Video Transfer Boston

Just discovered a case of old 8mm film reels in your parents’ attic? How to choose from the film transfer services that are out there? Here are some criteria to consider to get the best quality from your aged and fragile 8mm film reels to DVD.

8mm Transfer Service Criteria (ask each service you evaluate these questions):

• Do you do the work in-house? When you deal with irreplaceable family media such as film reels, video tapes, slides, it’s safest if the media stays in the service location instead of getting shipped to India or even to another state.
• Do you have a dedicated lab? This is a better question than “Do you use professional equipment?” What’s wrong with the latter question is that everyone will say yes, they do, even if it’s an equipment they purchase from Best Buy intended for consumers. When your 8mm or 16mm film is transferred in a dedicated lab, you can be sure, this is a bonafide operation and not a hobbyist basement moonlighting gig.
• Is the transfer method Frame-by-Frame? Frame-by-frame telecine transfer is the best way to transfer old 8mm film reels. However, only the most selective labs do it this way. Many labs project the film on the wall, then record it from a camera. This method of transferring film ‘over the air’ causes flickering and inferior quality resolution. Frame-by-frame 8mm transfer gives you the best quality transfer because each tiny frame on the 8mm film is captured on a photocell, often with an integrated camera, then digitized together into one flicker-free high quality transfer. The keyword here is: Frame by Frame.
• Is the camera a 1CCD or 3CCD? The camera used to capture each frame makes a big difference to the end results. 3CCD cameras have 3 chips to capture colors in more vibrant and true form. Ask the lab if they use a 3CCD camera instead of the standard single-chip cameras.

Below is an image of the same frame from an 27-year old 8mm film. See the difference? You only want to pay for your film transfer once, make it a stellar job.


Frame-by-Frame vs. Tradition Film Transfer:
A traditional film transfer produces interlaced frames (the blur frame in the middle).
A frame by frame film transfer produces non-interlaced frames (Frame 1, and 2).

My name’s Myrtha, we are a family business transferring precious film reels for families in the Boston area. Call me at (617) 901 4564 about any of your 8mm or 16mm film to DVD transfer questions.

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