8mm Film to DVD and Digital Service

Best 8mm Film Transfers

Convert Your 8mm Films To DVD Or Digital Files Before Its Too Late!

Video Conversion Experts can professionally digitize and restore your memories caught on 8mm film. We use professional equipment to convert your tapes into formats like DVD, BluRay, or editing files. All of our 8mm film transfer services include:  

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!

Film Transfer Pricing

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 8mm Film

What is an 8mm Film?

8mm film, also known as standard 8 or regular 8 film, was created by Kodak in the 1930s during the Great Depression. It was introduced as a home movie format that was less expensive than 16mm film. Giving consumers the ability to start capturing their priceless memories at an affordable price point.    

What Is The Resolution Of 8mm Film?

Many people think that because 8mm film is old that is has lower resolution and quality compared to VHS and DVD. Not true. 8mm film not only has more resolution than VHS (240 lines) and DVD (480) but has more than HD resolution. We’ve done a lot of HD vs 2K comparisons of 8mm film and we can get about 30% more details from a 2K scan compared to an HD scan. The test is very repeatable. The only time we didn’t see the additional detail was when a customer had shot the footage completely out of focus which makes sense. So, 8mm film resolution falls between our Pro HD and Pro 2K scan. Therefore we recommend the 2K scan for 8mm film. Sometimes customers will ask if they should do a 4K scan. No. We see no advantage to a 4K scan for 8mm film. We’ve done a few tests there and don’t see any difference. We do have people doing documentaries on old actresses or actors that have 8mm footage. We have scanned 8mm footage of JFK, Dick Van Dyke, Rose Marie, The Monkees and Marilyn Monroe at 4K for various customers doing documentaries just because they didn’t want any question when it came to quality.

What Is The Difference Between 8mm and Super 8 Film?

There are 4 main difference between standard 8mm film and Super 8 film. Their sprocket holes, spool size, frame size, and picture quality. 

Sprocket Size: The sprocket holes on a 8mm film are more square and are closer to the edge of each frame. While Super 8 sprocket holes are more elongated and smaller. 

Spool Size: The center hole on an 8mm film reel is much smaller than on a Super 8 film role. 8mm vs 13mm’s respectively.    

Frame Size: Generally speaking, the frame size of Super 8 film is about 50% larger than a 8mm frame. 

Picture Quality: Because the frame size of Super 8 film is significantly larger than regular 8 film. The picture quality and available lines of resolution is also significantly better on Super8 film.  

Do Costco or Walmart Have a High Quality 8mm Film Transfer Service?

No. Both Costco and Walmart do a standard definition (480 line) transfer using a modified projector and camcorder setup. In fact, Costco and Walmart don’t even do the work. It is subcontracted out to a company called Yes Video for 3 cents/ft. Yes, 3 cents/ft. How do we know this? Video Conversion Experts tried to get their business years ago and we were told that they would only pay 3 cents/ft. For 3 cents/ft all you can do is hire someone at minimum wage to run a projector and capture the image using a camcorder. It’s like this. Let’s say someone wanted you to email them a digital image of a physical picture they knew you had. You decided to try 2 methods. First you took a picture of the photograph using your phone for method 1. You then put the picture on a flatbed scanner and scanned it for method 2. When you compare them you easily see that the picture that was scanned looks identical to the photograph in every way (color, detail, lighting). The picture you took on your phone has reflections, the color doesn’t look very true and the detail is terrible compared to the original photograph. This is the difference between Costco’s and Walmart’s 8mm film transfer service and Video Conversion Experts service. In addition, Video Conversion Experts offers both high resolution scans (up to 4K – 3112 lines) and 4 different types of restoration to make your film look even better. 8mm film scanned by Video Conversion Experts will look 2-3 times better than what you can get from Costco or Walmart.

My 8mm Film Smells Like Vinegar. Can I Still Digitize Them?

The straightforward answer is that it depends. The smell is called vinegar syndrome and it indicates that the film is in its last stage of degradation. The first thing you want to do is take the film out of the container (box, case, tin) and set it flat on a table. If the film on the reel is still in a nice circle like the day it was put on there that’s a good sign. Even if it smells like vinegar it might be at the very beginning of the process. If the film is in the shape of an octagon (or no longer in a nice circle) that is a bad sign. Once vinegar syndrome starts it accelerates the degradation in this last stage. The next test is to unroll about 4-5 feet of film. If the film is stuck together and you can’t unroll it that is another bad sign. If you can unroll it lay it on the table. If the film looks relatively flat it can probably still be scanned. But if the film won’t lay flat without putting pressure on it then it is unlikely it can be scanned. One thing that degrades film quicker is having it in an air tight container (metal tin or plastic reel case). When the vinegar syndrome starts it builds up this gas and degrades the film faster. If the can is vented (has a few holes in it) then that gas can escape. We often get in orders that have both film in Kodak boxes and film in tins. The film in the boxes is always in better condition. That is because air can get in and out of the box but cannot easily get in and out of the metal tin or plastic case. So, our advice to anyone with film that does not smell like vinegar is to drill a few holes in any 5” to 7” diameter film case to allow it to breath to delay the vinegar syndrome.

I've Scanned My 8mm Film to DVD Already. Is It Worth Re-Scanning It Today?

Absolutely. DVD only has about 1/3 the resolution of your film even though your film is much older. It’s like the early days of digital cameras. Digital cameras came out in the late 90’s but they didn’t surpass 35mm film cameras in terms of quality for about 20 years! So, before your 8mm film gets too old you want to get everything out of it that you can. We recommend a 2K (1556 line) scan of your film in order to get 100% of the details. In addition, we have physical and digital restoration technology that allows us to correct and improve the quality of your old 8mm film. For example, we can hide most of the scratches and remove most of the film grain. That by itself gives you a much cleaner and clearer image from the original film.

How Do I Find The Best Quality 8mm Film Transfer Company?

Most customers call us wanting the best quality but don’t know what to look for when calling film transfer companies. There are just a few things you need to ask. Because the average age of 8mm film is 50 to 70 years old the film has shrunk enough that the sprocket holes are closer together than they were originally. Playing the film through a projector or transferring it on a machine that uses the sprocket holes will damage the film. Sometimes it will damage it severely and you will lose some of the content. So, the first thing you want to ask the company is if they are using a sprocket-less professional scanner. These scanners do not use the sprocket holes to move the film through and will not damage the 8mm film during a film scan and conversion. The 2nd question you want to ask is if the 8mm film scanner they use can scan at 2K (1556 lines) or above. The reason you want to ask this is because in order to get 100% of the details form the film you will need it to be scanned at 2K resolution. This will ensure you get 100% of the quality. Lastly, you want to ask the company what types of film restoration they offer. Beyond the sprocket-less scanners and the resolution, the 2 things that impact the 8mm film conversion quality the most are the left-over film grain, scratches and surface damage. Meaning, the image quality is much worse because of the large film grain of 8mm film and any scratches and surface damage from running the film through a projector. The best 8mm film conversion companies will be able to remove film grain, scratches and surface damage. So, these are some things you will want to ask any company doing film conversions so that you can decide which company would give you the best quality 8mm film transfer.

Transferring Your Films Before It's Too Late

At this point some of your priceless memories caught on 8mm film can be close to 80 years old. They’ve probably started to degrade, shift in color to blue or red, and might even be damaged beyond repair. Meaning your precious memories caught on 8mm 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 8mm 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 8mm 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 8mm film digitizing services the industry has to offer.      

A Few Quick Facts About 8mm Film

Ready To Get Started?

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