Convert 8mm Film. What is the Difference Between Scanning and Transferring?

Terms for Digitizing 8mm Film

Converting 8mm film to other formats for viewing without a projector results in many new terms. Some digital conversion terms are synonymous with each other. Others define individual steps in the process. Some terms overlap. Different vendors even use terms differently.

Some customers want to know details about the process, and others just want it finished. To understand the conversion process, the following are definitions and descriptions of common terms.

Broad Terms:

1. Conversion. Consider solar power conversion to electricity, which requies a completely different format of energy. In that sense, converting 8mm film to digital requires that a completely different video format. Converting 8mm film to mp4 requires several steps. MP4 is one of many formats that the film conversion produces.
2. Copy. Most people don’t convert video regularly, often referring to copying 8mm film because they are unfamiliar with the industry language. Copying film to another format is not possible.

Synonymous Terms:

The following terms are used synonymously and describe the idea of producing a digital video file from 8mm film. Some terms refer to the entire film conversion process and some of them technically refer to steps within the process.

This is not an exhaustive list.

1. Convert 8mm film to digital.
2. Transfer 8mm film to digital.
3. Scan 8mm film to digital.
4. Digitize 8mm film.
5. Make DVDs from 8mm film.
6. Copy 8mm film to DVD.

Behind the Scenes Terms:

1. Capture
2. Encode
3. Export

Convert Film to Digital

Converting 8mm film to digital, or 8mm film conversion, covers the entire process from reel to digital, involving several steps. Capturing video from the film is the first step, usually done via scanning. After capturing film via scanning, the software exports the scans into a video file and encodes it into a specific digital format after editing for quality. Encoded files are the final product of the conversion process. Customers recieve digital files on USBs, external hard drives, or via the cloud.

DIgitize 8mm Film

“Transfer 8mm film to digital” is synonymous with “convert” as described above, but “transfer” is slightly nuanced. Technicians do not actually transfer film, they capture the film image and store it digitally. “Conversion” and “digitize” are more exact and encompassing terms, although slang uses “transfer” nterchangeably on the street.

Scan Film to Digital

Similar to “transfer” and “convert”, “scan” can refer to the entire conversion process but is actually one step in the process, not the entire process. As mentioned, capturing the film frames is conversion’s first step, not the entire process. While often asked, “Do you scan 8mm film”, referring to a total product, scanning is just one step in the process. 8mm film is composed of many frames (thousands, depending on the size of the reel).

Today’s best practice for capturing film is to scan it frame by frame, resulting in a collection of thousands of images. Professional scanning equipment adjusts the quality (resolution), size, light, and color during film scanning.

Digitize Film

Like ‘converting 8mm film’ to digital, digitizing encompasses the entire process from reel to file. Technically, digitizing happens during the scan step which enables the creation of usable files. The term almost always refers to the entire conversion process in daily language.

DVDs Are Still Available

For those who desire DVD-based videos, technicians burn digitized 8mm film to DVDs. Technically speaking, there is no way to copy film to a DVD without digitizing it in first.

Capture 8mm Film

As discussed above, capturing 8mm film, usually through scanning, is the first of several steps in the conversion process. Most of the time, equipment, investment, and skill used revolve around the capture step of the process. Once captured, video software edits the film like any digital file. The next step after capture is export.

Export 8mm Film

Captured, or scanned, 8mm film produces thousands or even tens of thousands of images so that the film may be processed. In order to edit captured images, they are exported via computer software into digital video files such as Apple ProRes 422 or mp4.

Encode 8mm Film

Exported 8mm film can now be edited, framed, and adjusted. After editing, the process to complete those edits and produce the customer’s desired file format (usually mp4) is called encoding. Encoding software often has hundreds of formats to choose from, with many options for each format.

Scanning and Transferring 8mm Film: Get Started

1. Call or text 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)
4. In a week or less, pick up your new digitized video.