Looking to Buy a Used 8mm Film Scanner – Professional Quality Preferred

[Steve Melnick]

I am looking for a used 8mm film scanner
Hello,

I'm currently in the market for a used 8mm film scanner, ideally a frame-by-frame system capable of delivering high-quality digital transfers. I run a professional media digitization company and am looking to expand our film transfer services with a reliable scanning solution for Regular 8mm and Super 8 film.

I'm not interested in consumer-grade devices (like Wolverine or Reflecta) — I’m seeking a professional or semi-professional machine that prioritizes image quality, film safety, and consistent frame capture. Ideally, the scanner should output either image sequences (TIFF, PNG) or high-bitrate video (ProRes, uncompressed AVI, etc.), and if it includes audio capture, that’s a huge plus.

Here’s what I’m looking for in general:

Supported formats: Regular 8mm and Super 8

Capture method: Frame-by-frame (not real-time projection-to-video)

Output options: Image sequences (TIFF preferred), ProRes MOV, or other high-quality formats

Condition: Used, but fully functional — I’m open to doing minor repairs or upgrades if needed

Brands/Models I’m considering:

MovieStuff Retro-8 / Retro-8 Pro


Müller Framescanner or equivalent

Filmfabriek Pictor or similar (if used/within budget)

Any DIY/custom-built machine that was designed with pro-quality output in mind



I’m willing to pay for shipping or arrange freight for the right scanner. If you’re a university, archive, transfer house, or private individual with an unused or upgraded unit sitting idle, I’d love to hear from you.

Please reach out with details including:

Make/model

Condition

Photos or video of the unit in operation

Any included accessories or software

Your asking price

[Stan Jelavic]

The Wolverine Hawkeye mod that I put together produces a pretty decent video but I would not recommend it for you because the Wolverine is pretty cheaply made and could give you issues in a long run.
There are many DIY machines done here in the forum where people modify the standard projector for the frame by frame transfers. Essentially you add a stepper motor, trigger mechanism, LED with the diffuser and change the lens to a 50mm lens. Let me know if you need more details.

[Nantawat Kittiwarakul]

Whatever your decision is, NEVER EVER CONSIDER MovieStuff Retro-8 / Retro-8 Pro, period. See the sticky post...