Convert Your Super 8 Film to Digital
Bring your reels by our Orange studio or send the box. Sound film plays back with its sound.
Every reel is cleaned, then scanned frame by frame in HD or 2K on touchless, cold-LED equipment in our own studio, with sound read in sync on sound reels. You pay only for the footage we actually convert.
The producers of Spielberg trusted us with reels a teenage Steven Spielberg shot himself.
Thinking About a Super 8 Scanner?
Plenty of people look at home film scanners first, and for a reel or two it can make sense. Here is the honest comparison, so you can pick what is right for your film.
| Doing it yourself | Sending it to us | |
|---|---|---|
| What you need | A film scanner or digitizer that fits your reel size, a computer, and time | Just the reels |
| Your time per reel | Loading, running, and checking every reel yourself | None |
| How it is captured | Depends on the device | Frame by frame in HD 1080p or 2K on touchless, cold-LED equipment |
| Old, brittle, or dirty film | Runs through as is, and can snag or tear | Cleaned and reconditioned first |
| Faded color | What you capture is what you get | Color correction and grain reduction available |
| Sound film | Often picture only | Sound read in sync with the picture |
A home scanner is fine for a reel or two you do not mind experimenting with. For the family film you cannot replace, we would rather you send it to someone with the right equipment, whether that is us or not.
Super 8, 8mm, 16mm, or Technicolor?
Not sure what you have? Send them all. We identify every reel and measure the footage for you.
What It Costs
Pick your quality and pay by the foot we actually convert. No prepaid boxes, and no paying full price for a half-full reel.
Gold HD
HD 1080p, frame by frame.
- Touchless scanning under cold LED light
- Cleaned and reconditioned first
- Sound film $0.38 per foot
Platinum HD
HD plus color correction and grain reduction.
- Everything in Gold
- Color and exposure corrected scene by scene
- Sound film $0.45 per foot
Professional 2K
2K with color correction and grain reduction.
- Everything in Platinum, at 2K
- A popular choice for 16mm
- Sound film $0.55 per foot
| Reel size | Up to | Runs about | Gold HD | Platinum HD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 inch | 50 feet | 3 to 4 minutes | $14 | $17.50 |
| 5 inch | 200 feet | 14 to 18 minutes | $56 | $70 |
| 7 inch | 400 feet | 28 to 33 minutes | $112 | $140 |
How We Treat Your Film
Our film transfer uses the same trusted equipment and processes used by the Academy of Motion Pictures in Hollywood, the USC School of Cinematic Arts, and the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.
Frame by frame
Every frame is captured on its own, in true HD 1080p or 2K, then assembled to play at the right speed. No projector, no filming a screen.
Touchless, cold light
The scanner never touches the picture area and uses no toothed sprockets, and cold LED light keeps heat off your film.
Cleaned first
Every reel is cleaned and reconditioned before scanning, and often comes home in better shape than it arrived.
Color brought back
Platinum and 2K add color correction and grain reduction, done scene by scene.
Studio editors from Sony, CBS, ABC, Paramount, Universal, Marvel, and Disney Animation have trusted us with their film.
Three Ways to Get Your Reels to Us
Drop them off
202 W. Lincoln Ave., Suite A, Orange, CA. Walk-ins Monday to Friday, 8AM to 4PM; evenings and weekends by appointment.
We pick them up
Free for qualified orders in Southern California. Call and we will set a time that works for you.
Ship them
Pack them snugly in a box and ship with tracking from anywhere in the US. We call you when they arrive.
No need to sort or label anything. We count every one, send you an itemized quote, and your originals come home with your files.
What Families Say
“I had old family films that my grandfather made back in the middle to late 1960s. 8 mm little rolls. I remember watching them as a kid. They had been stored in a box in the attic for decades. I figured they would just turn to crumble when someone tried to restore them. Legacy Digital did an amazing job of cleaning, color restoring, and digital storage of all the films.”
Randy Reardon · Google review
“I sent a lot of 16mm film I had shot in 1967, with scratches, splices falling apart, and dirt - to Legacy Digital. A project I had given up on. I got back a stunning, beautiful HD 1920 x 1080 file that was clean, sharp, with amazing detail. The result inspired me to edit the project … and it was nominated for the Cannes Shorts Festival , along with a few others. True story.”
Seth Hill · Google review
Our Satisfaction Guarantee
We stand behind every transfer we perform. If you're unhappy with the quality of our work, we'll make every reasonable effort to make it right, at no additional charge. And if another professional service can produce a visibly better transfer from the same originals, we'll match their quality or refund what you paid us for the affected transfer.
See Our Full Satisfaction Guarantee →Super 8 to Digital Questions
How much does it cost?
Film is billed by the foot actually converted: from $0.28 per foot at Gold HD, $0.35 at Platinum HD with color correction and grain reduction, and $0.45 at Professional 2K. A full 3 inch reel (about 50 feet) is about $14 at Gold HD, and a full 7 inch reel (about 400 feet) about $112. $50 order minimum.
Can you transfer film with sound?
Yes. Super 8 and 16mm sound film carry an audio track that we read in sync as we scan, so your video plays with its original sound. Sound film is 10 cents more per foot, from $0.38 at Gold HD.
Do you develop new Super 8 film?
No. We transfer film that has already been developed. If you shot new Super 8, have a film lab develop it first, then send us the processed reels to scan.
Do I pay for blank footage or half-full reels?
No. We bill the footage we actually convert, so a half-full reel costs about half as much, and blank or unrunnable film is never charged.
Is there a service near me?
If you are in Southern California, drop off at our studio at 202 W. Lincoln Ave., Suite A, in Orange (walk-ins Monday to Friday, 8AM to 4PM), or ask about free pickup for qualified orders. Anywhere else in the US, ship to us with tracking and we call you when your box arrives.
My film is old, faded, or brittle. Is it too late?
Usually not, and it often looks better than people expect after color correction. Every reel is cleaned and reconditioned before it is scanned. Some film is past a perfect image, but we deliver the best result it can give.
How do I get my film back?
MP4 files by default (MOV or ProRes on request) on a flash drive or hard drive, and DVD or Blu-ray if you like. Your original reels come home too.
Is it safe to send my only copies?
Every item is logged and tracked, handled in-house in Orange, California, and returned to you. Across more than a million items, we have never lost one.
How long does it take?
Processing time depends on our queue and the size of your order, so call us at (888) 405-2685 for current times. Working toward a date? Ask about priority ordering, and we will tell you honestly what we can finish by then.
Other questions? Call us at (888) 405-2685. A real person answers, 7AM to 7PM, 7 days a week.
Ready to Watch Your Super 8 Again?
Get a free, itemized quote in a couple of minutes, or call and talk it through. Scott and the team answer 7AM to 7PM, seven days a week, and are happy to help even if you are still deciding.
202 W. Lincoln Ave., Suite A, Orange, CA 92865
Walk-ins Mon to Fri, 8AM to 4PM
Evenings and weekends by appointment
Phones answered 7AM to 7PM, 7 days a week
