The scanner transport is designed for fragile original film.  Film tension is electronically controlled using new proprietary technology and is adjustable over a wide range, from 6 to 30 ounces – constantly displayed on the control monitor. Percentage of film shrinkage is also displayed and constantly updated.  Film movement is continuous, and the scanning speed is adjustable over a wide range. Scanning can be done in either direction, useful for certain types of film damage.

No sprockets, no perforation sensors, real-time image stabilization, and easily upgraded.

“I know there are some archives out there that have the Kinetta, and other scanners, but I can't imagine why you would need another if you have a Kinetta...  This thing keeps blowing my mind.”

.--Dino Everett, Archivist

University of Southern California Hefner Film Archive

Most film scanners and telecines are designed to do one thing – scan modern color negative film – and most of them do that quite well.  Shrunken film, film with torn or missing perforations, black & white film, non-standard formats – well, not so much.

Kinetta Archival Scanners are designed to safely scan film that archives deal with daily. Nitrate, film with torn or missing perforations, film with serious shrinkage – film that can not tolerate sprocket-based or pin-registered transports, small-diameter rollers with edge support, dancer arms, or tight wraps around multiple rollers.  Torn perforations do not need to be repaired before scanning – the film should be cleaned when possible, and existing splice integrity checked, but time-consuming repairs are not necessary.

Kinetta scanners use no sprockets and no conventional rollers. The threading path is short, simple and unvarying – no spring-loaded dancer arms.  All the rollers are three-inch Particle Transfer Rollers, which remove most dust and surface debris from the film. The PTRs fully support the entire width of the film, which prevents small tears from turning into a large rips.

The only other thing the film touches is the curved gate, which greatly improves the handling of warped film. Gates are available for any format between 8mm and 35mm, including 9.5mm, 17.5mm, 22mm, 28mm, and 35/32mm.