>I have a sizable home movie collection and my wife wants me to transfer it to VCR tape so she can see them. She is scared of the projector. I seem to recall seeing a device for sale several years ago allowing this to be done by an amateur such as myself. any one know a place where I might find one of these "gadgets?" Used would be OK. Local place wants $9.00/100 feet to do it. Is that a fair price? I have about 1500 feet to transfer. Should I even attempt to try to do it myself , even if I find the "gadget?" Any help appreciated.

Saturday, April 1, 2000

Hi Richard,

Deciding to transfer ones own films to video should depend on how much film knowledge you have, your equipment, ability to do the work, and what kind of end result quality you feel you can accept. You do not need to go out and get one of those transfer gadgets...which most here in this newsgroup will agree, that they really don't offer very good quality. Many have and are doing their own film to video transfers, and while those that are actual filmmakers (amateur, independant, semi-professional and professional etc) would require higher quality than what most home brewed setups can offer......with some careful work and especially preparation, you can do a very good job of it yourself.

Your situation is more unique than some others, since you have SOUND films to transfer. IF you filmed your Super 8 Sound films at 18fps, which was the standard for Super 8 Sound films for home filmmaking...then the project will be a bit easier. IF on the other hand you filmed your films at 24fps...it will require a more costly projector setup that can transfer at 24fps without flicker. The transfer of films shot at 18fps will be transfered at 20fps using a conventional variable speed Super 8mm sound projector. Due to the 'pitch' increase in the audio portion....if you can get a pitch modifier to patch thru the audio prior to going to the VCR that will help greatly...otherwise....try using an equalizer....even a mini one if you have or can get one (or use one in your home stereo system if you have one). That notwithstanding...you may even find that the increase in sound pitch might be tolerable as is. Below are some detailed instructions on how to do this yourself. REMEMBER....the most important concerns here are film and projector cleanliness, good splices, and proper film lubrication. Note: Some transfer places do not properly clean, lube and repair home movies...they are just transferred as they are...so it pays to shop around. The old saying, "you get what you pay for," applies to photographic services just as it does to most anything....but still shop around and ask questions, if you decide not to tackle the project yourself. Best wishes,
Martin W. Baumgarten

FILM-to-VIDEO Tranfers - Do it yourself Project for NTSC
by Martin W. Baumgarten © 2000 E-Mail: [email protected]

Thinking of transferring your own films to video? It can be done, and quite well, if you take care in your setup and film preparation. With a little care, you can do a really nice job, often better than some of the film transfer houses. If you have any way of cleaning your films first and examining all the film splices and repairing any damaged or weakened ones first, by all means, do so. To clean and lubricate the films, you will need a film cleaner with lubricant. I'll attach a massive Super 8 resource list to this email for you, which has addresses etc on it. You can also use Edwal Anti-Static Film Cleaner, about $10 or so for a 4oz bottle, which also has a film lubricant in it. Movie film HAS to be lubricated to help it slide thru the projector and minimize friction which increases its lifespan and minimizes any scratching. It's also a good idea to wipe the projector film rollers and film gate with the film cleaner. I'll paste a small article below about how to clean your films.

Well, believe it or not....you can often do a much better job using high grade 20lb smooth white bond paper to project on, rather than the Ambico type or other similar home-film-to-video transfer units. The reasons are numerous...but again, it all depends on how clean that unit is. With extra lenses and mirrors involved...there are more optical surfaces to degrade the image with. I suggest trying a couple of experiments: use the Ambico unit(or similar, if you have one) on test for a minute or so, then use some clean white copy paper, then use a sheet of high quality smooth white bond paper, then use a smooth light gray paper (if you can find any). Project the image to roughly a 7" x 9" size, but not smaller than 4" x 5" inches, onto the 8" x 11" paper that you have carefully mounted to a sturdy surface (wood box, wall etc) that is truly upright level. Place your projector on a stand or table top and line it up to the ‘screen’ of yours and frame the projected white light onto it setting things up carefully. Have your video camera on a good sturdy tripod and set it about a foot or so further back or more to the front of the projector, but in front of the projector so you have access to the functions. The two units will be at a slight angle to each other and the projected image will be slightly trapazoidal. That's okay as it is slight. If you want to get fancy, you can mount the paper or cardstock to a piece of plywood cut to size onto which you have mounted some wood to hold it upright. This way you can position it with an angle to the projector so that the projected image is even, not trapazoidal. Then it will be also at a slight angle to the video camera and everything will be quite even. When you run some tests, you'll see what works best. It will take some experimentation on your part.

