This simplifies things, since there is no audio to capture.
#Converting movies to dvd movie#
Many of the 8mm home movie cameras did not have audio capability. In other words, minimize the white borders around the projected image. This usually also involves having the projection surface not too far away from the projector.įocus the Digital Camera to Maximize the Image:Īdjust the digital video camera so that the image fills the recording (without losing any part of the image) while minimizing the amount of the unused projection surface shown. So focus the projected image so it is fairly small yet easily visible.
Here are some things to keep in mind while converting those 8mm reels to digital:Ī rule of thumb is that the smaller the image, the sharper it will be. Important Tips for Converting 8mm Film to Digital
Obviously, you want to put the 8mm projector on a nice stable surface, and have a good stable tripod for the digital video camera, so it can be focused properly on the image to get the best possible result. A good projection surface (a screen, a flat white wall, etc.)Īs you might guess at this point, the best way to convert those old home movies to digital yourself is to project them onto a good projection surface and record them using a digital video camera.A digital video camera (and any required media for recording like DVDs).A functional 8mm or Super 8 reel projector.If your budget doesn’t allow using a service, don’t worry – you can still covert the old reels to digital yourself. You Can Convert 8mm or Super 8 Film to Digital Yourself Do a little homework and find out what you will get for your money. The level of service and quality of conversion varies greatly between providers. While it may cost a few more dollars to use a local service, you would have the peace of mind of hand-delivering and retrieving your precious vintage home movie footage without the risk of it being lost or damaged during shipping.Īlso, be sure you are comparing apples to apples. You can look online for conversion services, but don’t forget to check locally. Getting a group of contributors could make this option more affordable. Perhaps members of the family like siblings and cousins would even be happy to chip in for the conversion if they end up with their own copies. Depending on how many tapes you have and your discretionary spending budget, paying someone else to do it may be the best option. It wouldn’t hurt to get a good idea of the cost involved in using the service before deciding to do it yourself.
#Converting movies to dvd upgrade#
So if you have reel tapes of 8mm or Super 8 home movies that you would like to upgrade to digital, you might want to shop around for a service that can convert the tapes. Consider Using an 8mm Film to Digital Conversion Service
There is no easy way to directly dub this content to a digital format. The old projectors never converted the movies to any analog signal – they simply passed the images on film in front of the projector bulb. Most old 8mm projectors do not have video output jacks. Unlike VHS and Hi-8 cassettes played on VCRs and camcorders, older film reels of home movies present a different challenge when it comes to converting them to a digital format. VCRs and VHS or Hi-8 camcorders have RCA style video and audio outputs that can be easily connected to a DVR or a DVD Recorder, and to a computer USB port using an adapter and video software. Converting home movies on VHS or Hi-8 video cassettes to DVDs present a minimal problem.