Professional transfer operators occasionally will use a "multiplexing unit," a more elaborate converter which accepts both film and slide projectors. Its' biggest advantage is a built in "field lens" that disperses the images' light and color more evenly. Personally, we feel that a multiplexer picks up some of the film grain and amplifies it a bit too much. But the multiplexer is a widely-accepted piece of equipment, though relatively expensive at $1,000 or more. So what are your other options? Well, you could also use an actual projection screen; either a glass-beaded model, or a lenticular screen. The main disadvantage is its size and bulkiness. And the projected image is usually quite bright, which is great when you're watching movies, but not great for transferring film.

Surprisingly, one of the best screens to use is simply a piece of light-colored paper! You'll need to experiment with various finishes and surface treatments, however, because some types of paper amplify grain and reflect back too much light to the camera. But this is the exact method many professional transfer shops use to efficiently transfer millions of feet of movie film every year.

There's no sense tying up a very expensive tripod for film-to-video transfers. A simple one will work, since it's used to hold the camera in a fixed position, and no real camera movement is required.

It's recommended that you do not use a tube-type camera for your transfer work. It will work, but excessive motion in the film might show up in your transfer as unsightly "trails," because the image lags somewhat. The best instrument for transfers is a CCD chip camera. It doesn't have to be super-elaborate; a one-chip camera works just fine .

It's also best to select a camera with manual adjustments, rather than using a more automatic "point and shoot" model. Manual controls --such as focus, iris and blue/red adjustments --come in handy when you're fine-tuning your transferred images.

You'll also need a VCR to record your images. Basically, any make or model will work, here. If you're making additional copies it's a good bet to record your transfer on SVHS or Hi8 tape for optimum quality. You might wish to use a VCR with "audio dub" capabilities in case you wish to add music or narration tracks later.

Of course, a camcorder can also be used in place of a camera and VCR. Again, if you use a camcorder, try and find one that provides you as much manual control as possible --especially manual iris.

You'll also need a monitor setup to make sure your transfer looks okay. A monitor, with audio and video inputs, is best; but a regular television set can also be used. Be careful when you select your monitor to make sure it provides a true picture of what's in your camera viewfinder. If your monitor is off, you don't want to trust it during a transfer because you may leave an unsightly edge on either or both sides of the final image.

You'll also need the proper cables to connect your equipment. There are various plugs and ends used for video equipment --such as RCA jacks or BNC connectors, Most electronic stores carry adapters so you can plug everything in properly.

A nice option to have on hand is an inexpensive character generator hooked into the system. You can add titles right on the screen as you do your transfer.

1. Set up your equipment. Make sure everything is accessible. You'll need to get to the camera iris, the projector focus knob, and the VCR controls for hitting record and pause. If your VCR has a wireless or wired remote, so much the better. You can keep the switch right by your hand. (Just make sure it doesn't get in the path of the camera lens.)
2. It's critical to keep your equipment clean, and you should check all your gear carefully before beginning transfers. Dust and dirt can build up on the projector framer, the gate, and the sprockets.You might find dirt and fingerprints on the camera lens; if so, clean it carefully with cleaning fluid and lens paper. Check and clean the projector lens, too, if it needs it!
3. Turn on and aim the projector at your screen material so the projected image is relatively small --approximately 6 - 12 inches across. Any larger and you begin to get a grainy picture. Any smaller, and the camera might not be able to frame the entire picture.
4. Hook your system together. If you're using a camcorder, connect the RF modulator to a regular television set; or connect the video output directly to the video input of a monitor type set.
5. Align the projector. You should set the camera slightly above the projector, shooting downwards more than side to side. This produces less distortion effect on the picture. When the picture is on the screen, focus the camera.
6. Roughly focus both the projector and camera. At this point, you'll see a picture on the TV or monitor. If you have a varispeed projector, set it now to eliminate as much on-screen "flicker" as possible.
7. Frame up the projector. It's important to get both the top AND bottom of the picture as close as possible. Make sure you have the top of the picture at ALL times, so you don't cut off any heads on the footage. In a pinch, however, you can always cut off their feet! (Note: Since film has a different aspect ratio than video, you'll have to crop approximately five to 10 percent from each side of the image. Pan the camera slowly from left to right, and pick out the center of the action.)
8. Set your camera adjustments; first, the white balance. If your camera has automatic white balance,use that. If it's a manual adjustment, set the balance on the brightly lit screen, when there's no film running through the projector.
9. While film is being projected, set the iris for proper exposure. You can also use the manual iris --while watching the monitor --to fade in from black at the beginning of your transfer, or fade from the picture to black at the end of the transfer.
10. While the film is still running, use the monitor to check your camera focus one more time. Here's a hint: if the film was shot somewhat out of focus and it's hard to get a proper image, focus on any noticeable scratches that might appear on the surface of the film!
11. Select the proper length videotape cassette for your transfer. A good rule of thumb is to remember that 1,000 feet of 8 mm film will equal about one hour of videotape. And NEVER use cheap videotape! For a few pennies more, buy premium tape. It has less dropouts and provides a better signal-to-noise ratio.
12. Arrange individual film reels in the order you want to transfer them. Also have an area set aside to put the film you've already transferred; that way, you won't lose your place. (It's a big help to label the film containers or reels with numbers or letters.)
13. Adjust your TV set or monitor, generally increasing the brightness just a little bit higher than normal. This will help get any high contrast areas out of the transferred film.