See Kodak Film Calculator Link to Measure Your Film Run Time!
Note: All tape digitizing is billed at 1:1 ratio and will not include color or audio correction. Any additional viewing or organizing of tapes
that we are required to do will be billed separately.
Full guarantees on all transfers when using in-house supplied tape stock or drives.
Hourly Film Transfer Upgrades (1 hour minimum)
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Hourly Rates
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Spirit 8mm V3S Sound Head (1 or 2 trk mag - hi def)
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125.00
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2K/4K 8mm V3 Sound Head (1 or 2 trk mag - std def)
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150.00
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Spirit 16/35mm Optical or Magnetic Sound (hi def) New!
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125.00
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2K/4K 16/35mm Optical or Magnetic Sound
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150.00
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H.264 File Conversion for Windows PC
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60.00
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*** Spirit Test Roll *** Need to test a camera or check a batch of film? We can help you do it economically.
Transfer 50' of processed super 8 -or- 100' of 16mm -or- 200' 35mm film to digital file Prep (assembly) w/ Leader and Lab Trim Box Lipsner Ultrasonic Cleaning - INCLUDED 1/4 Hour Spirit 1920 X 1080 Transfer to Pro-Res Data File (unsupervised) Scene to Scene Color Correction - INCLUDED 16GB SanDisk 2.0 Flashdrive Storage Media - INCLUDED ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ $95.00
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Telecine
New Media
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Price
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4TB G-Tech Mobile w/ USB 3.0
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239.00
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2TB G-Tech Mobile w/ USB 3.0
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179.00
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1TB G-Tech Mobile w/ USB 3.0
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129.00
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128GB SanDisk Extreme-PRO Flashdrive USB 3.0
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89.00
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64GB SanDisk Extreme Flashdrive USB 3.0
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59.00
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32GB SanDisk Ultra Flashdrive USB 3.0
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35.00
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16GB SanDisk Ultra Flashdrive USB 3.0
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25.00
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Spectra Cloud Remote Access (up to 100 Mbps down)
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49.00
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DVD - up to 8GB
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15.00
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Std-Def Mastering Formats (720 X 480 Spirit) Discount! See our all inclusive packages at the bottom of our film page!
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Rates per Hour 35mm, 16mm Super 8, Reg 8
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Hard Drive Files 10 bit or Pro Res HQ
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425.00/Hr
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Spectra suites now offer true RGB 4K or hi-definition SCANITY and Spirit Datacine scans complete with multi-tier Da Vinci digital color correction for the very best in professional film transfer technology. We specialise in offering our clients the unique flexibility to transfer virtually any film format on the best equipment intended for high-end feature film and commercial film applications. Bringing this exclusive technology to the ordinary filmmaker is our business!
Check out some recent jobs fresh off our HD Spirit. Both jobs are shot entirely in super 8 using Kodak 200T color negative and TriX black and white. SCREAM grain reduction was applied to color portions only. Using our new system, these are undoubtedly the best looking super 8 film transfers you will find anywhere in the world! You can rely on Spectra to take the nostalgia and beauty of film to the max!
We say "NO" to our competitors ways... No fake 4K/2K bayer scans! No misleading rates! No unfair rate hikes for supervising a transfer! No extra "data management" or "docking fee" on client supplied drives!* No restrictions or censorship!
*See "Client Media Requirements" at the bottom of this page.
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Spectra permits clients to supply their own media for transfers as a cost savings courtesy (solely at the risk of the client). There is no extra charge for this courtesy if the basic guidelines are followed. However, Spectra does not provide a guarantee or warranty on transfers when using customer supplied media. We require fully compatible hard drives or tapes that will allow us to complete your job in a timely manner without incurring extra cost or delays. Saving us time saves you money, so, please be aware of the mandatory requirements below if you wish to avoid any additional charges.
Client Supplied Hard Drives: Please note that we purge all files from our computer immediately after your file transfer has been completed unless additional file vaulting service has been purchased! This service is available at reasonable cost and recommended as added protection of your files that may be accidentally deleted, damaged or lost in transit. If you wish to have your files vaulted please let us know in advance!
To avoid additional service charges (such as reformatting, etc) we require that you provide a drive filling all the following requirements without exception! Please read carefully below:
Drive Requirements:
1. Be sure drive is formatted partition-free as Mac OS extended - journaled, Windows NTFS or exFAT and compatible with Mac OSX 10.6.8 operating system. Windows FAT32 format is not compatible for moving large files and will incur a 25.00 service fee!
2. Drive must be capable of either USB 3.0 or 800 firewire minimum transfer speeds. Any required data or power cables must be included. Data cable must plug into a standard USB 3.0 type A or 800 firewire host connection. Drive must be plug and play (no software requirement). Any needed power cords must plug into a US standard 60Hz 120V wall socket.
3. Drive must function properly and have adequate disc space for job completion.
4. A drive filling our requirements must be bundled with the film at the time we are ready to start the scan or we will automatically proceed with an in-house supplied flash drive billed at our regular list rate or charge file vaulting fee (whichever is least expensive). We do not exchange drives.
Potential Service Charges: We must have your drive filling all the requirements above when we start your session or a $25.00 mandatory vaulting fee covering file storage for 30 days will be charged. Any missing elements that we must supply (such as data cables or power cord) will require a mandatory $25.00 service charge. Any needed Mac reformatting is $25.00 per drive and will delete any existing files. If your files are not vaulted with us and you can not recover them from your drive due to damage or loss, we charge a minimum $175.00 file recovery fee (if files can still be restored from our computer). Any vaulting, reformatting or missing element fees may be waived if a new drive is purchased directly from Spectra to complete the given job in a timely, efficient manner (see "New Media" above). Remember - saving us time always saves you money!
