Old Home Movies - Super 8 / Dual 8

[VanMac]

Hi.

I'm in the process of switching over to a mac. I've alreay posted elsewhere to help decide what to buy.

Once I do get my new mac (leaning to 17" PB), I will want to convert some movies I found in my Dad's basement. It is a box full of Super 8 and Dual 8 reels. They go back into the 1960s. I want to convert them to DVD format, then use my new mac to make some nice movie compilations for my family.

Any ideas on where/how to get these reels converted? I live in Ontario Canada.

Thanks,
VanMac

 

[CanadaRAM]

Check with your local camera stores and video magazines for digitization services, and Google to find out recommendations of good ones on other forums.

You can also digitize them yourself with a super-8 projector, screen, and a DV camdorder in a dark room. You will have a problem with strobing or flicker between the frame rate of the Super-8 and the DV camera, the trick is to rig up some speed regulation on the super-8 projector to slow it down or speed it up until the flicker is minimized. Google for instructions.

 

[LethalWolfe]

Hi.

I'm in the process of switching over to a mac. I've alreay posted elsewhere to help decide what to buy.

Once I do get my new mac (leaning to 17" PB), I will want to convert some movies I found in my Dad's basement. It is a box full of Super 8 and Dual 8 reels. They go back into the 1960s. I want to convert them to DVD format, then use my new mac to make some nice movie compilations for my family.

Any ideas on where/how to get these reels converted? I live in Ontario Canada.

Thanks,
VanMac

What you are looking for is a place that does telecine (xfering film onto video). It's not a cheap process. When you find a place that does it they may or may not telecine to MiniDV (you don't want the master footage on DVD). If they can't telecine to MiniDV they can most likely xfer the film to DVCAM or BetaSP and then you'll need to find someone that can dub the BetaSP footage onto MiniDV or clone (copy via firewire) the DVCAM tape to MiniDV.


Lethal

 

[VanMac]

What you are looking for is a place that does telecine (xfering film onto video). It's not a cheap process. When you find a place that does it they may or may not telecine to MiniDV (you don't want the master footage on DVD). If they can't telecine to MiniDV they can most likely xfer the film to DVCAM or BetaSP and then you'll need to find someone that can dub the BetaSP footage onto MiniDV or clone (copy via firewire) the DVCAM tape to MiniDV.
Lethal

Thanks Lethal.

Did some poking around on the web, and found a place in Toronto (http://www.overseasvideolab.com/home.htm) that does just what you said...telcine direct to MiniDV, etc. I will call them next week.

So, why dont you want master footage on DVD. Something to do with loss of info between frames or something? I'm new to this video editing stuff, so pardon my ignorance.

 

[LethalWolfe]

So, why dont you want master footage on DVD. Something to do with loss of info between frames or something?

DVD is fine as format for final delivery, but it is crap for everything else. It's a very compressed, very lossy format. MiniDV, compared to DVD, is a much higher quality format.

I'm new to this video editing stuff, so pardon my ignorance.

Everyone was new once.

Lethal