I got this unit to convert old super 8 reels to digital. It comes with a small take-up reel, but can handle larger reels as well. Considering the fact that paying for conversion at a store can be $200, it is definitely a good money saving option for a large collection. I am assuming that if you're looking at this you know a little about 8mm / super 8, and aware of the issues they had on the old projectors. It is important, because that frames the limit of what any convertor will be able to do.
Notes on performance:
1. The unit takes pictures one frame at a time at around 2 per second. This means that you are recording at about 10 times slower than play. 1 minute clip takes 10 minutes to convert. This is particularly important to note since you can't really leave the machine completely alone (more on that later)
2. The unit has X, Y and zoom adjustments to make sure the frame fits. I have found that most of the time you set it for the reel and it works, however there were a couple of times where I had to readjust mid-reel. This was always after a splice point, so may have more to do with the original than with the unit itself, but requires some attention
3. Video quality of the outcome is great. There were no encoding artifacts, and the high resolution did not introduce graininess. You have some control of exposure during the recording, so if you have a section that is over- or under- exposed in the original you can correct that. For me, the time it takes to make fine adjustments was not worth it. It is part of the limitation of old film - sometimes the quality isn't great
Some design flaws:
1. The unit is front heavy and the small rubber feet on the bottom were not perfectly even. As you can see in the first image, the unit can easily tilt, especially when pushing the controls on the front. This is where the user manual came handy. As you can see in the second image, it is the perfect thickness to slide under the unit and support it.
2. Loading - the tabs that hold the film on the scanner bed are small and hard to see (third picture). The lighting case above shades it from room light, so I use a table lamp or flashlight to make it easier to load. After a few runs I can easily do it now, but it takes practice.
3. The motors are weak and there is no tension control arms. It is good that the pull is not too strong since it will not tear the film if something snags, but it also means that small friction can mess things up. With a 7" reel I had a couple of times that the pickup stopped because of some friction and the film kept going through the encoder
Requires monitoring: Between issues with the pickup occasionally messing up, bad splices causing the film to stop, and potential misalignment of picture, the unit needs monitoring. It's not 100% full attention, I have it running in the background while doing other things, but you can't just leave it to run for 5 hours. And yes, a 7" reel can have 30 minute video that take 5 hours to encode.
Overall Recommended. If you have the time and patience to do it you can save by doing it yourself.
