scanning space is very cool and that there starts to be a market again for it. I do have could remarks though. I don't like that it is a filmholde AND a light source. I am a big fan of modularity when it comes to film scanning and the facts that i cannot change to a light source of my own choice is for me big disadvantadge. Especially because i heard from the review from Kyle McDougal the evenness of the light source is not consistent. I would love for it that the automatic film carrier system and the light source could be bought separately and that i could only buy the "film carrier" part and use my own light source which is very important to get the most amount of controll and quality out your scans scans. I for example am a fan of flash lights or a collimated ligth setup for my scans. Which is quite advanced but at this pricepoint i can imagine you also want advanced.
Other recources:
Autocarrier quick start guidde: https://youtu.be/wS-S2etA9lU
Thorough review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNEy68KtrGs