DEVELOPMENT DIARY · PROTOTYPE READY
FRÄNK
Film Processor

Develop Super 8, Double 8, and 16mm at home. Automatically.

Frank is a project to build a semi-automatic, time-compensated motorized film processor for Super 8, Double 8, and 16mm. You pour the chemistry. Frank handles agitation, timing, and temperature compensation. Join the conversation, get build updates, and follow the journey from prototype to production.

Get Build Updates How It Works
The story

Cine development has been stuck since the 1980s.

Lomo UPB-1A film tank with reel

For people wanting to develop Super 8, Double 8, or 16mm at home, the options are thin. The Lomo UPB-1A tank is the most common starting point, but it has been out of production since the Soviet era. Finding one means hunting the used market. The workflow is entirely manual. You agitate by hand, watch a stopwatch, and try to keep temperature consistent throughout the process. Results depend on your technique, and consistency between rolls is hard to maintain.

Let's change that.

Frank is the first standalone film processor that automates home cine development.

Frank automates agitation, timing, and temperature compensation. A motor drives continuous rotation while a built-in sensor reads the chemistry temperature and adjusts development time on the fly. The only manual steps are loading the reel and pouring chemistry in and out. From the first frame to the last, the prototype measured log 0.01 to 0.02 density variance, being effectively uniform. The whole process runs on under one litre of chemistry. Super 8, Double 8, and 16mm in one machine.

Frank film processor internal components
How it works

How Frank works

FIRMWARE

Reads the temperature, adjusts the time

A sensor reads the actual chemistry temperature. The firmware adjusts development time on the fly. You don't have to hit ECN-2's 41°C exactly. Frank corrects for what's actually inside. Same philosophy that powers AGO Film Processor.

AGITATION

Motor-driven continuous rotation

A motor turns the reel without stopping. No manual rhythm to maintain, no sloshing, no aeration. End-to-end density variance on the prototype measured log 0.01 to 0.02. Effectively uniform from the first frame to the last.

GEOMETRY

Vertical reel, half-submerged

The double-spiral reel sits upright with only half its surface in chemistry at any moment. The geometric move that makes continuous motorized agitation work on cine film. It also cuts chemistry volume in half, how Frank fits a full process into less than one litre. Full submersion is available for users who prefer it.

FLUID HANDLING

Chemistry in through the funnel, out through the valve

Chemistry enters through a funnel at the top and drains through a valve at the bottom. No rubber hose. No lifting. No tilting. Pours and drains stay in your hands by design. Everything between them is automatic.

Specifications

Specs

FORMAT & CAPACITY

Formats
SUPER 8 · DOUBLE 8 · 16MM
Capacity
2 × 15 m (8MM, 16MM)
Reel
VERTICAL DOUBLE-SPIRAL
Compatibility
LOMO UPB-1A

PROCESS CONTROL

Agitation
CONTINUOUS MOTOR
Temperature
SENSOR + FW COMPENSATION
Density variance
LOG 0.01–0.02
Chemistry
< 1 L · C-41 · ECN-2 · ECP · B&W

PHYSICAL & POWER

Power
USB-C · BATTERY
Noise
KITCHEN-COUNTER QUIET
Warranty
2 YEARS
Origin
MADE IN ESTONIA

Frank does not heat chemistry. It senses temperature and adjusts time. Pre-warm to your target in a water bath.

2026
Crowdfunding

LIVE ON
INDIEGOGO
SUMMER 2026

Subscribers get build updates, first access to the campaign, and the early-bird pricing window before it opens to the public.

Reserve a spot
PROTOTYPE VALIDATED · INDUSTRIAL DESIGN IN PROGRESS
Build diary

Blog

Frank is being built in the open. Prototype tests, design decisions, and dead ends, written up as they happen.

ENTRY #001 2026-04-26

Project Frank, introducing what we're building

The next logical move after AGO. Concept, first prototype, and what we're solving for.

Read →
Community

Talk to the people building it

Ask questions, share ideas, follow the build in real time. We're figuring this out together.

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FAQ

Frequently asked

When does Frank ship?

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Crowdfunding launches Summer 2026 on IndieGoGo. Delivery target Q4 2026.

How much will it cost?

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€1,185 retail, all-in. VAT and worldwide shipping included. IndieGoGo backers get an early-bird discount before public launch.

Will it work with my Lomo reel?

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Yes. Frank accepts the Lomo UPB-1A double-spiral reel with included adapters. The IndieGoGo campaign will offer a few options. One with our own reel design, and one for users who already own a Lomo reel. More details coming closer to launch.

Does Frank heat the chemistry?

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No. Frank senses chemistry temperature and adjusts development time to compensate. You pre-warm chemistry to your target in a water bath, then pour it in.

We are planning a dedicated heating pad accessory that attaches directly to the processor for longer processes like E-6, where maintaining temperature over multiple steps matters most. Details on availability and whether it will be part of the IndieGoGo campaign are coming later.

What chemistries does it support?

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C-41, ECN-2, ECP, B&W reversal, B&W negative.

What about 35mm motion picture film?

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Frank is built for 8mm and 16mm. 35mm cine is a different scale and not supported.

How is this different from AGO?

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AGO is built for photographic film. 35mm, 120, and other still formats. Frank is a dedicated machine for cine film, enabling Super 8, Double 8, and 16mm formats that AGO cannot process. Same time-compensation innovation, different format domain.

What is AGO? →

Build in public

How can you help?

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Comment on our blog posts or talk to the team in Discord.

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Get in touch

Questions about Frank? Send us a message or email directly at info@vintagevisual.eu

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