5.0★ from 201 Google reviews
8mm Film
The most popular format used, 8mm film offers decent picture quality but no sound.
Film Conversion Service
As early as the 1930’s, 8mm film was used by families to record their daily lives and capture special moments. There is a good chance that some of your family’s history is captured on old film reels somewhere. Being an obsolete technology for the past few decades, however, enjoying those old home movies can be very difficult. The other problem is that movie reels degrade over time and continue to fade away with each passing day.
The sooner you take advantage of our film conversion service, the better off your memories will be. Our professional film transfer service brings a new life to your old family treasures. Once digitized, your family history will be preserved for future generations and can be enjoyed as intended. Give us a call today or place your order online to get started.
Film Formats We Convert and Transfer to Digital or DVD
Super8 Film
A step up from 8mm film, Super8 film includes sound as well as improves picture quality.
16mm Film
For the household professional, 16mm film offers a boost in picture quality and can be made with or without sound.
Movie Film Conversion Prices 8mm, Super 8, 16mm Film Pricing
| QUANTITY (FEET) | Up to 5,000 | 5,001 - 10,000 | 10,001 - 20,000 | 20,001 -50,000 | 50,000+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulk Quantity Discount | 10% | 15% | 20% | CALL | |
| Standard Definition | $0.29 | $0.26 | $0.25 | $0.23 | CALL |
| High Definition | $0.34 | $0.31 | $0.28 | $0.25 | CALL |
| 2K Definition | $0.39 | $0.35 | $0.32 | $0.28 | CALL |
| 4K Definition (16mm Only) | $0.46 | $0.41 | $0.37 | $0.34 | CALL |
| ADDITIONAL MOVIE FILM TRANSFER OPTIONS | PRICE |
|---|---|
| Create Video DVD with Custom Menu, Chapters & Case | $15 per DVD |
| Additional DVD Copies | $7 per DVD |
| Create Blu-ray Disc with Custom Menu, Chapters & Case (HD & 2K only) | $45 per Disc |
| Additional Blu-ray Copies (HD & 2K only) | $19 per Disc |
| Sound Capture (Super 8 & 16mm Only) | $50 per 1,000 ft |
| Add Background Music (Classical, Jazz, Light Rock, etc.) | $25 per 1,000 ft |
| Custom On-Screen Titles | $5 per Title |
| Custom Video Editing Service | $55 per hour |
Every Film Transfer Order Includes
- Inspection & Cleaning to Remove Dust, Mold and Contaminants
- Repair Old Splices, Remove Blank Film, Replace Leaders
- Custom Naming of Video Files by Label
- Link to View and Download Video Files Online
- Free Shipping for Orders Over $250
- Free Pickup for Orders over $500 (NYC Tri-State Area)
Converting Film to Digital Process
Our movie film to digital service includes extensive preparation and post-production processes to ensure the highest quality transfer of your old film reels. Prior to every film conversion, our expert technicians inspect, clean, splice, remove blank film & damaged perforations, replace necessary leaders, and lubricate the film.
We utilize a frame-by-frame film transfer process, where each individual frame is scanned as its own high-quality image using a progressive scan capture system. The scanned film images are then processed through video editing software and compiled into a seamless motion picture. Transferring film to digital or DVD using the frame-by-frame method offers a superior, accurate, flicker-free viewing experience.
Film from multiple small reels (50-100 foot reels) is generally consolidated onto larger take-up reels to reduce interrupting segments and allow for better storage. All footage is organized and named according to the labels on the reels. Converted film content is reviewed, edited, and formatted to MP4 files as a standard. We can also output to MOV, AVI, or Apple Prores as requested.
For a film with sound, we can capture audio from sound strips on Super 8 and 16mm film. Our film conversion techs adjust and synchronize the audio for the best playback. If your film does not have sound, we can leave the videos silent or add royalty-free background music in the genre of your choice.
Film Transfer Resolution Options
8mm, Super8 and 16mm film actually have a native resolution that is higher than Standard Definition. When converting film to digital, the resolution refers to the size of the video image as well as the amount of information captured.
- SDFilm transferred in Standard Definition has a resolution of 720x480 and an aspect ratio of 4:3. Since 8mm and 16mm film have a native aspect ratio of 16:9, capturing in SD loses part of the image on both sides. Standard Definition also does not capture as much detail as HD or 2K, which becomes especially evident when viewing on large screens.
- HD Converting film in High Definition has a resolution of 1920x1080 and an aspect ratio of 16:9, ensuring that 100% of the image is captured and nothing is lost. Our HD film conversion service also captures 5 times the amount of pixels as SD, resulting in a clearer image that is perfect for viewing on widescreen television sets. HD has become the new standard for all things video.
- 2K Digitizing film in 2K captures amazing detail with a clearer and more colorful picture than SD or HD. Transferring film in 2K can be captured at a resolution of 2048x1535 (4:3 aspect ratio) or 2048x 1152 (16:9 aspect ratio). For professional quality 2K is the way to go.
