Taking Super-8 Film Reels into the 21st Century

[Disneyland Daddy]

I hope someone can give me some technical advice here.

We have about 20 Super-8 Movie reels that were shot in the early to mid 1970's. They are old, delicate and not able to be viewed because we don't have a Super-8 movie projector. (Saying 'movie projector' sounds so 'old fashioned' too.)

I want to view them briefly and put them all in chronological order so they can be put on DVD and hopefully make copies for family.

Does anyone have any advice as to what I should do to get this done because I don't even know where to begin to start. What am I looking at price-wise as well.

Thanks for your help!

[mycroft16]

My older brother did this with all of our families OLD Super 8 reels as well. He knew someone who had a HD Camera and simply filmed the screen as he rolled the reels then cut it up and fixed it on the computer. So that's one option if you know anyone with an HD Camera. It came out really clear.

Another possibility is to ask around the various camera stores in your area if they know of anywhere that does film transfers. Some places will take old VHS or whatnot and transfer to DVD... some have the ability to do that with Super 8 as well. Those are your two best options.

[Disneyland Daddy]

Thank you! I appreciate the advice. I wanted to get these done before Christmas Eve - but time was not my friend in that regard - I wanted to show them at my Uncles house with the whole family there.....so maybe next year - I have 11 months to get these done! Can I do it? HAHHA Let's hope so.

Thanks again. And if anyone else has any ideas, please chime in. Thanks.

[Roo719]

Maybe this is slightly off-topic, but you have no idea how important those little videos are. My father died of cancer (made doubly important with your situation, now, happily out with remission!) when I was four years old. I had zero memory of the man and cannot remember how he moved, walked or stood.

My aunt, upon the passing of my paternal grandfather, found some Super 8's and brought them to a photo store and made into a DVD.

For the first time EVER in my life, I saw my father as everyone else saw him.

That and how bad hairstyles were in the early seventies.

So I can't give you much advice about HOW to get them developed, but I can tell you their importance.

Peace, as always,
Roo

[Disneyland Daddy]

Originally Posted by Roo719

Maybe this is slightly off-topic, but you have no idea how important those little videos are. My father died of cancer (made doubly important with your situation, now, happily out with remission!) when I was four years old. I had zero memory of the man and cannot remember how he moved, walked or stood.

My aunt, upon the passing of my paternal grandfather, found some Super 8's and brought them to a photo store and made into a DVD.

For the first time EVER in my life, I saw my father as everyone else saw him.

That and how bad hairstyles were in the early seventies.

So I can't give you much advice about HOW to get them developed, but I can tell you their importance.

Peace, as always,
Roo

You are so right.........I value your statements here. They are incredibly important - and I am so happy that you finally got to 'meet' your father in ways that you never knew.

Happy New Year to you my friend.

[Opus1guy]

I have transfered dozens of reels of 8mm, Super 8, and Super 8 Sound to video format before. Almost any camera shop can send them out for transfer. Don't recall what the cost was.

Recently I came across a few more reels and went into a Ritz Camera in a mall, and they had the service available...but only from film to VHS tape. I guess its up to you to do the VHS to DVD part. Probably because whoever they are using is using older pre-DVD transfer equipment.

I don't know how you can preview them in advance of the transfer, though...without a projector or reel-to-reel editing station. What I do is just get them all transfered and then use video editing software on my computer to re-arrange the 3 minute reels into the order I wish (along with some other "clean-up" editing)...before burning the whole thing to DVD.

I've been very happy with the transfer quality, and am glad I started doing this years ago.