While the Nolab digital Super 8 cartridge concept designed to get digital footage out of film cameras may never see the light of day, if you're looking for something in a similar style, a new camera from Japan looks like it will at least partially fulfill the promise. Chinon is showing off what they are calling the Bellami HD-1, a new camera which will apparently shoot 1080p and be capable of taking all sorts of 8mm lenses. Click through for more on this interesting-looking camera.

Thanks to Wide Open Camera for the heads up on this, here is a little bit from Personal View user IronFilm:

About US$830 (80,000 Yen), which puts it too close to a BMPCC in price I think for this to be a competitive choice (unless Chinon manages something unexpected). Am hoping it at least has a CCD global sensor like the D16 which is its main competition? But I would take a guess it is more like to have a typical compact point and shoot camera sensor in it instead. Perhaps we should instead be expecting something more along the lines of the C mount modded GoPro in terms of what this Bellami HD-1 will be like?

Other info: Will go on sale in just a few weeks (mid March). Says D, C, CS, and M42 mount is supported? (with adapters)

Chinon actually used to make these kinds of cameras years ago, but they have had an interesting past, and were actually owned by Kodak at one point. It seems to be a new company now that just shares the same name, but they are still involved with camera products -- with the Bellami HD-1 being a return to the company's roots.

Who knows if this will actually be released outside of Japan. The answer just might be no, but if you've got a ton of these lenses sitting around, it could certainly be a fun toy to play with. People are going to make fun of the design and call it ridiculous, but if you're shooting video with a tiny camera, this makes a lot of sense (and it looks like the handle is removable). You're going to get much more stable footage as you increase points of contact with your body -- and this design actually lets you operate in a way similar to the trick that can get you steadier GoPro footage.

Check out the links below for more information.

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[via Wide Open Camera]