How to Scan 35 mm Slides to Digital Format

Posted on June 5, 2011 by tanveers

Using 35 mm slides used to be the “gold standard” of photo taking, especially for professionals. Some people of the Baby Boomer generation and older, probably remember using slide film, or watching their parents use it, and even know what a slide camera looks like. Since technology has advanced so drastically, it is not often that slide film is used anymore, except by professionals who have the equipment and can maintain it, and many are wishing they could either continue taking slide photos, or convert their slide collections to digital format, even if only to have a digital master than can be copied at will.

Well, there is an easy way to transfer 35 mm slides to a digital format, and it is not as technologically advanced a task to do as one might think. All it takes is a digital camera, a light box or a typical slide projector and screen.

Step One: Preparations

The first thing you need to do is choose the type of camera you will be using to transfer your slides. While many people still own and utilize analog 35 mm cameras that use 35 mm film, these are quickly growing as obsolete as the 25 mm slide film we all wish were still in style. If you decide to use this type of camera, keep in mind you might have to transfer your photos again in about two to five years, or maybe even faster because, eventually, 35 mm film will not be available anymore.

That said, the best type of camera would be a digital camera with the highest megapixels possible, and setting it on the finest quality possible. While these settings will eat up a lot of SD card space, the photos will have the best clarity for editing and reproducing both digitally and using print methods. Most inexpensive cameras these days offer at least 5-megapixels, some offer 7-megapixels, and some offer up to 25 megapixels, although the more megapixels a camera offers, the more expensive the camera. A mid-range camera is just fine. You will also need a tripod with an adjustable height, so you can adjust according to the projection screen height.

The next things you need are the slides, of course, and a slide projector with a projector screen. If you do not have a projector screen or a projector, then a light box or something like a school projector will work fine in conjunction with a large while paper or poster board taped to the wall. However, if you use the paper or poster board, make sure it is large enough to accommodate the size of the slides when they are projected onto them.

Step Two: Transfer Slides

Once you have everything you need, it is time to transfer the slides to a digital format. This is the easiest part of the entire process to do. If you have a native slide projector, set it op so that it projects as low as you need to fit the tripod height. Turn it on, and project a slide to test the height. Make the camera zoom in so that there are no white sides or black sides showing when aiming at the picture or the screen. Additionally, move the tripod’s placement if necessary to “zoom in.”  Once you have all the heights set so that when you take a photo the result is a straight, evenly spaced digital image on the camera screen, you can proceed with taking continuous photos.

Because taking photos using the highest quality settings can cause the SD card to fill up very quickly, you may have to offload the card to the computer during the process to be able to continue. If this happens, you can do so or simply add another card. However, if you remove the camera to insert another card, then run the height and zoom tests again so you have the same quality photo shots that you did originally. That is it, once you have captured each image to your digital camera, simply offload the photos to the computer, or save them on the card and you have a complete digital master set of your photos, ready for printing.

 

 

 

 

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How to Transfer 8mm Film to DVD

Posted on April 3, 2011 by tanveers

Do you have any old 8mm film reels lying around your house? If so, you may want to consider transferring them to DVD. If your family members are constantly asking to borrow your 8mm film reels, transferring them to DVDs is the best way to ensure your 8mm film reels are never damaged. Plus, you can easily make duplicates for friends and family members. This article will provide you with all of the information you need to transfer 8mm film to DVD. If you need any assistance transferring your film reels to DVD, contact Mister Video (http://mistervideo.net/). AA Computer Rental (http://aa-rental.com/) can rent you any of the equipment you need to complete the transfer process.

Required Equipment

If you don’t already have a film projector for your 8mm film reels, you are going to need one. You will also need a good, flat white video screen to project your 8mm film reels onto. Now that you have that taken care of, you are going to need a video camera so you can capture your 8mm film that is being projected. Although an HD camera is recommended, a mini-DV video camera will get the job done. Finally, you are going to need a computer that has a video editing program, video capture facility, and DVD writer (if you are using a digital video camera, a computer with a FireWire port will be fine).

Equipment Setup

Now that you have your equipment gathered, you need to set it up. You are going to need a dark room to project your 8mm film reels, otherwise the quality of your transfer may suffer. It is very important that your projector be perpendicular to your white screen. You don’t want to tilt the projector, otherwise your video may be distorted. Your camera, which should be on a tripod for stability, should be placed to the side of your projector. The camera and projector lens should be at the same level for maximum quality. You want the film that is being projected onto the screen to fill up the entire viewfinder on your camera.

If you can, set your video camera to the highest quality setting. Although a special adapter may be required, if your 8mm film has audio, make sure you run a cable from the output on your projector to the input on your camera. Once you have done that, start recording your 8mm film on your video camera. To ensure that you don’t miss anything, you may want to start recording on your camera at least 10 seconds before the film begins.

After the film has finished, stop recording and play the video you captured back on your television or computer. You are ready to transfer your 8mm film to DVD if you are satisfied with the quality. If there is any flicker in the recorded video, you will need to adjust the shutter or aperture settings on your video camera and record the film again. It may take you a few tries before you get the quality you are looking for.

