Steps

1. Determine whether you films are 8mm or Super 8. 8mm sprocket holes are larger, perhaps one third of the width of the film, and they are on the edge of the film between two frames. Super 8 films have sprocket holes the size of the head of a pin and the holes are located on the edge but bisecting the middle of each frame.
2. Find a projector designed to project the type of film you have. You may discover that you have some reels of 8mm and some reels of Super 8. Some projectors (Dual 8) can handle both kinds. If you don't own a projector, check out your local Goodwill, eBay or vintage camera store. You will likely experience flicker in your transfer unless you can find a variable speed projector. Newer, more expensive projectors might have a special mode for video transfer.
3. If possible, gently clean your films using rewind spindles and pulling the film slowly through a soft, lint-free cloth dampened with a little film cleaner.
4. Use canned air and an alcohol swab to clean the tape path on the projector. Ideally, you will run the film just once and remove any dirt that might scratch the film or blow away any dust bunny that might hop into the frame during transfer.
5. Find a piece of bright white paper with no discernible texture to use as a screen. Place the projector on the edge of a table projecting perhaps 24 inches to your paper screen taped to the wall. Make the projected rectangle as small and sharp as possible. Turn on the projector with no film in it to define that rectangle.
6. Use a camera or camcorder that records to a digital format like DV or Digital 8. Newer cameras have better low light capturing properties. Best results will come from a camera that has manual iris and white balance settings.
7. Place the camcorder on a tripod next to and behind the projector and using zoom and focus, find a position where you can frame up the white rectangle on the screen with as little keystoning as possible. If you can hook up a video out of the camera to a monitor, it will make your framing and exposure correction easier.
8. Do a manual white balance on the camera with that white light on screen filling your frame and set your manual iris so it is bright without blooming. A zebra feature on the camcorder set to 100% will help you do this. If the camera does not have these features, the automatic settings may do an adequate job.
9. If the projector has a variable speed adjustment, you should be able to tweak out the flicker on this white screen.
10. Load the sturdiest looking film onto the projector. Start your camera recording first and then start your projector. This first pass is your chance to make any adjustments. If you are very lucky, you could get it on your first try. More than likely, you will have to run this first film two or more passes to optimize the image with your manual controls.
11. With a digital video master, you can now edit or transfer to DVD or VHS.

Tips

• Consider taking your films to a professional for duplication. They will have all the right equipment and it may be worth the extra cost to avoid damaging priceless family history. Check with your local specialty camera store or search the yellow pages for a local place that does video duplication.
• You might be able to find a rear projection screen with a mirror for lens to lens transfer but beware of screen defects that will show up as a texture on all your lighter shots.
• Use a soft, lint-free cloth dampened with film cleaner just upstream from the projector gate and just downstream from the front reel. Pinch very lightly during projection to remove dust and dirt before it enters the projector.
• Make multiple copies from your master tape. If something happens to one , you'll have spares and you won't have to go back to the 8mm.
• These instructions assume your films are silent films. 8mm silent films run at 16 frames per second. Super 8 silent films run at 18 fps. Sound films run at 24 frames per second.

Warnings

• If the film has been edited in the past, it may break on the splices while projecting. Inspect any splices first and repair with splicing tape if necessary.
• As you stand behind the projector loading the film, the sprocket holes should be on the right. If they are on the left, the film might be wound backwards.
• If you go to all the trouble of setting up a transfer station, don't waste your time going directly to VHS tape. An analog format like VHS will lose quality quickly with each copy.
• Cleaning the film can also remove emulsion (the particles that make up the image). Be very gentle and conservative with your cleaning.

Things You'll Need

• 8mm or Super 8 projector, preferably with a variable speed adjustment
• canned air
• alcohol swab
• soft, lint free cloth
• bright white, texture less paper
• digital format camcorder with blank tape
• splicing tape if you can find it