8mm, Super8, and 16mm Movie Film Transfer to DVD & Video
| We provide the highest quality transfer of 8mm
and 16mm home
movie film to DVD and video available. Your films are handled with the utmost care. Sunray Video Productions is the ONLY home
movie film transfer service that combines "film to video
synchronization" for reduced flicker, 3 chip digital video camera
element featuring 1/2 inch CCD's with 800 lines of resolution, and a
true digital video master tape.
Sunray has transferred over
1.7 million
feet of film 
to
DVD 
and
video 
! |
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Frequently
Asked Questions | Pricing
Info & Order form
We recommend a backup DVD copy
We know how easily discs can be scratched and damaged,
sometimes just by accidently dropping them on the floor. So we recommend
getting a 2nd set of DVDs that can be stored away in a safe place. If any
of your discs should become damaged beyond the ability to be played, you'll be
able to make another copy for a fraction of the cost of having your videos
transferred all over again, assuming you still have them.
FILM TRANSFER SPECIALS -
Film to DVD transfer
special Level 1:
Transfer 1,000 feet or more of your 8mm, Super8, or 16mm film to DVD now and
save $ .01/foot on your order. Minimum transfer order of 1,000 feet
required. Pay only $ .17/ft of film (regular price $
.18/ft) on film transfer over 1,000 feet. Offer expires May 16, 2008.
Transfer order must exceed 1,000 feet of film to qualify for this offer.
May not be combined with any other offer. Mention website special to
receive discount. Offer does not apply to previous orders.
Film to DVD transfer
special Level 2:
Transfer 3,000 feet or more of your 8mm, Super8, or 16mm film to DVD now and
save $ .02/foot on your order. Minimum transfer order of 3,000 feet
required. Pay only $ .16/ft of film (regular price $
.18/ft) on film transfer over 3,000 feet. Offer expires May 16, 2008.
Transfer order must exceed 3,000 feet of film to qualify for this offer.
May not be combined with any other offer. Mention website special to
receive discount. Offer does not apply to previous orders.
Film to DVD transfer
special Level 3:
Transfer 5,000 feet or more of your 8mm, Super8, or 16mm film to DVD now and
save $ .03/foot on your order. Minimum transfer order of 5,000 feet
required. Pay only $ .15/ft of film (regular price $
.18/ft) on film transfer over 5,000 feet. Offer expires May 16, 2008.
Transfer order must exceed 5,000 feet of film to qualify for this offer.
May not be combined with any other offer. Mention website special to
receive discount. Offer does not apply to previous orders.
BONUS OFFER! - Place your order before May
15, 2008 and receive an extra DVD copy of your transfer FREE!
Preserving Special Memories
I remember, when I was growing up, our
family had several reels of 8mm movie film I used to thread through our
projector and watch. There were many special memories including Christmas
time in the house I grew up in. My poor Dad, he received so many
"ugly" ties but, he always smiled anyway. Then there were the
various vacations they took, going to Yellowstone, Flintstone Village, and
numerous camping and fishing trips. Since, I was the youngest, there
weren't as many films with me in them but they were still fun to watch.
A few years ago, I came up with this
wonderful idea. Wouldn't it be great to transfer those precious memories
to DVD and give them to each member of my family as a Christmas present?
I'm sure they haven't watched any of those films in probably over 20
years. You would think that after transferring hundreds of thousands of
feet of other people's 8mm and 16mm films, over the last 10 years, that I would have
wanted to do this sooner. Well, the truth is I was waiting for the right
time when I could achieve the best possible quality of transfer and be able to
archive them onto a digital medium. Our company has been offering the
digital master concept for over 7 years but, it was only a few years ago that I
was able to find the best method for transferring my films to video. I'm
also happy that I'll be able to preserve those special moments on DVD for my
family's future generations to be able to enjoy as well. I'm very pleased
to be able to offer this quality of transfer to our valued
customers.
While I was transferring my family
heirlooms, I discovered how badly the film had deteriorated. I didn't
remember them looking that way. I must admit, I was very pleased with how
they turned out. Some of them came out better than they looked on the
actual film. Some of the objects in the film that used to be white, had
turned yellow. But after transferring them to video, they became white
again. I didn't realize that transferring some of them would actually make
the picture look better than it was on the film. Unfortunately, most of
the footage could not be improved, but it was nice that some of it turned out
great. My family was ecstatic to receive the DVDs. It may have been
the best gift I've ever given them.
