How to Transfer 8mm to VHS Tape

Following the right method will remove much of the fear and uncertainty you might have about how to transfer those precious, brittle 8mm home movies onto the more durable VHS cassette format--or even digital tape.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 8mm movie projector
• White wall
• Video camera/camcorder

1. Set up the movie projector so it's projecting onto a white wall (or, better yet, an actual movie screen) and thread the desired movie into it.

2. Using a tripod for steadiness, place the VHS/digital camcorder as close to projector as possible, pointing it toward the wall/screen.

3. Turn the projector light on only, and frame the VHS/digital camcorder so that the bright, white, 4:3 rectangle fills the camcorder frame.

4. Run film through the projector and adjust the focus on the camcorder accordingly. (Most camcorders have an auto-focus feature.)

5. Once the focus on the camcorder is set (whether manually or automatically), back the film up and press "Record" on the camcorder. The film's image should fill the camcorder frame fully, and the 8mm film is now being recorded onto VHS or digital video.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the camcorder is as close to the projector as possible, to get as much of a "straight-on" angle as you can. If you're using the camcorder's auto-focus feature, make sure it focuses itself before recording, to ensure the highest-quality transfer. Always ensure that the VHS or digital video tape is at least as long as the movie being transferred.
• Never keep a movie "paused" in the projector too long with the light on; it could literally burn a hole in the film.