How to Move Old 8mm or 16mm Films to Digital Video (the cheap way)

Transferring film to tape or digital the professional way is a massive undertaking and very expensive. If you have old family memories on old 16mm or old 8mm film, you can move them to the digital domain for very little cost. This process is intended to be as low cost as possible and works. Try this process. the results can be good.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Working film projector
• Film footage
• Digital camera
• Screen or flat white wall

1. Setup the projector.
   Load the film footage.
2. Setup the Screen at close range.
   Use a fairly small projected image for best results at close range.
   Typical Image size can be as small as 20 inches.
   This close range will improve the image brightness.
   Use a flat white wall or proper projection screen.
3. Mount a digital camera as close together as possible to the projection lens.
4. If you have sound footage/projector, move the speaker and microphone as far away as possible from the projector to avoid picking up sound from the projector mechanics.
5. Start the camera, then the projector in total darkness.
   The best time to do this is at night while everyone is asleep to eliminate noise and light issues. Remove all pets from the work area.
6. Once completed, move the digital footage to your computer for evaluation. There you have it. Quick and easy film to video transfer.
   View my tips for film stock information.

Tips & Warnings

• If you need a replacement projector or lamp, they are available on EBAY.COM.
• The most popular formats were.. 8mm, Super-8mm, super-8-sound, 16mm, 16mm-sound
• The difference between 8mm and super8 was that super-8 sprocket holes lined up one per frame, 8mm does not.
• Mount everything on solid stations
• Mount the digital camera as close the projection lens as possible
• Isolate sound as best you can. If you your films are silent ignore sound and replace the audio with music in the digital domain.
• If you buy a projector from ebay, make sure the projector matches your film type.