San Diego
wildfires take their toll
If you followed the news in
late October you might be aware that hundreds of thousands of San Diego and
southern California residents were evacuated from their homes due to the threat
of wildfires. These same wildfires destroyed thousands of homes and these
survivors lost most of their possessions. The most common repeated theme
had to do with preserving their precious photos, films, and videos. Some
were thankful that they were able to retrieve these items before they had to
evacuate while others were not so fortunate.
Having been so close to both
of the major wildfires that occurred in the San Diego area over the past 4
years, the importance of preserving these memories has become a significantly
higher priority in our lives. This is the reason that Sunray Video has
dramatically increased our efforts to help others preserve and protect their
precious memories. Several years ago we introduced the concept of creating
a digital master tape for archiving films. The digital videotape master
could be stored in a safe place in or away from people's homes (like a
safe-deposit box, for example) in the event something should happen to their
DVDs or videotapes, like a house fire.
We have just introduced
another method for preserving films and videotapes that we call Gold Archival
DVDs. They are rated to last at least 100 years. For more information
about the Gold Archival DVDs, see the Gold Archival DVD section below.
Time is running out for transferring 8mm home movies
to DVD or video.
There are two major factors we are up
against in the effort to convert 8mm and Super8mm films to DVD or video.
The first is the film itself. As film ages, it continues to fade and
become brittle. The picture quality will get worse the longer you wait to
transfer them, assuming the film remains in tact. One of the easiest early
warning signs to notice that your film is going bad is when it starts to emit a
vinegar-like smell. Also look to see if the film has begun to warp or
shrivel up. If you notice any of these conditions, it could be too
late. If you're not sure of the condition of the film, bring it in and
we'd be happy to take a look at it for you.
Old 8mm film is turning into dust and projectors
that still work are becoming scarce.
The second factor is that manufacturers
quit making 8mm and Super8 projectors over 20 years ago. Several years
ago, they discontinued manufacturing the parts to repair most projectors.
As each projector breaks down and cannot be fixed, that's one less projector
available for performing film to video transfers. Look around you, how
many people do you know have a projector in working condition? In the
not-too-distant future, it may become impossible to ever view these films again,
let alone attempt to transfer them to video. With the quality of today's
digital technology, now is the best time to for transferring film to DVD!
Sunray has developed a system for the transfer of 8mm and Super 8 film to video and DVD that is unequaled anywhere!
There are Different Methods for
Transferring Film to DVD and Video
Currently, there are many different methods available
for transferring 8mm and 16mm film to video. How do you decide which one to
choose? Let's look at each one of them. Before we can begin, there's
something you need to know. Regardless of which method is used, there are
two processes that have to take place to make the transfer happen. First,
a light has to pass through the film in order to illuminate the film and project
the visual image. Second, this visual image needs to go through a
photo-reactive computer chip (often referred to as a CCD chip), just like what
you'll find behind the lens of a video camera, to be converted into electronic
"video" information. All of the methods I'm about to discuss
share this basic transfer process. What makes them different is how this
process is performed. Film to video frame rate synchronization and the
quality of the CCD chip can improve the picture quality tremendously.
Film to video synchronization
Synchronizing the frame rates of video and film are
also important to getting a good transfer. Commonly, after film is transferred to video, the image from the video will cause the
TV picture to "flicker". This is due to the fact that
most 8mm and Super 8 film was exposed at a rate of 16 or 18 frames per
second and video records at 29.97 frames per second. 16mm film was typically
shot at 18 or 24 frames per second. "Frames
per second" refers to how many times the camera's shutter opens
(to "take a photo") and closes in one second. Since,
the frame rate of the film doesn't match the frame rate of video, it
creates what we call "flicker". To reduce this "flicker",
the speed of the projector has to be changed to allow the frames of the film to "match up"
with the frames of the video. Usually, this adjustment in speed is
practically unnoticeable. The result
is a smooth, easy-to-watch video.
