Metal reels wound with a family’s home movies: birthdays, weddings and holidays, recorded frame by frame.
- Year Released
- 1888
- Inventor
- Louis Le Prince
- Home formats
- 8mm · Super 8 · 16mm
- Super 8 launched
- 1965
- Frame rate
- 16 – 24 fps
- Common reels
- 3 – 7 inch
Fig. 1 — Film reels in several sizes
§ 01 — Timeline
A short life of home movies
1923
1932
1965
2011
Today
1923 · 1 / 5
16mm arrives
Kodak introduced 16mm film as a cheaper alternative to cinema’s 35mm, putting movie-making in amateur hands.
§ 02 — How long is a film reel?
Length of Film Reels
Film Length
Back in the early days of film production, movies were actually shown by running really long film reels through a projector. Each of these film reels was typically about 1,000 feet long.
Playback
How long is the playback for such a reel? Surprisingly, a reel of film that length contains only about 11 minutes of footage.
§ 03 — How can I digitise film reels?
Film Reels Digitisation
Determine the Type of Film
The simplest method is to use a ruler to measure the diameter of your reels. Make sure to measure the full diameter in inches to accurately identify the size you have.
§ 04 — What types of film does Capture accept for digitisation?
Acceptable Film Reels
We accept 8mm, Super 8 and 16mm. Measure the reel’s diameter to see which size you have. 16mm is quoted separately.
3"
~50 ft
5"
~200 ft
7"
~400 ft
8–10"
Large reels
Roughly to scale (reel diameter; footage for 8mm film)
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Film reel — mannyisdead on Deviantart (CC BY 3.0)
§ 05 — How long does film last?
Its Lifespan
Lifespan Extension
The lifespan of film can vary significantly, lasting anywhere from as little as 10 years to over 25 years. To ensure the film reels last as long as possible, they need to be stored in a cool, dark and dry place.
However, even with the best storage practices, physical film will eventually degrade. The most reliable way to preserve your cherished memories captured on film is through digitisation.
§ 06 — Preserve
Still have Film Reels?
To ensure that these precious memories will not fade or be damaged over time and can be easily accessed, digitise your film reels.
Film Reels Digitisation Service Cost
HK$600/ reel, from
Priced by reel diameter and whether the film has a soundtrack, then scanned frame by frame to digital video.
For 16mm film, contact us for a separate quote.
Capture · Our team
Any Questions?
Feel free to contact
our Memory Specialists
Not sure what format you have or how best to handle it? WhatsApp us and one of the team will take a look.
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