Kodak Reels Film Digitizer review

The self-contained Kodak Reels Film Digitizer brings 8mm and Super 8 film into the digital era, with the minimum of fuss

Kodak Reels Film Digitizer
(Image: © Matthew Richards)

Digital Camera World Verdict

There’s something delightfully retro about threading up a projector with a reel of film. But instead of projecting its light to a screen or a blank white wall, the Kodak Reels Film Digitizer outputs 8mm or Super 8 film to an SD memory card, as a digital MP4 movie file. The whole process is pretty intuitive and painless, and the machine is entirely self-contained, so it doesn’t need to be hooked up to a computer to do its thing - and you don't need to find an old film projector. But it has limitations, and can’t capture audio laid onto Super 8 film that has a soundtrack, and digital video quality is good rather than entirely great.

Pros

  • +

    8mm and Super 8 compatibility

  • +

    Standalone scanning, no computer or projector required

  • +

    Simple to use

Cons

  • -

    Pixelated picture quality

  • -

    No sound recording

  • -

    No HDMI port for playback

Why you can trust Digital Camera World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.

The Kodak Reels Film Digitizer converts old reels of 8mm and Super 8 film for the digital generation. Even if you’ve got a pile of old film reels stashed away somewhere in the family archive, the chances are that you don’t have a suitable projector that still works, making the film completely useless. As its name suggests, this device goes about the business of converting film to a digital format, so you can play your old movies on any television, computer or other modern-day gadget like a smartphone or tablet.

(Image credit: Matthew Richards)

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Matthew Richards

Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! 

His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia  when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related. 

In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide.