8mm Film Reel Sizes Explained for Regular & Super 8 Film Footage
8mm Film Reel Sizes Explained for Regular & Super 8 Film Footage
Home /History / 8mm Film Reel Sizes Explained for Regular & Super 8 Film Footage

8mm Film Reel Sizes Explained for Regular & Super 8 Film Footage

Share
By Dillon Wallace

Do you have some vintage 8mm film collecting nothing but a firm coat of mother nature’s dandruff? Well, grab that old box full of film reels and ship it off to Legacybox and we can help you cement those classic memories into time through our digitization process.

 

But first let’s start with a few common questions.

 

How do you know how much footage is on my 8mm/Super 8 reel?

This is probably the most common question people ask themselves when they find a jackpot of old 8mm film. So to make it easy for you, here’s approximately how your film reels break down.

 

8MM FILM REEL SIZES BY DIAMETER

Reel diameter

Feet length

Time length

3” reel 

50 feet

2–3 minutes

4” reel 

100 feet

5–6 minutes

5” reel 

200 feet

12–14 minutes

6” reel 

300 feet

19–22 minutes

7” reel 

400 feet

26–29 minutes

 

Any 16mm film will be approximately half the run time of regular 8mm film or Super 8 film.

 

HOW MANY 8MM FEET CAN YOU FIT ONTO A DVD?

Our reputable digitization process typically fits up to 1500 feet of film onto a DVD. So if you’ve got a lot of feet, rest assured that even a single DVD can store quite a bit, nearly two hours of playback.

 

HOW DO WE COUNT THE REELS WE RECEIVE FROM CUSTOMERS?

The simple answer is one. Whereas most companies count by the foot, we simply count by the reel or spool keeping it affordable and convenient for you. Each individual reel is counted as one, even if you have smaller films spliced together on a larger reel – up to 10” reel sizes. And because old film reels are typically short in length, we combine your reels into as few DVDs as possible.

 

HOW DOES OUR FILM TRANSFER PROCESS WORK?

We can convert any film format you’ve got to high-resolution digital video. Go ahead, try us. We digitize every consumer format of film created in our studios every day. That includes 8mm film, Super 8 film, and 16mm film. We’ve digitized film shot as far back as the 1930s and as recent as present day.

 

bulk photo scanning offer 

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO PRESERVE YOUR MOVIE FILM?

There’s no denying it, film doesn’t last forever. Every passing year adds a greater propensity for degradation. So if you’ve got a box full of home movies, digitization is the best course of action. You give us your old media and we give you a DVD or thumb drive, so you can save and share years worth of laughs, cries, and childhood embarrassment for generations to come.

Continue Reading
How to Make a Photo Slideshow
How to Make a Photo Slideshow
How to Edit Photos Like a Professional: Editing Tips for Beginners
How to Edit Photos Like a Professional: Editing Tips for Beginners
Creative Ways to Repurpose and Upcycle Old VHS Tapes
Creative Ways to Repurpose and Upcycle Old VHS Tapes
Our Favorite Throwback Products
Legacybox Media Conversion Kit. Shop Now>
Impossible Polaroid SX-70 Original Instant Film Camera
Victrola VBB-10-SLV Boombox with Cassette Player
Three Ways to Become the Family Hero
Digitally Preserve your Legacy. Shop Now>
Make a Highlight Reel
Enjoy a Trip Down Memory Lane
Three Ways to get Organized
Digitally Preserve your Legacy. Shop Now>
Repurpose Old Items
Condense the Clutter
Advertisement