Transferring to DVD

Open your video editing program and connect your video camera to your computer via the FireWire port if you can. You will need to capture the video that you recorded in the video editing program. Refer to the user guide for the program if you need any help with doing that. Once you are done with that, you can use the video editing mode to remove bad footage, add commentary and titles, and much more.

Make sure you are happy with the edits you have made before you go to burn your captured 8mm film to DVD. Depending on the video editing program you are using, you may be able to burn the footage to DVD directly from the program. If not, download a freeware program, such as DVD Flick or BurnAwareFree, to get the job done. Simply insert a blank DVD into the DVD writer drive in your computer and follow the directions on your screen to burn the DVD.

Don’t worry if you don’t get this done right the first time. The above directions for transferring 8mm film to DVD are only a guideline and there may be a learning curve involved. Instead of getting discouraged, simply look at what needs to be fixed and tinker with the settings on your video camera or video editing program until you are satisfied with the end result. Remember, Mister Video can always help you if further assistance is needed.

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The main job duty of a Post Production Supervisor is to oversee all post Video Editingproduction projects from start to finish. The Post Production Supervisor will work with budgeting, clients, CGI and production team to plan, and internal editing. The Post Production Supervisor is also responsible for both the management and delivery of video content from high definition digital video shoots. Examples of projects that a Post Production Supervisor may work on include short form editorials, music videos, fashion films, and broadcast and web sports. Professional skills that most successful Post Production Supervisors will have include technical, artistic, budgeting, editing, reporting, and project management.

General Requirements

A successful Post Production Supervisor will have experience working with all major video post production programs, such as Foundry applications, Final Cut Studio, Adobe applications, Autodesks motion and CGI applications, and Pro Tools. A Post Production Supervisor should have extensive experience in all aspects of post production, including compositing, editing, color grading, CGI/VFX, retouching, green screen, format conversion, stereoscopic 3D, sound recording, encoding, sound production, compression, sound sweetening, mastering, and sound design.

Post Production Supervisors should also have high level experience with RAW and HD digital editing workflows and formats, including Panasonic P2, Red One, Canon DSLR, and Phantom. Other general requirements for a Post Production Supervisor include practical experience operating different types of post production hardware, including broadcast monitors, video cards, calibration and studio sound gear, and both PC and Apple computers. The Post Production Supervisor should also understand color management and have highly organized job structuring, including serving management, file management, and archiving and retrieval.

Creative Requirements

It is recommended that Post Production Supervisors have both extensive appreciation and knowledge of important directors, editors, cinematographers, and filmmakers styles and work. Being that the Post Production Supervisor will likely be working with a wide variety of projects, a successful applicant will have both an appreciation and comprehension of fashion, commercials, photography, music videos, color styles, and lighting. Post Production Supervisors should consider themselves to be an expert in all music genres, worldwide songs, and both past and current artists. Additional creative skills that are a plus include musical ability and sound engineering.

The salary that a Post Production Supervisor can expect to receive is dependent upon experience.

Posted on March 28, 2011 by tanveers | 2 Comments

How to Transfer LP to CD

Posted on March 23, 2011 by tanveers

You may be thinking to yourself right now that it would be very difficult to transfer music from an LP vinyl record to a CD. Luckily for you, the entire process is actually very easy. All you need is a turntable, an amplifier and a computer with a CD burner. Basically, you will be recording the music from the LP directly to your computer, after which you will burn it to a CD. There are many awesome recording programs out there that you can use, but you can actually complete the process manually by using features that come standard with any Windows computer.

Step 1 – Connecting the Turntable

If you have a turntable that has a built-in amplifier, great. If not, you will need to connect your turntable to an amplifier before you connect them both to your computer. To connect a turntable to an amplifier, all you need is a set of stereo cables. Simply connect the red and white audio plugs into the corresponding plugs on the turntable. Once you have done that, you will need to connect another set of stereo cables from the output jacks on the amplifier to the Y-adapter on the turntable. From there, you will be able to connect the plug that is found on the Y-adapter to the REC jack on your computer.

Step 2 – Recording the Audio

If you have a recording program on your computer, such as Microsoft Plus!, feel free to use that instead of completing the process manually. If you don’t, though, go to the bottom right of your screen, right-click on the little speaker icon and select “Recording devices”. You will then need to click in the white area of the box that appears and select “Show Disabled Devices”. Once you have done that, look for “Line In”, right-click on that and click “Enable”, “Set as Default Device”, “Apply”, then “OK”. That sounds like a lot, but you’ll have it done in a few seconds.

Now that you have done that, go to the “Start” window on the bottom right hand side of your screen, and in the “Run” box, type in “soundrecorder” and press the “Enter” key on your keyboard. When the recorder loads, go ahead and press “Start recording”. You will then need to begin playing your LP record on your turntable. When you are done recording, click on “Stop recording” and save your music to a location that you will remember.

