What Are the Best Methods for Digitizing 8mm Film?

Several variables must be considered to insure the best method to Digitize 8mm Film. Dozens of combinations of equipment, software, and settings present many options.

Step 1: Capture 8mm Film

To somehow reproduce a strip of film, comprised of individual images, arranged to look like a motion picture, through a projector, and onto a screen (or wall) into a format that can be played on a computer, smart TV, or a DVD is the nontrivial core of the 8mm Film Digitizing process.

For decades, video cameras taped the screens or walls where film was projected. Brilliant for the time, technology leaps over the decades now give us options that dramatically improve the ease and quality for digital film conversion. Not only are film to videotape transfers low quality, but the magnetic tape format is no longer in use and those tapes must now be digitized in order to be useful again.

Beyond the film to videotape option, technology advanced such that projectors could shoot the film directly into digital cameras frame by frame. Today, 8mm film is scanned frame-by-frame with equipment that no longer uses the projectors at all or the sprocket holes. Every frame on the film is digitally captured before being assembled into a digital video file.

Within the frame-by-frame family, there are many levels of quality of the scanning technology from basic ‘quick-and-dirty’ consumer conversions to professional grade options. Most digital film conversion projects convert 8mm film to digital will using 720P or 2k resolutions for normal uses, with additional options as needed.

Step 2: Convert Captured 8mm Film

Using the best-practice conversion method of capturing every frame, all frames (hundreds and even thousands) must be digitally assembled into a video format that can be viewed and edited. During this process, several options can be selected for the output including resolution, frame size, and speed. Be advised that some companies see this as the final step and skip the next two steps.

Step 3: Edit 8mm Film Conversions

Captured film (and videotape, too) needs to be edited in order to produce the best viewing experience for digitized film.

1. The frames on a strip of film are not exactly square, nor is every frame filled completely on all 4 sides. Every film camera uses the film slightly differently, so each frame must be centered both vertically and horizontally and then expanded from 3% to 10% in order to have a clean, crisp border.
2. Generally, all blank space before the start and after the end of usable frames should be trimmed.
3. While some people were excellent videographers, lighting and coloring are often adjusted as well to enhance individual scenes. (Some professionals offer scene by scene lighting adjustment during the capture phase as well).

Thankfully, today’s professional software has the full array of options to address all of these issues for the best transfer experience possible.

Step 4: Select Final Form and Medium

Once all edits have been specified, the captured video is ready for the final digitizing step. Selecting the desired format (usually mp4 or mov, but many others are available), resolution, and medium (USB drive, external hard drive, cloud, etc.) for delivery organizes digitized video into appropriate files and folders.

If desired, 8mm film to DVD can be created from the final, edited video as well. If DVD is chosen, keep in mind that larger projects require multiple DVDs or reduced resolution in order to fit on the disks.

Damaged Film

Film that is 50 to 100 years old can become damaged over time or just plain wears out. Some can be repaired, some skipped, but some can preclude a successful conversion.

Depending on humidity levels during film storage, mold can invade a film collection. Minor mold can be ignored and appears like normal old film wear-and-tear. Severe mold can actually eat in and cover up or actually destroy the cellulose and ink. While the mold can be cleaned off the film, the result is often blank space in the frame, because the mold has already destroyed the ink.

Sprocket holes can be damaged during filming and subsequent projecting. While the sprocket holes are not needed for moving the film through modern scanning equipment, they are used for timing via laser to trigger the scanner as frames pass by.

Film can also be cleaned with special solvent. Most film is not dirty enough to harm the viewing experience. If film is to be used in a professional presentation, cleaning might be an option.

Depending on the storage environment, film can also become brittle over time. Splices can turn to dust and in extreme cases, the film can be so brittle that it cannot hold up in order pass through the scanner, breaking every few inches. While occasional breaks are expected in old film, very brittle film cannot be processed at all. All film eventually becomes this brittle.

Best Methods for Digitizing 8mm Film:  Next Steps

1. Call or text Jamey (About Jamey) at 720 204-5464.
2. Set an appointment (every project receives my individual attention).
3. Drop off your tapes (and records, cassettes, slides, or negatives, too). Check Pricing!

In a week or less, pick up your new digital conversions.