8mm or Super 8 ?

[Vintage Film]

Having recently uncovered a box of early 1960s 8mm film that was shot by my grandfather I need to know if it is 8mm or Super8. How do you tell the difference? Do both 8mm and Super8 have sound? How can I determine if there is a sound track present? How do I determine the fps these spools of film were shot at? 18 or 24 ?

[Alex]

It's probably 8mm because Super8 came out in 1964-65.

If the sprocket holes in the film look big, it's 8mm.

Film and Video Transfers in California does excellent work on 8mm.

(818) 885-6501.

If you only transfer to VHS, any future editing you do will diminish the quality.

One other issue.

Film and Video Transfers is in California.

I'm personally not comfortable with the idea of shipping one-of-kind family memorabilia.

I believe in hand-delivering ANY family heirloom or documentation to the transfer facility...so you may want to try and find a place in your area.

-Alex

[tom hardwick]

Standard8 film came back from processing on a spool with a very small centre hole, whereas Super8 film came back on a spool that would fit onto the feed and takeup spindles of an open reel tape recorder.

[capul8]

Easiest way:
Regularr 8mm sprocket holes are wider than they are tall.
Super 8 sprocket holes are taller than they are wide.

[Carlos8]

Another way to find the difference between Standard 8 and Super e 8 is the fact that in Standard 8corresponds two perforations to each frame, whereas Super 8 corresponds a narrower perforation by frame.

Carlos.

[Actor]

Measure out 1.5 inches of film and then count the number of frames in that distance. If there are 9 frames then it is super8. If there are 10 frames then it is reg 8.

If it is reg 8 then it is highly unlikely that there is a soundtrack. If it is super8 then any soundtrack is most probably magnetic and would be carried on thin strips of magnetic tape glued to both edges of the film. Look for the film to be thicker, and possibly of another color, at the edges outside the frame area.

If the film is reg 8 then the frame rate is most likely 16 fps, not 18 fps. If it is super8 then it is most likely 18 fps if it is silent, 24 fps if it is sound. The only sure way to tell is to project it and look for signs that the action is slow, fast or normal. If it is sound then listening to the soundtrack will tell you immediately if the projection speed is correct.


[This message has been edited by Actor (edited May 14, 2001).]