8mm Forum: Converting 8mm film to DVD format ?

This is topic Converting 8mm film to DVD format ? in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=006946

Posted by Richard Ebner (Member # 2968) on March 05, 2012, 02:57 PM:

I have a bunch of old 8mmm and super 8 mm film that I want to digitize and share copies with my family.

What are the best methods for making the conversion and what is the cost to make the conversion? I think my preference is to have a service do the digitizing rather than buy the equipment to do it myself( It would probably never get it done). Does anyone out there have a suggested service that they can recommend or suggest?
I have tried Costco' service on about 150 ft( 3 rolls) for a cost of about 18$. However , the DVD I got back from Costco was locked and I could not edit the DVD nor make copies. So, I am looking for something more user friendly.
I am using an iMAC running Snow Leopard .

Thx for what ever suggestions you might have to offer.
Regards, Richard Ebner

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on March 05, 2012, 04:30 PM:

Richard...I don't have any specific transfer service to recommend since I do my own transfers...however for the best quality choose a vendor that does it with a frame-by-frame system opposed to a realtime time projection system. In addition to having DVDs made, have the original files transferred to a hard drive for archiving or future editing. You will be preserving the images at a higher quality since standard DVDs are a compressed format....not the highest quality.

Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on March 05, 2012, 04:31 PM:

I looked into Costco to transfer 8mm film and found that they are inexpensive ($0.11 per foot) but you get what you pay for. I heard bad things about the quality of their transfers on another forum. A good HD transfer can cost around $0.35 per foot.

You may want to contact Roger at Movie Stuff, they build high quality transfer equipment and do transfers. If they can't do it for you they should be able to recommend someone.

Posted by Joe Taffis (Member # 4) on March 05, 2012, 04:57 PM:

I can recommend INTEGRATED IMAGING in Wyoming. They have all the info on their website. They did some transfer work for me and I was very pleased with the quality.

Posted by Claus Harding (Member # 702) on March 05, 2012, 05:39 PM:

I have had wonderful (and affordable) results with this gentleman from Northern Virginia. His name is Tom Houston and he uses the Workprinter XP setup (frame by frame digital scanning):

http://www.filmmaker8.com/

You can have a choice of either Regular Def or HD (or both) to download from his server when he has done the transfers.

He made some transfers for me off Kodachrome Reg-8 films from about 1962 and they looked great. I can recommend him without reservation.

Claus.

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2