Improving the picture through better CCDs
The picture quality of
television is often represented by the quantity of horizontal lines (drawn
across your TV screen) that make up the picture. To give you an idea of some differences in picture quality, let's
compare some common video sources. A standard
VHS videotape, that you've used in the past, contains 240 lines
of picture resolution. DVDs may contain from 500-700 lines of picture
resolution. CCD chips contained in professional video cameras are capable
of 400-1,080 lines of resolution. The more resolution the CCD chips have,
the sharper the picture quality. Video cameras that use 3 CCD chips produce a better quality
picture than cameras that use 1.
Projecting films onto a screen
One of the first methods used to transfer 8mm and 16mm film was
to simply aim a film projector at a screen and then aim a video camera at the
same part of the screen. Sounds simple. There are several reasons
why this method is not very good. 1) You need to be in a completely dark
room. Otherwise, any ambient light in the room will wash out the screen
and you'll lose contrast in the picture. 2) Most consumer cameras do not
have the ability to match up the frame rates of film to video. (See Film
to Video Synchronization above.) 3) Most consumer cameras only
contain one CCD chip. (See above) 4) It's difficult to get the projected
film image to line up exactly with the video camera. 5) If you don't use a
high quality screen, the image will look bad and you may start to see the
texture of the screen in your picture. Shooting off the wall is even
worse.
Using a film transfer box
Various retail stores have sold a plastic box referred
to as a film transfer box where you aim a film projector into one side of the
box and the video camera points into another side of the same box. Inside
the box there's a mirror to reflect the projected image into the video camera's
lens. I've experimented with this method and I can tell you the results
were horrifying. You also encounter many of the same problems discussed in
the previous section "shooting off a screen", including the
limitations of the video camera.
Telecine machines
Over 20 years ago, a company by the name of Elmo began
manufacturing a device often referred to as a Telecine projector. It looks
very much like a regular film projector but, instead of projecting the image
through a lens, it would project the film image directly into a video CCD chip
contained inside of the projector directly in front of the film where the lens
would normally be located. Then a vcr could be connect to the Telecine
machine to record the video information received from the CCD chip. The
main drawback of this method is that it uses old, out-dated technology.
The CCD chips were made 20 years ago and only contained about 240-270 lines of
picture resolution. Over the past 20 years, the technological improvements
in CCD chips far surpass the chips produced so many years ago. Look at how
much consumer camcorders have improved in just the last 10 years. Many
film transfer companies are still using these Elmo Telecine transfer machines
for their transfers even today.
Frame by frame
There are a few companies touting that the frame by
frame method is the best. This is just not true. This method uses a
process similar to that of the Telecine machine except that the film has to stop
running through the projector long enough for each frame to be projected
one-at-a-time into a camera and "photographed" much like taking
pictures with a still camera. There is a risk that the projector bulb
could burn the film if it's left on the frame too long. Most of the
cameras used in these systems have one low-resolution CCD chip containing
usually no more than 450 lines of picture resolution.
Consumer ALERT:
Some companies are offering "frame by frame" transfers and claiming
that this process offers the best quality for transferring film. Keep in
mind that a camera or camera CCD still has to be used to convert the film image
to a video format. The resolution quality of this CCD will be the final
determining factor as to the quality of the transfer. Sunray is one of the
VERY FEW companies using a $10,000.00, 800-line, 3 CCD video unit.
Sunray's method
Using high-contrast imaging, we directly project the
film image into our $10,000 high-resolution 3 CCD chip video capture
device. With our unique process, we're able to transfer more of each frame
of film than most of our competitors. The video information is then
recorded onto a high-quality, professional digital master tape. Our
method is the only process that combines "film to video
synchronization" for reduced flicker, 3 chip digital video camera
element featuring 1/2 inch CCD's with 800 lines of resolution, and a true digital video master
tape. Our 3 CCD video capture device offers the highest resolution of any
video capture unit being used for film transfers anywhere. This ensures the
finest picture quality during the transfer process.
To view a sample of a transfer of regular
8mm film, click here or on the image
directly below.
(Viewable with
Windows Media Player)
Beware of phony digital transfer claims
Many companies are stating that they transfer to digital. Be
VERY careful here. What most companies are doing is first transferring the
film to a VHS tape and THEN putting it on a digital tape (i.e. miniDV) or
DVD. By this method, you are only getting an image quality of 240 lines of
resolution, even though they're putting it on DVD or other digital format.