Step 3 – Burning the CD

You have made it through the toughest part of transferring an LP to CD. Go to the location that you save your music and double-click on it to open the file in Windows Media Player. Once Windows Media Player has loaded, place a blank CD in your burner and close the AutoPlay window. You will then need to click on the “Burn” button and drag the music that you recorded into the “Burn list”. Once that is done, click on “Burn to disc” and you will have successfully transferred your LP to CD.

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Film Archival and Transfer Services

Posted on March 23, 2011 by tanveers

Mister Video (http://mistervideo.net/) can handle all of your film archival and transfer services for you. Whether you are looking for PAL/NTSC/SeCam VHS transfers, VHS to DVD transfers or film transfers, Mister Video is the company for you. The great thing about working with Mister Video is the fact that all of the work will be processed in house with very fast turnaround times at an extremely affordable price. If you are interested in working with Mister Video, you can check out the services mentioned on the above website or call them toll free at (866) 729-3636. Mister Video is open Monday through Friday from 10 am through 6 pm. Mister Video is obsessed with perfection, so feel free to contact the company if you encounter any problems with the film archival and transfer services that are offered.

Film Transfers

Mister Video can transfer 8mm, Super 8 and 16mm film to DVD for you. For 8mm and Super 8 film, the cost for standard definition is 13 cents per foot and the cost for high definition is 30 cents per food. For 16mm tape, the standard definition cost is 16 cents per foot and the high definition cost is 40 cents per foot. Mister Video guarantees that your transfer will be flicker free, focused and color corrected. If you would like a master copy of your video made, Mister Video only charges $25 for a DVD master and $95 for a Blu-ray master.

Tapes to DVD

Tape formats that Mister Video can transfer to DVD for you include VHS, Betamax, MiniDV, Digital 8, Laserdisc, Hi8 and many more. While the cost varies depending upon tape format, for a 2 hour VHS, Mister Video would only charge you $24.95 to transfer it to DVD. All of the prices that Mister Video quotes for you include a blank stock DVD, jewel case and a label. Discounts are available for multiple tapes. To produce a high quality DVD, Mister Video uses industrial quality machines that feature image stabilization and a high signal-to-noise ratio. If your video is of poor quality or is distorted, for an additional fee, Mister Video can even enhance it through an editing process.

Duplication

Do you have a DVD that you want to make a copy of so you have a back-up? If so, Mister Video can handle that for you. Mister Video is capable of duplicating DVDs, CDs and Blu-ray discs. You select the quantity, printing option (black and white text, paper labels or full color text) and you select the case (standard jewel case, slim jewel case or paper sleeves). If you have your own artwork that you want used for printing, simply let Mister Video know when you place your order. Mister Video can even put a rush on your job if you need a rapid turn over time.

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Transferring VHS to DVD Quickly and Easily

Posted on March 23, 2011 by tanveers

Do you have any old VHS tapes lying around your house that you would like to watch once again? Of course, finding a VHS player is not the easiest thing to do these days, and the quality isn’t the best. Years ago, transferring your VHS video tapes to DVDs was a service that was only available in a professional video studio due to the high cost. Luckily, that is no longer the case. Mister Video, a sound and video production and post production company, can transfer your VHS tapes to DVD for a great price.

Sure, there are different computer applications and hardware available that you can use to transfer your VHS tapes to DVD on your own. However, it may cost a rather large initial investment on your end that you may not be interested in, especially if you only have a few VHS tapes that you want transferred. Plus, you will have to invest time learning how to use the hardware and applications and you still can’t even be guaranteed of the quality that you will achieve in the end. The problem with many of the applications that are available for transferring VHS tapes to DVD is the fact that they will only allow you to record the VHS directly to a DVD. You will also want the option of recording to your hard drive so you can edit the video if needed.

Mister Video has been in business since 1996 and uses industrial quality machines that feature a high signal-to-noise ratio and image stabilization. That may not mean anything to you, but those features enable Mister Video to transfer your VHS video tapes to DVDs with the highest possible quality. If you have a digital tape that needs to be transferred, Mister Video will use a digital pipeline, such as FireWire IEEE 1394 to get the job done.

There is no middleman involved when you allow Mister Video to transfer your VHS tapes to DVD for you. All of the work is completed in house with very fast turnaround times. Mister Video offers very affordable prices. For a 2 hour VHS, you can expect to pay only $24.95 to convert that to a DVD. For additional hours, the cost is only $14.95. If you find that your VHS tapes are distorted or are of poor quality, Mister Video can stabilize images, restore colors and/or enhance sound quality for you for the low price of $75. If you aren’t sure if your VHS tape needs any work done to it, Mister Video will take a look at it for $25 and give you an estimate on any needed services.

Instead of allowing your VHS tapes to sit around your house and collect dust, visit Mister Video at http://mistervideo.net/ or give them a call toll free at (866) 729-3636 to arrange to have your VHS tapes transferred to DVD. Mister Video is open Monday through Friday from 10 am through 6 pm

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