Quality Super 8 film digital scanning service in NYC/Long Island?

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Wally Swift, Jul 8, 2019.

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  1. Wally Swift

    Wally Swift Yo-Yoing where I will... Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn New York
    Does anyone know a reputable service in either NYC or Long Island where I can take a reel of Super 8 film footage to have scanned and transferred to DVD? I am referring to the type of service where the frames are scanned to a computer and then reassembled. The film [not yet in my possession] looks quite fragile with some damaged sprocket holes. My local guy does transfers using a projector but I think that's too risky. I'd like to find a place I can hand deliver/pick up the transfer to avoid further mailing. Anyone have a positive experience with this in my stated area?

    Thanks.
     
  2. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    The Spirit DataCine has an optional 8 mm and Super 8 mode. It is a world-class film scanner:

    Spirit DataCine - Wikipedia

    From the article:

    All Spirit DataCines use continuous transport motion, using a capstan and constant filmtension.
     
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  3. jfoley61

    jfoley61 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Westfield, NJ
    I used a company called Everpresent late last year to do a few short 3 min super 8 films from the 1970s, and a couple older 16mm films, one from the late 40s and one from the early 30s, of a wedding in Brooklyn. I think the transfer of each was very good, considering the source material. One of the 16mm films was pretty nasty smelling (a sign of age).

    I believe they do most of their work in Massachusetts, but have drop off points on Long Island. They seem to be willing to discuss any project before any work is done.

    Pricing is on their website. I found it on the expensive side, but I thought the results were high quality. https://everpresent.com/home-movies-to-digital/
     
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  4. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    I honestly think you can negotiate a lower rate, simply because so many film scanning suites are doing less work because of the introduction of digital cinema. The director shooting on 35 millimeter film is a rarity nowadays.
     
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  5. Wally Swift

    Wally Swift Yo-Yoing where I will... Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn New York
    Thank you. I'll be using them as soon as the film arrives. Spoke to them on the phone this morning.
     
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  6. daveidmarx

    daveidmarx Forem Residunt

    Location:
    Astoria, NY USA
    Try B&H on 34th + 9th. I don't know if they do films, but I've had copies made of old family photos made there and the results was stellar.
     
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  7. Wally Swift

    Wally Swift Yo-Yoing where I will... Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn New York
    Everything went well! Very happy!

     
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  8. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    Very cool! Have you found a bootleg of this particular show so we can sync it up?
     
    Last edited: Aug 13, 2019
  9. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    By the way, if you have old films, can't afford professional scanning services but still want to see them eventually, the Internet Archive is putting up donated old home movies. The famous Prelinger Archives expanded into home movies and they will scan your donated film for free and make it available to the world for free.

    It might take them a while to get around to it and this is obviously not for everyone, but if the alternatives are spending a lot of money or dumping the reels in the trash, why not?
     
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  10. Wally Swift

    Wally Swift Yo-Yoing where I will... Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn New York
    I believe one exists but I do not have it. However I have been meaning to ask you about something else. PM coming.....
     
  11. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    No prob.
     
  12. jfoley61

    jfoley61 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Westfield, NJ
    This transfer looks like it came out well. It would be neat if someone had some audio to sync to it.

    On a quick tangent, I found some footage of a Joan Jett show that I attended back in 81 in Bayside NY, at a club called Camouflage. Amazingly it looks like the whole show is here:

     
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