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Convert Cine Film to Digital

Old Cine films often hold cherished memories from the past, but when was the last time you were able to watch them?

We can convert your cine film to digital formats, letting you enjoy all the amazing memories you’ve got stored away all over again, forever and ever.

See our Cine Film to USB or Cine Film to DVD pages for more conversion options.

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  • Discount iconBulk order discounts
  • Discount iconUK courier collection available
  • Discount iconOriginal media returned

How Cine Film to Digital Conversion works.

Our cine film conversion process is simple, reliable, and trusted by thousands of happy customers

Step 1

Send them

After you order, we’ll email you to arrange a courier collection. If you’d rather send your cine film reels directly, we’ll also explain how to post them to us in North Yorkshire.

Step 1

Save them

We’ll let you know as soon as we receive your cine films. Our specialists will carefully begin work to preserve and digitise your memories.

Step 1

Savour them

You’ll get an email when we’ve sent your digital conversions (and your original cine film reels) back to you. After that, it’s over to you to enjoy your old memories made new!

You’ll always know where your reels are, when we’re working on them, and when you can expect to get them back.

What type
of conversion
should you
order?

How to choose the right
conversion for your cine film.

Your cine film reel(s) on a USB stick. Plug in to your computer (or any other device with a USB port) and you can play, save, and copy your files.


What you get
All your reels on one USB
What to order
You only need to order one USB to get all your conversions
Perfect for…
Watching on the computer

Your cine film reels, converted to a DVD. You’ll be able to play it on any DVD player or other disc drive.


What you get
Your reels on at least one DVD
What to order
You only need to order one DVD set to get all your conversions
Perfect for…
Watching on the telly
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Cine Film to Digital

Your cine film converted to digital files, stored safely online. We’ll upload your files to the cloud and send you a private access link, so you can watch and download your videos instantly, from anywhere.


What you get
Your conversions as digital files
What to order
You only need to order one cloud backup link to get all your conversions
Perfect for…
Sharing with friends and family

What you can expect from us.

Your memories are irreplaceable - this is how we’ll take care of them

Free blanks

Free blanks

You’ll never have to pay for sending blank cine reels. If we find any blanks in your order, we’ll refund them ASAP.
Free return

Free return

Your originals are priceless. We’ll send them back to you free of charge along with your conversions.
Free repairs

Free repairs

Our technicians can fix most problems and will always try their best to repair any damaged media you send us.
Bulk discounts

Bulk discounts

More conversions, more savings! You can get up to 30% off, depending on how many reels you’re converting.
Quality equipment

Quality equipment

The best conversions are made using the best equipment. What else would you expect us to use for your memories?
Real-time updates

Real-time updates

You’ll be updated via email when your order arrives and again when it is sent back to you. You can check on the status of your order at any time using our real-time order tracker.

What do Digital Converters
customers think?

Thousands of people have trusted us with their memories already.
This is what they made of the experience...

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Convert cine film
to Digital.

Cine film is the oldest video format. That’s great, because it holds amazing moments from the past. That’s worrying, because it’s deteriorating and could be lost.

All sorts of footage is stored on cine film around the UK and we’re determined to preserve as much of it as we can.

Thanks to the incredible frame-by-frame scanning technology available, converting cine film to digital produces incredibly clear results.

Our highly-trained technicians use the best, professional-grade equipment to carefully capture and preserve your cine film footage and treat your memories as if they were their own.

Even though cine film isn't commonly used as a recording medium anymore, the memories it holds deserve to be preserved and enjoyed for many years to come.

Examples of our cine film conversions.

Nothing beats seeing old memories remade for today

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FAQs

Q. What equipment is needed to convert cine film to digital?
Converting cine film reels to digital is not something many can do at home, due to the need for the highly specialist, very expensive film scanning equipment needed. But this is not everything you need - the full list of requirements are:

Film Scanner/Telecine Machine: Acquiring a high-quality film scanner or telecine machine is imperative for a good conversion. These machines are designed to scan each frame of the film individually or in real-time while ensuring the highest possible quality.

