Frequently Asked Questions
- General Questions
- Old Movie Film Transfer Questions
- Video and Video Tape Transfer Questions
- Slide and Photo Scanning Questions
- Post Production Questions
- Shipping and Packing Questions
- Groupon Questions
Film Transfer Questions
- What type of film do I have?
- How can I tell the difference between 8mm and Super 8mm film?
- How can I tell how many feet of film I have and how many minutes it is?
- What order will my film be transfered in?
- Why does my box of film say 25 feet but there is 50 feet inside?
- How can I tell if my film has sound on it?
- Can you transfer film with sound?
- How do you transfer sound on movie film?
- Do you have a film cleaning service if my film is dirty?
- I want to know more about your "Film Dust Bust-R™ technology!"
- What is color correction and how will it benefit my old film?
- What is the difference between 8mm film (movie film) and 8mm tape?
- What is 2K film scanning?
- Can you transfer film negatives?
- Can you transfer color reversal film?
- Can you process undeveloped film?
- Can you transfer very old or broken film?
- Can you transfer deteriorated film that smells like vinegar? (celluloid triacetate syndrome)
- Can you transfer film that was shot out of focus, blurry, double exposed, or shot out of frame?
- What's the difference between Professional Frame by Frame Hi-Definition and Spirit HD?
- How much film can fit on a DVD?
- How much film can fit on a Blu-ray?
What type of film do I have?
Regular 8mm FilmRegular 8mm film was developed by the Eastman Kodak company in 1932 as a way of creating an affordable movie format to the home consumer. Please notice that the size of the holes in regular 8 are larger than that of Super 8. It is possible to have regular 8 film with sound but it is very rare.  |
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Super 8mm FilmIn 1965 Super 8mm film was developed as an improvement over regular 8mm film. Improvements included a 50% larger frame size, smaller sprocket holes, and enhanced image capturing characteristics. It is still used today for capturing video for those who like Super 8’s inherent image quality.  |
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Super 8mm Sound FilmThis type of film is very similar to Super 8 but it contains a “burnt orange” strip opposite of the sprocket holes that has magnetic sound information. About 5-8% of Super 8 film has sound on it.  |
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16mm Silent Film16mm film was developed in 1923 as a less expensive alternative to 35mm film. This format was popular with home movie enthusiasts, commercial entities, and governmental agencies alike.  |
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16mm Optical Sound Film16mm film with optical sound is just like regular 16mm film with the exception that you will notice a strip with an optical waveform on the side of the film instead of sprocket holes.  |
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16mm Magnetic Sound Film16mm film with magnetic sound is just like regular 16mm film with the exception that you will notice a “burnt orange” or “greenish” magnetic strip on one side of the film instead of sprocket holes.  |
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| Super 8 Reel Hub |  |
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| Regular 8mm and 16mm Reel Hub |  |
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How can I tell the difference between 8mm and Super 8mm film?
Please look closely at the chart above. You will notice that Super 8mm film has smaller sprocket holes than 8mm which correspondingly also gives it a 50% larger frame size. This is why Super 8mm is superior in quality to 8mm film.
How can I tell how many feet of film I have and how many minutes it is?
Please use our film to digital Calculator to determine total footage. A 3” diameter reel is 50ft, 4” 100ft, 5” 200ft, and 7” 400ft. To determine footage on larger reels (16mm only), look on the engravings on the reel itself.
| Reel Diameter | Film Length | 8mm | S8 | 16mm (24fps runs faster) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3" | 50 ft | 4 - 5 mins | 3 - 4 mins | 1 - 2 mins |
| 4" | 100 ft | 8 - 10 mins | 6 - 8 mins | 3 - 4 mins |
| 5" | 200 ft | 17 - 19 mins | 10 - 14 mins | 7 - 8 mins |
| 6" | 300 ft | 25 - 27 mins | 18 - 20 mins | 11 - 12 mins |
| 7" | 400 ft | 32 - 35 mins | 25 - 28 mins | 14 - 16 mins |
| 8" | 600 ft | 45 - 50 mins | 33 - 35 mins | 21 - 23 mins |
| 9" | 800 ft | 60 mins | 50 mins | 29 - 31 mins |
| 10" | 1,000 ft | 90 mins | 70 mins | 36 - 38 mins |
If you are unsure of the size of your film, you can use the Reel Size Form, which will give you the size, length, and approximate run time of your film.
What order will you transfer my film onto DVD?
We will transfer your film into an order that you specify if you number the reels or put them into numbered groups. If you do not number the reels we will transfer them in a random order.
Why does my box of film say 25 feet but there is 50 feet inside?
“Double Roll” film was sold as 25 feet of 16mm film. Certain cameras would take this film and shoot on only one edge of the film. When the film was finished, the camera man would turn reel over and shoot on the other edge of the film. The finalized film would then be split down the middle to make a fifty foot reel.
