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Transfers to Mini DV,
Foreign Conversions
Multiple Duplication to DVD
Obselete Tape Formats

Thinking of having a large amount of cine film transferred? enquire here for Supaphoto's bulk order discount.

Do you want to extract photos from your film? - Just drop us a line here

Repairs/Editing - Just ask here

Formats handled:
8mm, Super 8, 9.5mm, 16mm and 35 mm Cine film, VHS, Betamax, Digital 8/Hi8 8mm, V2000, Mini & Micro DV
plus Obselete Material

About Dual Format DVDs - Want to know more?

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What our customers have to say about us..

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Added Value Supaphoto Services:

DVD Menus, Chapters,
Titles, Editing, Free Lables and much more - click here to see full list  

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Compatability Issues:
If you already have a DVD player, then in the vast majority of cases , the DVD which we'll create for you will be compatible. However, It's always worth checking beforehand with your manufacturer. We are not responsible for problems due to incompatibility of your DVD player with our media.

Changing Video standards - Conversions from and to NTSC, PAL and Secam:
For DVD transfers which change the video standards, such as NTSC tapes to PAL DVD conversion or PAL tapes to NTSC DVD conversion. Unless you require our premium quality option, we will generally use a video standards conversions box to do the job while we are capturing the video into computers.

The video quality is fine with the exception of the fact that the vertical resolution is not as good as the original videos.

With the premium quality option, the conversion is done through software and both the resolution and motion are interpolated correctly. You can hardly see the difference between the original and the converted videos.

Dual Layer DVDs
Until relatively recently, both DVD-R and DVD+R disks could hold up to 4.7Gb of data. As explained above, this meant that typically, the maximum recording time (in terms of quality) would be between 1.5 and 2 hours. Due to the frame rate and the gerally lesser quality of cine film, a slightly greater amount of film can be transferred.

Now, what are called dual layered DVD writers and media have been released and allow a capacity of 8.4Gb, or 4 hours of good quality video, or 6 hours of acceptable quality cine film.

There are still however several issues to bear in mind:

i) Dual Layer Media is only available in DVD+R format:
While most domestic DVD players will play DVD+R format DVDs, not all will. Please let us know if you want to use this kind of media, letting us know both the make and model of your DVD player. This way we can check the compatibility for you. There may also be some compatibility issues with DVD+R dual layer media and some domestic DVD players. Again, if you want your video or cine on this kind of media, let us know the make and model of your DVD player.

ii). Finding a section of film:
Because of the quantity of data, you'd have to have a good menuing facility to find the film or video you want to watch quickly.

iii) Cost:
Currently dual layer media is very expensive by comparison to DVD-R media. Our advice is to stick with -R DVDs for the meanwhile..

**VIDEO TAPE & TO VIDEO TAPE TRANSFERS (INCLUDING FOREIGN CONVERSIONS)
All formats (VHS. Video 8, Mini DV Etc.) are the same around the world but the run times and recording signals on the tape are different. Pal is the system we use here in the U.K. . most of Europe, and all commonwealth countries. It is therefore very important that the details of the country and format are provided (e.g. to U.K. VHS).

Note that copyright material wiH require permission in writing from the copyright holder. Special rates apply for obsolete or broadcast formats. All editing work must be accompanied by an accurate edit list with start and stop points in Hours, Minutes and Seconds using the time counter on your video recorder or camcorder. Do remember to rewind the tape and reset the counter to 0: 00:00 before you start. There will always be a small loss in picture quality in the transfer process, especially if the recordings are in long play or from the American N.T.S.C. system.


Photos from your Movies
Yes - that's right. Should there be a particular image that you'd like extracted from whatever your movie material is, be it video, camcorder tape of cine film, just drop us a line here explaining what you want to do and we'll contact you to run through the process. We'll work with you to extract and save those images and it doesn't cost a fortune!

FAQ's Cine to DVD Transfers:

What will the quality be like?
We use Digital Telecine Equipment. To the layman, these are machines dedicated for the purposes of transfering cine film.

This technology ensures that films are perfectly reproduced without any of the numerous problems associated with the mismatch between modern and past day frame rates.

The process delivers faithful and well saturated copies of your precious material. We do not aim to be the cheapest but we do aim to be the best which is reflected in our prestigious client base.

I'm worried about sending my material in the post. Is it safe?
We've carried out our cine film transfer mail order business for years without any problems whatsover. However, we always recommend sending your material to us by recorded delivery or special delivery where possible.

On receipt we'll contact you to confirm safe arrival of your film. For peace of mind, we return everything by recorded delivery as standard and where requested, special delivery too.

Note regarding Christmas - Due to the increased demands that this period places on us and the postal service, please allow for plenty of time when sending your material to us.

How long does it take?
On average we turn work around in a week although at peak times it takes a fraction longer.

I have a variety of cine reels of different guages. Does this matter?
No - our studio handles all formats including Standard 8, Super 8, 9,5mm & 16mm.

Can you transfer reels in order?
Yes: If you wish to view them in the correct sequence, all reels and boxes must be clearly numbered.

What’s the quality of a DVD like?
The video quality of a DVD , is better than a Super VHS tape. A single sided, single layered DVD could have more than 2 hours of high quality video although if you're looking for absolute quality, then we recommend a maximum of 1 hour per DVD.

