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16mm Film To DVD And Digital Service

Best 16mm Film Transfers

Free DVD, BluRay or Editing Files
(Up to $100 Value!!)
Order Now
16mm Film Reel

Convert Your 16mm Film To DVD Or Digital Files Before Its Too Late!

Video Conversion Experts can professionally digitize and restore your memories caught on 16mm film. We use professional equipment to convert your tapes into formats like DVD, BluRay, or editing files. All of our 16mm film transfer services include:  

  • Converted using Hollywood film equipment
  • All films are carefully digitized by hand
  • Email updates throughout the transfer process
  • Advanced Restoration Services

What Makes Us The Best

Broadcast Equipment

Transferring your memories with industry leading equipment and technology

Restoration Services

We offer both advanced scratch and grain removal services with stunning results

Professional Formats

Transfer your memories into a wide range of professional and consumer formats

40+ Years Experience

For over 40 years we’ve been digitizing and restoring your memories with care.

Digitized by Hand

Our team of professionals transfer all your precious memories by hand.

Customer Focused

If you're not happy, then neither are we! We'll work hard to make it right!

Choose Process

Price
Per Foot*
  • Scan Resolution

    • Click here for 8mm and Super 8 scan resolution details.

    Click here for 16mm and 35mm scan resolution details.
  • Quality vs. Film

    • Click here for 8mm and 16mm scan resolution details.

    Click here for 16mm and 35mm scan resolution details.
  • Restoration

    • Click here for complete restoration details.
  • Type of Scanner

    • Click here for complete transfer type details.
  • Cost of Machine

    • For more information click here
  • Can Damage Old Film?

    • For more information click here
  • Sound Capture

    • Click here for complete sound transfer details. 
  • Delivery Options

    • Click here for complete delivery options.
Online Quote

SD

25¢
Per Foot
  • SD (480 Lines)

    • This frame by frame machine is the only non professional machine we have. It uses a modified projector and camcorder setup.

    8mm & Super 8 details

    16mm & 35mm details
  • 50-60% Worse

    • 8mm and Super 8 film has around 900 to 1200 lines of resolution per frame. Given the equipment type it will only get around 40-50% of the quality compared to the film.

    8mm & Super 8 details

    16mm & 35mm details
  • Optional

    • Color Correction, Grain Elimination and Stabilization can be added when ordering. Click here for more information.
  • Frame by Frame

    • Click here for complete transfer type details.
  • $3-5K
  • Yes
  • Dual Track Magnetic

    • We can get both audio tracks on Super 8 and 8mm film. Click here for more details.
  • DVD, MP4, AVI, MOV

    • We can make DVDs and 480 lines resolution AVI and MOV files from this process. Click here for more information.
Online Quote
Budget

Pro HD

49¢
Per Foot
  • HD (1080 Lines)
    • This is a professional 1080P motion picture film scanner. 8mm & Super 8 details 16mm & 35mm details
  • 25-30% Worse

    • This transfer will produce quality that is much better than the SD process. It scans at twice the resolution and is a professional scanner compared to the SD machine.

    8mm & Super 8 details

    16mm & 35mm details
  • Optional

    • Color Correction, Grain Elimination and Stabilization can be added when ordering. Click here for more information.
  • Motion Picture Scanner

    • Click here for complete transfer type details.
  • $100K
  • No
  • Dual Track Magnetic

    • We can get both audio tracks on Super 8 and 8mm film. Click here for more information.
  • DVD, BD, AVI, ProRes

    • We can make DVDs and BDs, 480 or 1080 resolution AVI, MOV and MP4 files from this process. Click here for more information.
Online Quote
Good

Pro 2K

69¢
Per Foot
  • 2K (1556 Lines)
    • This is a professional Hollywood DataCine 2K film scanner. 8mm & Super 8 details 16mm & 35mm details
  • As Good**

    • This process will get about 100% of the quality compared to the film. *Above picture includes our optional color correction*

    8mm & Super 8 details

    16mm & 35mm details
  • Optional

    • Color Correction, Grain Elimination and Stabilization can be added when ordering. Click here for more information.
  • Datacine Scanner

    • Click here for complete transfer type details.
  • $200K
  • No
  • Dual Track Magnetic

    • We can get both audio tracks on Super 8 and 8mm film. Click here for more information.
  • HD/2K, MP4, ProRes, DPX

    • We can make DVDs and BDs; SD AVI, MOV and MP4 files; HD/2K AVI, ProRes and DPX files from this process. Click here for more information.
Online Quote
Better

Pro 4K

99¢
Per Foot
  • 4K (3112 Lines)

    • This is a professional DataCine film scanner.

    8mm & Super 8 details

    16mm & 35mm details
  • Better Then Film**

    • This process will get 100% of the quality available on the film and will also allow for output to 4K formats. *Picture above includes our optional color correction.*

    8mm & Super 8 details

    16mm & 35mm details
  • Optional

    • Color Correction, Grain Elimination and Stabilization can be added when ordering. Click here for more information.
  • Datacine Scanner

    • Click here for complete transfer type details.
  • $500K
  • No
  • Dual Track Magnetic

    • We can get both audio tracks on Super 8 and 8mm film. Click here for more information.
  • 2K/4K, MP4, ProRes, DPX

    • We can make DVDs and BDs; SD AVI, MOV and MP4 files; HD/2K/4K AVI, ProRes and DPX files from this process. Click here for more information.
Online Quote
Best
*Scanning per foot cost includes scanning only. This does not include the cost of the output format(s) like DVD*
**The example Pro 2K and Pro 4K picture includes optional color correction**

Film Order Process

Step 1.