Now, you're going to need a projector that has ‘variable speed’ control. That's because most projectors have a 3-bladed shutter and with it spinning around.....it registers out-of-phase with a video signal (which is actually 30 images per second, with 2 overlapping fields making up each image). In order to get rid of the flicker for films that were shot at 18 frames-per-second (which is the normal amateur filming speed), the projector has to run at about 20fps, which is slightly faster. Using a variable speed projector, you slowly adjust the speed on it until you no longer see any flicker in the video camera's viewfinder. Then when you load your film into the projector, it will be under ‘load’ so you will have to again fine-tune the speed upward a tad to get rid of any flicker. Trial and error will show you the way here. Make sure you carefully frame your videocamera lens onto the projected image, zoom in, then out slightly until you can see a bit of room all around the projected image....then zoom in just a bit more until it disappears. Shoot a short test, then remove the tape, and place it into a VCR and watch it on your TV to make sure you have completely filled the frame and can't see any rough edges all around the sides. The cameras aren't that accurate, so you will want to definitely conduct the playback test, prior to spending all the time it will take to transfer your films!

Even though many or most video cameras have a macro close-focusing capability, you will most likely have to use a closeup diopter lens. These lens sets are commercially available for about $29.95 to $49.95. The macro mode on most cameras only operates at the extreme wide angle end, and you will actually have to use part of your zoom range for framing and focusing. Since you'll most likely will be less than the minimum 5ft setting of most lenses, the diopter closeup lens will allow you to focus closer. Usually a #1 or #2 diopter lens will do the trick. Always zoom first to maximum telephoto, then focus carefully, then zoom back to properly frame the image. This way you will be assured of sharp focus. If you can hook up a monitor to your video setup, you'll also be able to observe the focus, framing, and color. If you add a video color/audio processor to your setup, you'll also be able to do any necessary color and density adjustment to your video transfer work.

I know what you're thinking.....jeeesch...I have to buy another projector?! Yes, you need a variable speed one. There are many that show up on eBay(the world's largest online auction site. Visit their photography subcategory of Movie, at their main site http://www.ebay.com ...so save a particular item to your favorite places list and then bid hard during the last 30 minutes. If an item goes over what you're able to pay...don't fret....there will be more. There are so many items on there quite frequently. Just make sure the seller states that the projector is working fine. You can also find many used items in the classified pages of SHUTTERBUG magazine (available at most newstands worldwide). The lamps sometimes don't survive in shipping, but you can get a new bulb at several sources anyhow...and it's best to start your transfer project with a fresh bulb anyhow. You will not be a happy camper if it burns out some 15 minutes into your project. A good variable speed projector will cost you in the $100 to $200 range, sometimes high end ones are more ($200 to $500). Keep in mind, you can always sell it again on eBay or in classified ads, and recoup some or all of your money. If you figure out how many films you have to transfer, how many feet that adds up to, and how much that would cost to have done elsewhere, you'll quickly see it can pay to do it yourself if you can. Many of the variable speed projectors are silent ones and also dual 8mm units (meaning they will accept Regular 8mm and Super 8mm films). If any of your films are sound films, then you will require a very expensive sound projector to do that type of work. Even so, you can handle it if you want to. I do film to video transfers, and have some of the lowest prices, but I like for folks to be able to do their own work if possible. I try to concentrate on my film sales and laboratory services to those that want to continue to shoot home movies (which is a tremendous amount of fun by the way!). Anyhow...print out this email so you can refer to it easily and make your own notes as you get things organized. If you find out that the paper method works better than the Ambico unit (which tends to create a ‘hot’ spot of brighter light in the middle of the image), that's no problem...you can sell the Ambico unit(or other video transfer gizmo you may've bought already) on eBay easily.

This entire video transfer description is very similar to what most transfer chain houses do, except they have dedicated setups with all the experimentation already out of the way. The only way to get a higher quality image is with top end professional equipment or going to what is known as a rank transfer. A rank transfer is done on equipment similar to the Rank Cintel Flying Spot Scanner equipment, and this type of work is VERY expensive, usually about $250 to $350 per 1/2 hour to an hour, including setup fees, and any additional color and density correction fees, and additional fees for sound and any other effects or titles that are to be added. This is the only current method to get what is known as ‘broadcast quality video.’ However, unless you're involved in an expensive production for broadcast release, this type of costly transfer service is not necessary. Even many television stations and programs don't resort to this expensive type work, which is evident by just watching some shows that use consumer video recordings for broadcast.

