Priced by the foot, which suits 16mm badly at first glance
Film is billed by footage actually transferred, not per reel. For 16mm that arithmetic surprises people, because 16mm reels are large. A single 400 foot reel is eight times a small 8mm reel, and a 1,200 foot reel is not unusual in professional material.
Published rates, as of August 2026
- Roughly $0.29 to $0.32 per foot of film actually transferred.
- $50.00 service minimum, shown as a “Minimum order adjustment” line.
- DVDs $5 per disc alone, $15 per disc alongside a drive.
Rates move, and condition work is quoted separately. Ask for a current quote.
16mm reel sizes and what they mean
| Reel | Footage | Approx. running time |
|---|---|---|
| 400 ft | 400 | ~11 min at 24fps |
| 800 ft | 800 | ~22 min at 24fps |
| 1,200 ft | 1,200 | ~33 min at 24fps |
Four 400 foot reels is 1,600 feet, which at published rates is roughly $460 to $510 in scanning before any condition work. Knowing that in advance is usually more useful than a headline per-reel figure that turns out not to apply.
What is quoted separately
Shrinkage handling, splice repair, and cleaning are assessed per element rather than averaged into a rate. A collection where half the reels need work and half do not should not be billed as though every reel needed it.
For institutions
Collections get a written assessment before scanning, so the number you take to a budget approval is based on what the material actually is rather than an estimate that moves later.
Ask us anything first
Send a photo and a rough count. We will tell you what you are holding and what it would involve, with no obligation.