Retro video camera combines 4K technology with Super 8 soul

Oh, Super 8 film cameras…were limited to 3 minute cassettes that had to be sent back for processing, which cost about $20 each. Hey, why not make a video camera inspired by those Super 8s? That’s what the Aura6 is, and does It actually has an interesting selling point.

Currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, the Aura6 is being developed by a Portuguese startup of the same name. It looks a lot like a Super 8 film camera from the ’80s, but instead of recording to celluloid film cassettes, it records 4K footage to an included 8GB SD card.

In classic Super 8 style, footage is recorded at a frame rate of 18fps and a 4:3 aspect ratio, plus the lens and image processing software help give the video a retro warmth, softness and graininess. Furthermore, the footage is recorded. without audio, although you can shoot with sound if you pay for an optional shotgun microphone that mounts to the top of the camera and connects via a 3.5mm jack.

To enhance the Super 8 experience, users can select a mode in which they are limited to recording shots that last no longer than six seconds each. While this was not the case with the original Super 8 cameras, users did They generally try to make short takes, due to the cost of the film.

The designers suggest that this mode is good for encouraging users to “capture intentional moments rather than filming everything continuously.”

Regardless of whether or not the six-second mode is used, all clips are assembled in the order they were recorded, to form three-minute digital reels. Pressing the New Roll button saves one roll and allows the user to begin recording another. The saved rolls can then be uploaded to the user’s smartphone.

And although shots can be aligned through an optical viewfinder, there’s no screen to preview/review shots.

So… no screen, no sound, grainy video and having to start a new project every three minutes of footage. What’s the advantage over just recording videos on your phone?

“Old home videos give a feeling that’s hard to recreate. Those imperfect, spontaneous moments that somehow seem more real than perfectly shot footage on a smartphone,” Aura6 says on its Kickstarter page. “A camera designed to capture memories as they happen, without overthinking, editing or chasing perfection.”

Apparently, it is not the only company that thinks the same. Previous attempts at Super 8 digital cameras included the Fragment 8, CS-8 and Bee. There was also the Lumenati CS1 videography case, which allowed users to record with their iPhone. as if It was a Super 8 film camera.

Assuming the Aura6 makes it to production, a $189 Kickstarter pledge will get you one. The expected retail price is $249.

Sources: Kickstarter, Aura6