I get lots of mail and E-Mail daily, and often am up late at night trying to answer. Even so, I'm quite busy and can't always answer right away. I mention this, so that if you do write with more questions, just be patient, I generally always get back. However...should you not hear back from me within 48 hours, just email me again...it probably got buried under the massive pile I receive daily! Regular mail can average a week to several weeks for answering depending on how large that pile gets!

Start shopping for a good variable speed projector...such as a Chinon, Bell & Howell, Elmo, and various others. You might want to try your local thrift shops to see if there's anything there also. Good luck and start getting your stuff together! Oh, make up some titles for yourself, and videotape those first using some careful lighting, and fading in and out on them to make it all look professional. If your camera has audio dub, you can add your background music later when you're all finished. Best wishes,
Martin W. Baumgarten

SUPER 8mm & 8mm MOVIE FILM LUBRICATION
by Martin W. Baumgarten © 1998 Email: [email protected]

Movie film cleaning and lubrication is vital to the life of your movie films! Just make sure you double check the leader splices and always, clean & lubricate your films when they return from processing. Except for the ones I process here....as I do that already (I am the only lab that does!). It will minimize wear & tear & scratching on your films. Also.....wipe film cleaner with lubricant thruout your projector's film path, and also on all rollers and film quides, and also do the same for your film editor/viewer. If in a pinch....you can always use Pledge furniture polish with wax. Spray it into a clean lintless white soft cloth, wipe the film between a set of rewinds carefully, allowing the cleaner to evaporate before the film takes up onto the take up reel. Do a test FIRST on a small section of film, before proceeding.

When first cleaning & lubricating Kodachrome films for the very first time.....with any form of film cleaner and lubricant....it is very common for some color to come off on the cloth, in the form of a yellowish/orangish color. Don't be alarmed.....this is just surface dye and the films aren't being harmed. However....for your initial test.....on a short 10 inch section of scrap film.....carefully examine the film with a loupe before and after using the cleaner.....check for unusal streaks, image smearing etc.....if all looks fine....proceed, if not.....use something else. Motion picture films MUST be lubricated or they will suffer adverse premature film wear. Films are designed to be projected a minimum of 200 times.....so obviously, proper lubrication will extend film life.

To build your own film cleaning setup, get a set of old film rewinds (or new ones if you can afford it), and mount these on a 2" x 4" x 4ft board. You can make the board as short as 3ft or as long as 5 ft. The purpose of the length of the board is so that the film cleaner carrier solution can evaporate before the film winds onto itself on the take up reel. If the distance is too short, such as that of rewinds on a typical film editor...you will have to wind very slowly and this gets very tedious doing long lengths of movie film. There are commercially available low cost ($190 and up) film cleaning units such as the ECCO film cleaner. These are mounted on a board between your rewinds, allow the solution to flow just to keep the film cleaning pads moist enough with the solution, and have a lightly sprung tension on the upper pad arm, with a teflon roller to either side of the entry and exit points. Work with film cleaners where there is plenty of fresh air and air circulation, and try not to breathe the fumes directly. Your rewind setup can also be used to do quick film repairs, film inspections, and to rewind your films after projection to prevent unnecessary wear and tear on the projector rewind motor and system. New film projectors for the 8mm gauges are rare, and very expensive. Purchasing mint condition used ones are getting more difficult to locate at reasonable prices.....so.....take care of what you have for long life.
Happy filmmaking!
Martin W. Baumgarten

Also here is someone else's written post on the subject from the newsgroups on filmmaking:

Subject: Re: Is home S8 to video tranfer practical? YES

I have found that the best practical home solution to making decent transfers is the following-

Haunt thrift shops until you find a continuosly variable speed (rheostat control) 8mm film projector. They are not super common, but do exist and turn up frequently. This should cost about $10 and up.

Project the film onto a dull finish gray sheet of paper or card. The gray will help reduce the contrast ratio of the image.

Frame up the image with your camcorder, and adjust the speed control until the flicker goes away. This is not exact, but usually works very well. The speed will be a little off, but this is much less objectionable than flicker. you may have to adjust as you go.

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