When we perform a digital transfer, we send the image from the film DIRECTLY to
the high-resolution digital videotape master
(DVCAM, MiniDV, or Digital8), maintaining the higher resolution of 500+
lines. Then, if we produce a DVD, it will maintain the high resolution we
originally obtained.
Digital Videotape Masters
What is a videotape master? Let's use an analogy using
photographs. When you take photos using a film camera, you have to take the film
to a processing lab to be
developed. When you receive your pictures back, the lab also
includes the "negatives" that were used to make the
photos. If you decide to get extra copies of a particular photo,
you would take the negative back to the lab and they will make another
print. Prints taken from the negative are usually better quality
than if you try to make a copy from the print. A videotape
master works similarly to the "negative" in that it provides
the highest quality source to make a copy from. (The digital master
is put onto an industrial digital videotape that you probably won't be able to
play. (If you have a miniDV or Digital 8 camcorder and you specify that you want a
miniDV or Digital 8 master, then you will be able to play it in your camcorder.)
Sunray was the first company to begin offering digital
videotapes for film transfer masters. The greatest benefits of
these digital masters are:
- Should a new format come along to replace DVDs, all you
will need is your master to have your movies put onto the latest video
format.
- Anytime you make a copy from the master, there won't be any
quality lost as a result of the "copy of a copy"
syndrome. (Just make a copy of a fax message and you'll see
what we're talking about.)
- When you vcr gets "hungry" and decides to "snack" on your
precious videotape, the master tape can be used to make another VHS copy for a
fraction of what it would cost you to have your movies re-transferred.
- DVD's produced from the digital master will have a picture
quality with more than double the horizontal resolution (see
above) of DVD's made from VHS copies.
- Whenever you
need an extra copy, just bring in the master. You won't need
to bring the films back in.
Digital masters are on a professional digital videotape
format, DVCAM, and not on a DVD. You have the option of putting your digital master on
MiniDV or Digital 8 tapes
if you prefer.
Gold Archival DVDs
Sunray now offers the Archival Gold DVDs
for preserving your films even longer than before. There have been
numerous reports of DVDs that started coming apart after just 3 years.
Many are blaming the poor quality materials used to produce the discs.
 |
The
innovative materials and manufacturing methods used to produce Archival
Gold DVD-R's make them among the most reliable storage media available.
Other DVD-R's may deteriorate quickly due to common environmental
factors: ultraviolet light, heat, and humidity. Using N.I.S.T.'s
(National Institute of Standards and Technology) accelerated aging
process to test the longevity of DVD-R media, the Archival Gold DVD-R
has been shown to safely store your images for more than 100 years.
A key component of the Archival Gold
DVD-R's durability is the use of gold as the reflective layer of the
disc. Gold is one of the most inert, reflective (and expensive) elements
on earth, which makes it perfect to resist the effects of temperature
and humidity. These characteristics prevent oxidation, a common cause of
failure to most DVD-R's. |
Thirty percent of the cost to produce every
Archival Gold disc is due to the use of 24 karat gold. As gold increases
in value, so does your DVD! But so will the cost of getting this type of
master, so order yours today.
Super8 film with sound
Near the end of the 8mm and Super8mm movie era, a new format was developed
referred to as Super8 WITH sound.
Much like the movies shown in theatres, these films contained a
soundtrack on the edge of the film. We do have the ability to transfer this format
with the sound, however, since we are recording the sound
at the same time as the picture, we're not able to adjust the speed of
the film to reduce the flicker. There is no extra charge for transferring
film with sound.
How much does it cost and how do I order?
Our film transfer process is only $ .18 per foot of
film. That includes the digital master tape and a FREE DVD copy!* Add
$10 per 2 hour tape for VHS copies. Sunray's new 100 year Gold Archival
DVDs are now available for $15 for up to 1 hour of video and $25 for up to 2
hours of video.
If you're in the San Diego area, you may bring your films into
our office. For our office hours or to get
directions to our office go to our contact page.
If you're outside the San Diego area, go to our order
form page, print out the form, fill it in and simply send it along with your
films to our
address on the form. It's that simple!
We back our work with a 30 day satisfaction guarantee!
Currently, our turn-around time is 5-7 business days for 8mm film and
10-12 business days for 16mm film.
For more information about film transfers, check out our
FAQ page.
If you want to ship your movies to us, proceed to our ordering
instructions page and download the order form.
The Sunray Advantage
for 
(