Super 8 Telecine methods

[Termin8Anakin]

I went to Kodak's website and they have a pretty comprehensive list of labs in Australia that can process Super 8 film.

I've emailed DVD Infinity, and for just ONE 50ft roll, they charge a whopping $79! Please tell me that's not what is expected!

Anyway, I've found (by chance, mind you!) a few local photo shops that say they do Super 8 film processing, but since they are smaller shops, the process they use will most likely differ from a place like DVD Infinity, which is accredited with Kodak...
It will most likely be cheaper as well, but I still want to make sure they do a decent job of it.
(I'm going to go out and ask those stores and report back on what process they use, and how much it is)

Would anyone be able to list all the Super 8 telecine/transfer techniques in use (by amateurs and labs), with a nice simple explanation of what it involves? Pointing out if its a good or bad process would be helpful as well.

I want to know that I'm not wasting my money unnecessarily because a cheaper lab will give me just as good results as the most expensive lab.

Wikipedia has a telecine page, but it's but too technical for me to really understand.

Thanks for your help again!

[bakanosaru]

DVD Infinity has come up before on this forum.
My opinion (not having used them and not planning to either) is that it is somewhat flakey. They go on and on about how special their machine is but won't say what it is or how it works.
I like to know what I'm getting when I pay for something, not a whole heap of hyperbole.

The transfer options from worst to best (IMHO):

'Off the wall' or with one of those 'transfer' boxes (a mirror and a screen). It seems like many of the small places use this method.

Then there are places that point a camera into a projector and capture in realtime.

Then places with workprinters or other frame by frame capture devices.

And then the professional transfer houses with ranks or better.

[jholmesh]

"bakanosaru" has it right.

I use Moviestuff.tv WorkPrinters, 8 and 16 mm machines.

I charge $15US per 50 feet (8mm) or 100 feet (16mm). Some charge more, some less, but I do a lot of post-capture editing and correction before producing DVDs.

If DVD Infinity is charging that much and using WorkPrinters, that's pretty pricey. If they are using a rank transfer machine, it would make more sense. I suspect if they had a rank transfer process, they would be proud about it and tell you so.

Even so, for the cost, WorkPrinter (or similar machines) output is hard to beat.

Regards,

Jon

[Mitch Perkins]

For telecine, at least as important as the method is the level of competence of the person employing it.

Ask to see samples.

Mitch

[pbrstreetgang]

They go on and on about how special their machine is but won't say what it is or how it works.

Some years ago a very, very reliable source from this forum informed me that DVD Infinity had in fact bought workprinter[s] as I was looking for someone in oz who had these machines so I could have a test roll done before I bought one myself. At the time Roger couldn't couldn't do pal transfers.

Andy...