8mm & Super 8 Films Digitizer Converter,Scanner Converts Film Frame by Frame to Digital MP4 Files,with Vibrant 2.4 Screen, Viewing, Sharing & Saving on SD Card(Included) for 3” and 5” Reels (Grey)

The product was a little hard to figure out at first with the instructions manual. The pieces that hold the super 8 film on the reel dont fit great but they do keep the reel from coming off and that is the most important function. If it fit better, the tape would be a little more taut but it really doesnt impact the quality of the MP4 output The product basically takes a picture of each negative and for a 3-in reel takes about 20 to 30 minutes. We then had to use Microsoft Movie Maker to slow down the video that it made because it was a little too fast. All in all it was a very cost effective way to convert the super 8 film that we didnt have a way to play, because They dont make these projectors anymore to a format we can save and play for years to come.

For the price, this machine does an adequate job. The clever concept (used by all the brands) is it takes a still shot of each frame and combines it into a video. Used, as we are now, to razor sharp videos taken on our phones, the results may disappoint some. However, youre starting with what was, for the average Dad making family videos, a not very sharp bit of photography to begin with. The results are, at least, far better than the film-to-video transfers done by local shops decades ago. Some things to consider: Ive used it for several days now, and have begun to learn its eccentricities. 1. Of the three tabs under which you must place the film, only one is white (unlike in the description) so it will help to have a light at your work desk that illuminates that area (overhead light only casts a shadow.) That way you can see the black tabs and properly place the film. 2. If you are using a full 3 or 5 reel, lay it flat on the table and place the film properly in the gate, then put the reel on the machine, otherwise the film is liable to slough off the reel and tangle as you struggle to fit it properly under the tabs. 3. Do not place the leader under the tabs as a starting point for your video. I find that if you start with the leader, the machine will often stutter and stop when it reaches that initial splice point. Wind the leader on the take up reel and start with the first couple of frames after the leader. Unlike a projector, where you need a leader, this machine starts copying at the very first frame in the gate. 4. As an aside, if your film was developed by Kodak, the color should have stayed true. I find that films developed elsewhere now have an ugly blue tint that can only be slightly corrected in editing software. Nothing to do with this machine. 5. This seems to work better with Regular 8mm, probably because of the larger sprocket holes. This is a blessing, since projectors that work with regular 8 are hard to find, and this converter may be the only way to capture and save decades old 8mm memories.

I did one small film reel and that was it. It refused to power up after that. Extremely disappointed. The poorly written manual gives no instructions on how to problem solve issues. I tried rebooting it, cleaned it, unplugged it again… nothing. Good luck if you decide to purchase it.

I like the menu features especially the frame positioning X,Y, and W axis. The motor is weak and jams at any splice. The gray caps that are supposed to keep the reels in position usually pop off when it jams and sometimes for no discernable reason. Ah, but I do love that price.