How can I tell if my film has sound on it?
Please refer to the question What type of film do I have? for pictures of each type of film. Super 8mm film with sound has a magnetic strip running the length of the film opposite of the sprocket holes. This thin strip can be described as having a “burnt orange” or “golden brown” appearance. It can also have a purplish hue. 8mm film can also have sound but it is very rare to see examples of this type of film. 16mm film is unique in that it can have optical sound, magnetic sound, or no sound at all. Magnetic sound on 16mm film has a similar look as described above for 8mm film. Optical sound on 16mm can be described as having a “black and clear” waveform that runs the length of the film.
Can you transfer film with sound?
Yes, we offer sound syncing with our HD frame-by-frame transfer. Please refer to our pricing page to get the current sound transfer price. We do not offer sound transfer for 8mm film.
How do you transfer sound on movie film?
We offer one of the best possible sound transfers in the industry. First, we manually transfer the sound from your film using our optical or magnetic sound transferring machines in house. Our magnetic sound recording equipment is attached to our electrical main power using a separate two stage electricity filtering system developed in house. This unique system decreases static, hiss, and pops that are present on our competitors' sound transfers!
Second, a trained technician will manually line up the sound to go with your film.
This process corrects all sound synching errors that are present...even if it was recorded "out of sync" on the film! This process can not be beaten by any automatic process out there and we have become known as one of the best sound transfers in the industry.
Do you have a film cleaning service if my film is dirty?
We offer an all inclusive service when transferring film and this service is included at no extra charge! When we receive your film and it is inspected we will individually hand clean your dirty film with a solution that will clean, preserve, and lubricate your old film! Film also goes through a secondary "air dusting stage" at the point of transfer.
What is color correction and how will it benefit my old film?
Color correction is a manual process that is done after we transfer your film. It is a time consuming process because we use an experienced editor who will go over your footage and do a "scene by scene" color correction. Color correction can benefit ALL film but especially film that is over 30 years old. For more information and examples please see our film Color correction page. If you are not sure if you want this service, but would like us to call you, please check the box that states this on our offline film transfer order form.
What is the difference between 8mm film (movie film) and 8mm tape?
8mm film and 8mm videotape are two separate kinds of media. It is unfortunate that they share similar sounding names because they are very different from each other. 8mm film actually has frames or pictures that you can see when you hold the film up to a light. You can find pictures of film here: 8mm, Super 8, and 16mm examples.
8mm videotape comes in a cassette or cartridge. Unlike Film, the tape does not have pictures on it if you were to look at it directly and is black in appearance. For pictures of what 8mm videotape looks like please go to: the Videotape examples page (coming soon).
What is 2K film scanning?
2k digitally scans the film to a resolution of 2048 pixels in width and up to 1556 pixels in height. We offer Spirit HD and 2K film scanning services for 16mm and 35mm film.
Can you transfer film negatives?
The answer is yes! Film negatives (16mm and 35mm) must be transferred using our Spirit transfer service. Super 8mm negative film is transferred on our HD frame by frame service at no additional cost.
Can you transfer color reversal film?
The answer is yes! Color reversal film can be transferred using our HD process and our Spirit HD transfer service.
Can you process undeveloped film?
8mm and 16mm film developing is a specialized service that requires a film lab to process. If you need film to be developed you can try www.rockymountainfilm.com.
Can you transfer very old or broken film?
We specialize in transferring film that is routinely over 30-60 years old. We can repair old film that has minor breakage in it by re-splicing the broken ends. Film with further deterioration will be transferred on a case by case basis.
Can you transfer deteriorated film that smells like vinegar? (celluloid triacetate syndrome)
When film begins to break down it releases acetic acid (similar to vinegar) that makes the film brittle, twisted, shrunken or stretched. Our cleaning solution may be able to restore some flexibility to film like this but not all film can be saved. We will always do our best to transfer your film. Deteriorated film is transferred on a case by case basis.
Can you transfer film that was shot out of focus, blurry, double exposed, or shot out of frame?
This film can still be transferred however there is not much that can be done to improve film that was originally shot or processed incorrectly.
What's the difference between Professional Frame by Frame Hi-Definition and Spirit HD?
While both processes produce 1080p digital outputs, the Spirit HD includes high sensitivity RGB CCD's to capture the finer details of films such as high dynamic range, subtle variations in color, and more accurate grain reproduction. A Spirit HD also uses advanced technology such as a xenon light source to hide scratches and diminish visibiltiy of dust.
How much film can fit on a DVD?
About 1,200 feet of film or 2 hours of videotape can fit onto a DVD. Technically, we could compress the data to fit more but it would degrade the quality of your video.
How much film can fit on a Blu-ray?
About 1,600 feet of film can fit onto a Blu-ray. Technically, we could compress the data to fit more but it would degrade the quality of your video.