Having a mass sort out at home and have found some old Super8 film of our wedding and our children, taken by my Dad. Thinking of having them transferred to DVD and wondered whether anyone has done this and can recommend a good company?

Use a USB video capture device.

Use a USB video capture device.

I think Super8 precedes USB capabilities. No AV or Audi In/Out

I used this lot

http://www.afx-av.co.uk

No idea if they were best or cheapest, but was happy with the result

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found some old Super8 film of our wedding and our children

Isn't English wonderful in how it can be interpreted in different ways Graham?

Sometimes it needs a second read to appreciate the true meaning.....

A second vote here for AFX - I am slightly biased as I work for them.

We personally collect / deliver via a network of agents. If you PM your address I'll let you know the nearest.

A second vote here for AFX - I am slightly biased as I work for them.

We personally collect / deliver via a network of agents. If you PM your address I'll let you know the nearest.

 

A little of your work here...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f-ZF_Loax8

A second vote here for AFX - I am slightly biased as I work for them.

We personally collect / deliver via a network of agents. If you PM your address I'll let you know the nearest.

 

Thanks for that.

PM on the way.

Isn't English wonderful in how it can be interpreted in different ways Graham?

Sometimes it needs a second read to appreciate the true meaning.....

 

I doubt if the younger generation even know what a cine camera IS.  

Yes please Huw.

We've found we only have 1 film we want (50') so whilst I am sure AFX are very good a £30 minimum charge does seem a bit OTT for us. 

I have my Dad's old cine film transferred to DVD by a local company - sure there will be similar around you. These were all early 60's films and DVD is of pretty mixed quality but that is due to the degraded state of the originals.

Try and get whoever you use to also give the digital files on a memory card, at least then once the DVD gets damaged or degrades (which they do) you can create another.

 

Results can vary depending on the quality of the original and how it has been stored. I have a DVD, taken from Super 8 that has my christening on it. Very strange seeing me at less than 1 year old, the recording is 46 years old.

 

If the film has been in the damp for a long time, it may have mold on the film which may appear huge when blown up full size.

I thought I'd reply in open forum, without revealing personal details.

As I suspected in my PM, we have no agents in Mid or W. Wales. Sadly there simply isn't the volume of work available to justify setting up a separate run or extend an existing one by 50 odd miles.

Alternatively, if cost is £80+ the coy. Will arrange collection by a trusted courier, or you can send it in by Parcelforce, Royal Mail etc. (tbh we do not encourage this - we operated like this some years ago and so many irreplaceable items were lost in transit that the network of agents and dedicated drivers ( inc Moi ) was set up.)

I'm afraid I can do nothing about the minimum charge. This varies according to the original media being transferred, but film to DVD is fairly labour intensive.

With regard to contamination and mould, each item is checked first. You'd be surprised at how much we are given, mainly VHS tapes, which have been "stored" in attics, under beds, damp cellars etc. Original film stock can be cleaned manually,for a fee of course, but we will not touch contaminated VHS / Betamax tape. It can't be (economically) cleaned, and as the machines cost about £1,300 new and are now no longer available, The Boss is not prepared to chance damaging any more of them.

I'm sorry we couldn't be more help. You may find someone locally to do it, although I / we don't know of and can't trace anybody. Most towns have (or used to have) a camera shop or computer shop who would transfer tape to disk, but film requires more specialist and expensive light box arrangements and few local shops have sufficient business locally to justify the investment.

BJM, 

Thank you for your time and trouble, and I fully understand why you don't have anything arranged local to us. Part of the joy of living here is the fact that we live in an uncrowded part of the country. If we had more films that needed doing I'm sure that your fees would be fine, and I understand why you have to have them. Huw thinks he might have a contact down in South Wales that may be able to help, otherwise I shall keep looking.

Thank you

 

Slider,

No chance around here. There has never been a camera shop locally, and the nearest doesn't do anything like this either.

 

Manny,

Good idea about an editable copy!