When comparing films to video conversion services, always ask what type of film transfer equipment they use. Some companies still use a low-quality realtime film transfer. They project the film onto a condenser lens and capture the footage in real time using a low-resolution video camera. However the frame rate of film is different then the frame rate of video. Regular 8mm film uses a frame rate of 16 fps while video uses a frame rate of 30 fps. The mismatch of frame rates between the projector and camera causes the film frames to blend. Thus producing a soft blurry image and a noticeable strobing effect.
The film projector used in a real-time transfer also creates what is known as a “hot spot”. A hot spot is the result of a film projector that unevenly lights the frame. It creates an image that is brighter in the center than the edges. The film gate of the film projector also crops as much as 20% of the original film frame. In general, any real-time film transfer will result in a flickering, blurred image with faded colors and cropped edges.
At Icehouse Pictures we use a high-definition motion picture film scanner. Our unique films to video transfer process scans each individual frame of your film one frame at a time and digitizes them. The end result is a flicker-free picture with breathtaking clarity, edge to edge brightness and unsurpassed image quality.
For more information on film to video please visit Icehouse Pictures in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