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What people are saying
about Smooth Photo Scanning Services...
What Our Customers Say
We had such a great experience with Smooth Photo Scanning, and I really can’t recommend them enough. We brought them a very old book with Sanskrit/Devanagari text, which turned out to be a much more complicated project than a standard book scan. Brandon took the time to go through the book, understand exactly what we were trying to accomplish, and talk through the different options with us. One… of the biggest challenges was the OCR. Devanagari wasn’t compatible with the typical OCR programs they normally work with, but instead of just telling us it couldn’t be done, Brandon independently researched different OCR programs and tested several options on our pages. He spent a lot of extra time trying to find something that might actually work for us which was so above and beyond of him. The scanning itself was incredible. The book was scanned completely non-destructively, with absolutely no damage to it, and the quality of the finished images is beautiful. We were honestly amazed at how clear and professional everything came out. The pricing was also very reasonable, especially considering the amount of time and care that went into the project. We were also on a bit of a time crunch because we were trying to get the material ready to begin working with our teacher, and everyone went above and beyond to accommodate our timeline. Everyone we interacted with was super understanding and helpful.. While we were there Brandon also took the time to show us some of the incredible archival work they’ve done, involving places like Madison Square Garden and historical works. It was extremely fascinating to see the level of care and expertise that goes into preserving these materials. We are so grateful to Brandon and the whole team. They were amazing to work with and this truly is a passion for all of them. The quality of the scans is amazing, and we couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out. If you have something valuable or irreplaceable that you need scanned, especially if it requires extra care, I would seriously recommend Smooth Photo Scanning. 11 out of 10!
- Apoorva YaddanapudiGoogle review
Great experience overall. I brought in my paintings to be scanned and they had everything done same day, which I really appreciated. The customer service was very friendly , professional, and made the process smooth. The quality came out exactly how I needed. Definitely a solid spot if you're an artist looking to get your work digitized . I will be back for sure .
- Tamar RobinsonGoogle review
I brought in 17 beta tapes from an old camcorder and within a week and a half they were put on a thumb drive! Excellent service, really nice people that work there! I highly recommend! It was so nice to be able to share these videos from almost 30 years ago with my grown children! They loved seeing themselves as little kids.
- Lesley RafesGoogle review
The old video tape that Brandon had digitized for me had presented a few difficulties on my end. I got back in touch with him with questions a couple of times, via email. He responded quickly every time and guided me to find a solution to the problem. He is a very responsible and professional businessman. I highly recommend Smooth Photo Scanning.
- Guillermo GallegosGoogle review
I had three very old family group photos colorized by Smooth Photo Services and the result was amazing, seemingly bringing those persons back to life with perfectly chosen colors, an excellent job. I wholeheartedly recommend them for your more important b&w photos.
- Lorenzo CamilloGoogle review
- How much does it cost to convert film reels to digital?
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Film conversion is priced per foot: $0.29 for Standard Definition, $0.34 for High Definition, $0.39 for 2K, and $0.46 for 4K (16mm only). Orders above 5,000 feet receive 10% off, above 10,000 feet 15%, and above 20,000 feet 20%.
- Which home movie film formats can be converted to digital?
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Smooth Photo Scanning converts 8mm, Super 8, and 16mm film reels to digital, DVD, or Blu-ray. 8mm has no sound, Super 8 offers better picture quality and can carry sound, and 16mm delivers the highest quality of the three, with or without a soundtrack.
- How many feet of film are on a home movie reel?
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Footage can be determined by the diameter of the film reels. Small 3-inch reels hold 50 feet, 4-inch reels hold 100 feet, 5-inch reels hold 200 feet, and 7-inch reels hold 400 feet.
- What is the difference between SD, HD, 2K, and 4K film transfer?
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SD captures at 720 × 540P in 4:3, which crops part of the frame. HD captures at 1920 × 1080P in 16:9, keeping the full frame with five times the pixels of SD. 2K captures at 2048 × 1536 or 2048 × 1152 for professional quality. 4K is captured at 4096×2160 and is only available for 16mm film.
- Why is frame-by-frame scanning better than projector-based film transfer?
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Frame-by-frame scanning captures each frame as its own high-resolution image with a progressive scan system, then compiles the frames into video. This avoids the flicker, hotspots, and softness of filming a projected image, producing an accurate, flicker-free digital copy.
- Are old film reels cleaned and repaired before transfer?
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Yes. Before every transfer, technicians inspect and clean each reel to remove dust, mold, and contaminants, repair old splices, remove blank film and damaged perforations, replace leaders, and lubricate the film. This preparation is included in every order.
- Can old home movies be transferred to Blu-ray?
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Yes. Blu-ray discs with custom menus, chapters, and cases cost $45, with copies at $19, and are available for HD and 2K transfers. DVDs cost $15 with copies at $9, and every order also includes a link to view and download the MP4 files online.