8mm Film to DVD

[ian lucero]

I will soon be taking on a project that involves archiving some old 8mm footage to DVD. The process that I have access to at this point is cheap and easy way of shooting the film projector footage into one of those 'blackbox' things and you stick your dv camera into the other end and hit record. Is this an OK way to go? Can I get a decent transfer to archive if I take great care in cleaning the film, recording at an optimal setting on my DVX, and then doing any post work to improve the image?

or should I take the film to someplace that can do a digital telecine process for $.20 a foot? Is that a good price for 8mm film? It seems quite cheap.

[Dyrseve989]

a1filmlab.com

[J.R. Hudson]

.20 a foot? Where? Tell me? Any minimum?

I'm looking to do the same for an upcoming short and will most likely shoot it off projection.

[ian lucero]

John:

Here's the Order Form that I found for $.15 a foot!

https://secure.digitaltransfersystems.net/CustomerCenter/DTSOrderForm.htm

I can't tell if there is a minimum though.

The reel I have seems pretty long. Is there an obvious way to tell the length of the reel? I don't see any obvious markings. Also if were to do this myself or send it off to a lab, I'm thinking of cleaning it. Although I might not have to much as it is in a protective case.

Thanks

[thisiswells]

"the latest equipment, rah rah rah"

seems a bit sketchy to me:
http://www.digitaltransfersystems.net/Media/default.asp

[ian lucero]

Yeah with this particular company it seems vague as to what method they use. Digital Transfer with Canon XL1s ?? Is this the "proprietary digital transfer process" they are talking about? If that's the case I'll do it with my DVX at home. I'm sure they have more refined methods other than - turn-off the lights and hit play and record. Although that might be what they do. So yeah... well that was just one example of places I've found, on-line. I was shopping around for prices and their $.15/ft seemed amazing. Ideally I'd like to do this locally (Seattle, WA) so as to not pay for shipping and time AND to be able to see the result or some kind of 'Proof' before paying for it. If that is possible.

The cheap and simple method of shooting it onto the dvx might be ok. The person I'm archiving it for wants the convenience of a DVD and isn't expecting quality to be better than what it already is. So I wouldn't need 'theater resolution' results, just something for the archive to be watched on the TV. IF going this method - what would be the ideal settings for the DVX?

May be a silly question... If I shoot the 8mm film onto the DVX, should I set it to 24P or 24PA or something else? What are the Pro/Cons of this? I'm going to do a little bit experimenting myself so that I don't get so much flicker. I'd also do some color correcting regardless if I got a lab to do the transfer or if I did it. If a lab can do the transfer for something like $.20 a foot or little more, I wouldn't mind having them do it as they might have a better method of doing it. If the method is the same as my cheapo solution then I'll just do it myself.