Are subsequent copies of the DVD the same price as the first one?
No! They are cheaper.. The first mastered one(s) take longer but subsequent copies are cheaper.
(see 3 for 2 offer)

I can't exactly remember what's on my reels! Is there a way that I can edit the transferred footage myself?
Yes! Due to the huge increase in customers looking to take greater control over their cine material, we are invariably asked to provide quality Digital Mini DV copies with each order.

Given that most films have bits that need to be cut out, re-ordered or enhanced with titles etc, this has become an incredibly popular option that has been fueled by easy to use and economical editing software. To assist you, we've also produced a free guide to editing which in plain language explains the basics. Apart from some simple editing software and an appropriate PC, you'll just need access to an everyday Mini DV camcorder from which you can output your film.

Mini DV gives you the benefit of a high quality, uncompressed version ideal for editing on your pc (much better for editing than DVDs which are better suited for general viewing purposes and storage). At just £19.99 per mini DV, it's incredibly economical. (Please also note that if you choose this option, you've no need to opt for background music or the titles option since you can easily carry out these elements yourself during the editing process)

What do I have to do in advance of sending the films?
Not much but if you have not viewed your films in recent years, we advise you to scan through the contents of your film(s) using a projector and (assuming they are numbered) check the reel numbers correctly match the numbers on the boxes, particularly numbers 6 and 9!.

Check also that all spools are wound the correct way round start to finish. White leader tape should be found at the start of the spool and not in the centre. If your films require editing we recommend transferring the entire contents onto tape or disc then creating a simple edit list using the time clock on the front of your video or disc player. A note explaining how to do this will be found inside the cassette case that accompanies the tape or disc. Should we detect a soundtrack already on the film it will be recorded at no extra charge.

If you intend to add some additional material at a later date it is important that you request a 3 hour tape. Be warned however that this is not possible with DVD as the discs have to be finalised. Do appreciate that there will always be some loss in picture quality in the transfer process whichever format you choose.

Do you alter the originals?
No, your original material will be returned to you unmodified.

Do you charge for re-splicing breaks?
No! For two reasons:

i) Firstly, our machines are purpose designed for cine transfers and as such are treat all guages of film delicately.

ii) Secondly, in the rare cases where there are old splices that have come unstuck, we completely absorb the cost of resplicing them.
Can you extract photos from my movie?
Yes. Should there be a particular image that you'd like extracted from whatever your movie material is, be it video, camcorder tape of cine film, just drop us a line here explaining what you want to do and we'll contact you to run through the process. We'll work with you to extract and save those images and it doesn't cost a fortune!

N.B: Royal Mail Special Delivery will ensure that your urgent and valuable items get to their destination on time, every time - or Royal Mail will refund you. They also offer up £250 compensation for lost or damaged items as standard (with optional extra cover) with total coverage and reliability. They have a nationwide guaranteed next working day* by 12 noon or your money back delivery service. There will be a signature on delivery for complete peace of mind. They also provide confirmation of delivery online with Track & Trace. * Later times apply for the remote parts of Scotland. Alternatively,

you could use another delivery service such as Amtrak or U.P.S. We recommend getting a tracking number at the time of shipment.

Safe Packing:
It is important that your items do not suffer any accidental damage during postage*. We recommend that you enclose your item(s) inside two larger pieces of sturdy card, inside a sealed, waterproof bag, inside a board-backed envelope*. Please print your return address and our address clearly on your package*. We ask that all work and be sent with an additional stamped addressed envelope. If you change your mind and wish to have your originals returned to you, providing that we have not already commenced work on your items or cleared any payment made to us by you, we will post them back to you a.s.a.p using your stamped addressed envelope. Please make sure that you have allowed for sufficient postage for shipping.

* This is entirely the customer's responsibility and Supaphoto Ltd accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any loss or damage caused during the transit of the clients images.

How and when do I pay for the service?There are three ways to pay for the service:

On Completion of the work - We'll phone you to arrange payment

You can pay in these ways:
i) Over the telephone for most credit cards and debit cards including Mastercard, Visa, Switch, Solo and Paypal.
ii) By posting a cheque to us.
ii) By Paypal, a secure service of payment over the world wide web.

How much do you charge for postage and packing?
UK P&P charges are fixed regardless of number of items in the order
each service ordered costs:
UK first class £2.99
UK Recorded Delivery: £4.99
UK SPECIAL DELIVERY or overnight courier guaranteed next working day £9.99
Rest of Europe £2.99
Rest of world (orders up to £150) £9.99

A note regarding urgent orders:
Please note that if your order is urgent you may wish to use our SPECIAL DELIVERY option. Your order will receive internal priority handling and will be dispatched as soon as possible by a method with guaranteed next working day delivery. Please note that for large orders or those containing gifts, it will still take us more than a day to prepare the order for dispatch. Small orders (up to 2kg) will be sent by Royal Mail Special Delivery (guaranteed delivery by noon next working day). Heavier orders will be sent by Interlink overnight courier. You should specify a delivery address where someone can sign for the delivery.

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Contact Details: Supaphoto Ltd, 9 Goldstone Way, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 7PA, United Kingdom Tel: 01273 236630 Email: enquiries@supaphoto.com

All dealings with the Supaphoto Ltd are subject to its Standard Terms & Conditions which can be viewed from the home page link.