Organize & Number

Number the boxes, cans or reels in the best order you can from 1 to X and we’ll follow that order

Step 2.

Choose Your Process

SD Scan
Produces 50-60% Less Quality Than The Film
ProHD
‍Produces 20-25% Less Quality Than The Film
PRO 2K
Scan Produces Video That Is As Good As The Film
PRO 4K
Scan Produces Video That Is Better Than The Film

Step 3.

Choose Your Format

DVD & BluRay
Good For Viewing On TV, Not For Editing
MP4
Good For Viewing Anywhere And Will Last Longer Then DVD/BluRay
AVI, HD-AVI & ProRes
Good For Editing Not For Viewing On TV
DPX
Professional Editing Only

Step 4.

Order Online & Ship

Order Online
Fill out the appropriate order form online and print the invoice.

**You’ll need to include a copy with the order**

Ship With Order Form
Ship film with the order form. We recommend using FedEx or UPS 2-3 Day Air Service

Transferring Your 16mm Film

Can Old 16mm Film be Converted to Digital Files?

Yes. In fact, 16mm has amazing quality (almost twice that of HD video or what they call Ultra HD 4K today). 16mm was primarily used for education and the government starting in the 1930s. It was much more expensive compared to 8mm film and that is why 99% of families chose 8mm film. If you have family footage on 16mm you are extremely lucky. Also, 16mm film holds up better over time because of its size and tensile strength. As it ages and starts to warp it won’t warp as quickly or as much as 8mm film. For 16mm film we recommend the 2K scan which will get about 90% of the details from the film. If you absolutely want 100% of the details, then we recommend the 4K scan. For restoration if the film is color we highly recommend the color/exposure correction followed by grain elimination. In addition, we have a scratch and surface damage and stabilization restoration too but the color/exposure correction and grain elimination usually has the most impact on the final quality you will see. For output most families want something that can be universally easy to view. The most universal format would be 2K or 4K MP4 files. These files will play on a PC, Mac and most smart TVs (either directly or through a laptop – using the TV as the display for the laptop).

How Can I Choose a Good Company to Transfer My 16mm Film?

Because 16mm film is more professional you want to find a professional film scanning company to ensure you get good quality. There is a way to easily identify a professional film scanning company. If the company can scan 16mm and 35mm film up to 4K and uses sprocket-less scanners then they are indeed a professional film scanning company. In contrast, Costco and Walmart offer a 16mm transfer but they don’t scan 35mm film, cannot scan the film at 4K resolution and the machines they use are not sprocket-less machines. The difference between a professional 16mm film scanning company and a amateur scanning company like Costco and Walmart and be night and day. In most cases the professional scanning company will be able to produce video that looks 2-3 times better. In addition, the professional film scanning companies will offer professional restoration like grain removal and professional scratch removal. Costco offers a scratch reduction but don’t be fooled. They are using a diffused light to try and hide the scratch. In practice this reduces the scratches by 10-20%. A professional scratch removal services is using a wet-gate system that uses fluid to fill in the scratches which can remove up to 80-90% of the scratches. Obviously these two scratch removal systems are again light night and day.

Can Running 16mm Film Through a Projector Today Damage it?

Absolutely. Film shrinks over time. Most 16mm film we see is about 60 to 80 years old. Over that time period the film has shrunk about 1 millimeter (mm) both vertically and horizontally. The problem with this is that the sprocket holes on the side are about 1mm closer together. A projector uses a metal claw (picture?) that reaches up for the next hole. When it isn’t in the right place the metal claw carves itself into the film and will either break the hole or catch the film getting it stuck inside the gate. This will damage the film for sure (insert picture from lower left of home page). Most low-end non professional film scanning companies (including Costco and Walmart) use a sprocket driven projector or machine. These machines have the same problem. 16mm film should never be run through a project driven machine.  The only way to avoid this damage is to run the film through a professional sprocket-less machine. You can figure out which companies are using professional sprocket-less machines by asking if they can scan film (including 16mm and 35mm film) up to 4K and if they are using a sprocket-less machine. If the answer to both is yes and you can actually choose a 4K scan on their order form then they are a professional 16mm film scanning company that will not damage the film.

Transferring Your Film Before It's Too Late

16mm film is old…. like released in 1923 old, and unfortunately the years have not been good to your priceless memories. Odds are they’ve started to degrade, shift in color to blue or red, and might even be damaged beyond repair. Meaning your precious memories caught on 16mm film are at risk of being lost forever. Now is the best time to get them transferred onto a medium like DVD or into digital files like MP4 or AVI. With a 16mm film to DVD or digital service like the ones provided by us at Video Conversion Experts, you can enhance your memories with advanced color correction and broadcast-quality equipment. Giving you the opportunity to relive your memories with your family and friends at a quality level that our competitors don’t even bother offering. At the end of the day, your 16mm films won’t be around forever and if you want to relive your past with generations to come, Video Conversion Experts offers the highest quality 16mm film digitizing services the industry has to offer.      

A Few Quick Facts About 16mm Film

  • 16mm Film Was First Introduced By Kodak in 1923
  • 16mm Film Was Used Extensively During WW2
  • 16mm Film Was Later Replaced By 8mm Film in 1932

Ready To Get Started?

Place Your Order Today And Relive Your Memories For A Lifetime!

Order Now