16mm film to video

I have 1200 feet of 16mm soundless color film that needs to be

transferred to video. Is there a device that isn't too expensive

that I can get to do this with my video camera, or should I send it

off to a service company?

I guess my main concern is sending the film off and never seeing it

again. Maybe I could send it in 400 foot chunks to lessen the risk.

You can have the film transfered to video at most motion picture processing labs.A Telecine machine like a Rank Cintel is the highest quality way to do a film to video transfer, the older film chain method where you project the film thru mirrors or prism with a video camera on the other ends is not very good quality, plus the image will have an annoying flicker.A pro lab is very careful with film, they do this all the time, so dont worry about losing your film.Check your local yellow pages for motion picture labs.CineFilm in Atlanta is a good lab .The process isnt cheap it is $285 to $400 a hour,depending how much you want to color correct,, if you dont color correct each scene and just maybe correct the first scene and let the rest fly , it wont be too expensive, 1200 feet is 33 minutes.400feet of film= 11 min X 3= 33, so you could get thru in a hour, talk to the lab guy and get a estimate.

http://www.cinefilmlab.com/

If you have a cine projector you can do it yourself onto your camcorder.

There is a device that's basically just a tube with some optics I assume that links the 2 machines.

I can't remember what it's called, but they used to be sold in mail order ctalogues.

If you asked at a video store they may know.

I am in-process of converting old 16mm home movies using my father's old Keystone projector and sister's Sony Camcorder. I did find a company called SIMA that offers 2 products to transfer film to video: 1) is a mirror/projection screen type unit http://www.simacorp.com/svcva.html 2) and the other is a video transfer unit http://www.markertek.com/MTStore/product.CFM?BaseItem=SVC%2D3

I may go for #2 option and give it a shot.