Film Cleaning Equipment: Before scanning, the film should be cleaned to remove dust, dirt, and other contaminants using a film cleaning machine or manual cleaning tools.

Computer: A powerful computer system with ample storage is necessary to handle large digital files generated during the conversion process.

Editing Software: Post-processing will require professional-grade editing software to adjust colours, contrast, and to rectify any imperfections.

Storage Devices: High-capacity storage devices are necessary to store the digital files. Also, having a backup system is crucial to prevent data loss.
Q. What is the optimal resolution for converting cine film to digital?
The optimal resolution depends on the original film format. For instance, 8mm and Super 8 films typically have a resolution equivalent to 720p to 1080p, while 16mm and 35mm films can go up to 2K or 4K. It's advisable to scan at the highest resolution possible to capture all the details, and then downscale if necessary for distribution or storage.
Q. How do you maintain the original frame rate when converting cine film to digital?
Maintaining the original frame rate is crucial to preserve the intended motion look. Film scanners and telecine machines usually have settings to select the frame rate. We always ensure that the frame rate matches the original film's frame rate, commonly 24fps for cine film.
Q. What file formats are best for saving the digital version of cine film?
Lossless or uncompressed file formats like AVI or MOV with codecs like ProRes or DNxHD are advisable as they retain maximum quality. However, they will result in large file sizes. If storage is a concern, high-quality compressed formats like MP4 with H.264 or H.265 codecs can be considered. We always use high bitrate MP4 for our conversions, as this offers the highest compatibility while also being very high quality.
Q. How can I restore damaged or degraded cine film before conversion?
Physical restoration of the film by cleaning and repairing broken sprocket holes or splices is the first step. Digital restoration can then be performed using software to remove scratches, dust, and to correct colour fading. *IMPORTANT* - please do not attempt to clean or fix your cine film before sending it to us, as you may accidentally make it worse. We will always clean and repair your films as part of the service, so please leave it to the experts.
Q. What is the cost of converting cine film to digital professionally versus doing it myself?
Professional conversion with Digital Converters provides a hassle-free experience and typically higher quality results, as well as costing from just £18.99 for 3 inch reel conversion.

DIY conversion requires a significant initial investment in equipment and software, along with a steep learning curve to achieve satisfactory results. The cost-benefit analysis depends on the amount of film to be converted and the level of quality desired, but for most people, the professional method is a no brainer.
Q. How do you ensure the colour accuracy during the cine film to digital conversion process?
Colour accuracy can be maintained by calibrating the scanner and using colour correction tools within your editing software. It's advisable to have a good understanding of color grading to achieve accurate results. Here at Digital Converters we’re highly experienced at cine film conversion and we’ll always ensure accurate colour reproduction for your film.
Q. What are the common challenges faced during the cine film to digital conversion and how to overcome them?
Common challenges include film degradation, flicker, colour fading, and missing frames. These can be overcome with physical restoration, flicker removal software, colour correction, and frame interpolation respectively. We are well versed and highly experienced in tackling all of the above issues in order to give you your converted cine films back to you looking better than ever.
Q. How is cine film scanned to digital?
We use high end scanners which digitise each frame individually, allowing for the very highest-quality conversions. Other methods people sometimes use is capturing, which usually refers to real-time playback and recording, which results in a much lower quality.
Q. How do you preserve the original aspect ratio of cine film during conversion?
The aspect ratio can be preserved by ensuring the scanning or capturing equipment settings match the film's original aspect ratio, and by avoiding any cropping or stretching during post-processing. We always ensure your cine films are reproduced in the original aspect ratio.
Q. How long does it typically take to convert cine film to digital?
The actual digitising duration depends on the length of the film, the scanning speed, and the amount of post-processing required. It could range from a few hours to several days or even weeks for large projects. But if you are sending a small number of reels to us, we should have them converted to digital and sent to you within 7 days.
Q. Can sound be transferred along with the image during cine film to digital conversion?
Yes, if the cine film has a soundtrack, it will be captured using our sound-capable film scanners or by using separate audio capturing equipment and then syncing the audio and video during post-processing.