I'm getting prodded to facilitate (pay for) transferring to digital format dozens of 8mm silent home movies shot by my parents and grandparents in probably the 50's and 60's. I'm all for doing this before everyone that cares dies of old age.
So, has anyone done this or had it done? My sister has researched a little and come up with 3 options. 1- put a bulb in the projector we can't find and use a camcorder we don't have to record the image projected on the screen which might be good if we still have it and can find it.
2- Buy this little box to take the place of the screen.
3- pay someone (presumably a professional) to do this.
Do any of the photographers on here do this? Any Idea what it costs? I really do want to do this but don't feel comfortable sending these film reels to some outfit like wallgreens, I want to know where my stuff is going.

Thanks for any advice...

Where the hell is Mark when you need him?

Wish I could help. I salute you for undertaking this project, which will undoubtedly prove priceless to your family.

My wife had some old home movies transfered to VHS a number of years ago around 2001(?) and the cost wasn't too bad they even added a soundtrack that was quite fitting for what was showing on the screen, ie. birds chirping during outdaoor/park/camping scenes etc. To my wife and her family this was well worth the added cost for a pro to do the work and I believe it wasn't horrendously expensive. I would imagine the cost shouldn't be too much more now a day.

Film-to-video is about the only conversion that we don't do. It's a PIA because of the brittleness of old film, and there's an inherent mechanical mismatch between the frame rate of video and film, necessitating a projector with a variable-speed shutter to do the job right.

If they are important to you, let a pro handle it.

You also get to check it off your To-Do list by running an errand instead of dealing with it all week.

PS- get extra copies as backups and to give to other family members as well.

Like Tom said, they're valuable and irreplaceable.

I didn't say that. I said, "where the hell is Mark?"

Thanks for the responses. I was holding a silent hope that the square roomed one did this. The quest continues...

I was paraphrasing that "priceless" part.

Leave me alone. I'm full of cold medicine.

and mucus, no doubt.

Sorry, buddy. Drink lots of fluids and get some rest.

Oh, I just figured he was robotripping.