Client Supplied Tapes: New, virgin Sony brand tapes only. Proper tapes must be bundled with the film at the time we are ready to start the transfer or we will automatically proceed with in-house supplied stock (billed to the client at our regular list rate above). We do not exchange tapes.
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Client Media Requirements
Better Quality
Better Pricing
Better Service
Color Correction Options - Cost Savings or Simplified Work-flow? Your Choice!
Unsupervised Onelight - Available on Spirit or Golden Eye scanners. Intended for evenly exposed pictures shot at a
single location. Color and exposure is only adjusted once at the head of a reel using a "flat" setting. More intensive
color corrections would need to be done with the raw files within our Nucoda color suite (or elsewhere) at additional
cost. While additional time and/or billing may be required for color grading as a separate step, this method is the
most affordable option while capturing from film! An unsupervised session is billed at a flat 2:1 ratio based on film
run time.
Unsupervised Scene to Scene (recommended!) - Available on Spirit scanner or Nucoda color suite. Intended for
multiple locations and exposure situations (interior, exterior, etc). A qualified Spectra colorist carefully reviews the
footage and adjusts color and exposure as needed within any scene lasting 10 seconds or longer! This form of color
correction greatly reduces the amount of correction work required during editing for much smoother work flow and
lower grading cost down the road. This is Spectra's recommended choice! An unsupervised session is billed at a flat
3:1 ratio based on film run time.
Supervised Session - Available on Spirit scanner or Nucoda color suite. Client attends the session and calls all the
shots on color and exposure with the help of a qualified in-house operator provided by Spectra. While this form of
color correction can be the most intensive, it is usually by far the most expensive! Sessions are billed by the hour
according to list rates.
Hi Definition Framing Options - Your Choice!
Basic Hard Drive File Options
Windows PC Disclaimer: Please note that we currently only capture as Mac based .mov quicktime files. In some
cases, Windows PC users will be required to download additional software and reconfigure their computer to work
with our original capture files. Although working with our files within Windows is common with many of our clients,
Spectra currently assumes no responsibility for opening our capture files or feasibility of editing on a Windows based
PC. For Windows users that have trouble "seeing" our files on their drive, please see the suggested free-ware link.
Or, try a more complete compatibility solution from Mediafour software products.
For those who wish to play Apple Pro-Res files on a Windows platform you can try VideoLAN ProRes Quicktime
Decoder for Windows (free) or consider purchasing Footage Studio 4K for easier integration.
See if Your Computer Can Play Our Files with a Simple Test!
We provide a free series of test files for you to download and try out on any computer! These are the same files we
capture to when we scan film and should help you determine compatibility. We suggest starting with Apple Pro-Res
(being the most popular format) and going on from there. Tell us what works best for you!
Simply log onto our cloud server and drag the file you wish to try onto your hard drive:
Login: test
Password: test
Hi Definition File Choices:
-1080P 24 (progressive) 10 bit Uncompressed 422: 1min = about 8 gigs (Most digital information, largest files)
-1080i (interlaced) 10 bit Uncompressed 422: 1min = about 8 gigs (Most digital information, largest files)
-1080P 24 (progressive) ProRes 422 HQ (recommended!): 1min = about 1.4 gigs (Most popular format, good quality)
-1080i (interlaced) ProRes 422 HQ: 1min = about 1.4 gigs (Most popular format, good quality)
Standard Definition File Choices:
- 10 bit Uncompressed: 1min = about 2 Gigs (Best quality, largest files, best interchangeability with PC/Mac)
- Apple ProRes 422 HQ: 1min = about .46 Gigs (Good quality, smallest files w/ minimal compression).
Standard Definition Pulldown Ratios (at most popular frame rates)
24fps = 2:3 Pulldown 18fps = 3:3:4 Pulldown 16fps = 3:4:4:4 Pulldown

We wanted to do it right the first time! After some testing, it was found that the only way to make
the lower formats shine to full potential on a Spirit SDC 2000 telecine was to design a dedicated 8mm gate
with proper optics. In April of 2010 Spectra gave the go-ahead on engineering plans to begin this
manufacturing process. Because it was new territory, everything from lenses to the gate sprockets had to
be custom fabricated. For the first time in the US, a new small format gate will be available at Spectra that
allows both super 8 and regular 8 formats to be scanned in full HD resolution off a Spirit.
Seeing the difference! The Spirit SDC 2000 produces far less noise, especially in the highlights
(such as white sky), when compared to older "tube" CRT telecine machines like the Cintel Millennium II or
Data-Mill. Additional improvements include smoother picture (less grain) and reduction in visible dirt and
scratches due to diffused xenon arc light source. Spirit transfers simply look better on a big plasma or
LCD screen. Additional testing on the new V3-S gate also reveals results that are far superior to the factory
DFT 16mm gate mod with improved resolution (see below). For the best 8mm broadcast HD, blow-ups or
historical archives, Spectra is the only professional source with the system to back it up!
What about the 8mm Spirit "mod" used elsewhere? The DFT factory mod is commonly used
on the Spirit as a low budget alternative to allow super 8 to be scanned using a 16mm gate. But, don't let
anyone fool you! The optics on a Spirit 16mm gate are fixed and only intended to focus a Super 16mm
frame down to a 1920 pixel line-array CCD (capturing chip). Since the added DFT modification does not
alter the 16mm optics for 8mm, super 8 resolution on a Spirit is limited to about 860 pixels (closer to
standard definition) due to a much smaller image size on the capture chip. Undesirable electronic
zooming (blow-up) and "up-res" must then be done internally with the scanned image so the Spirit output
can fit it into an HD frame. Although this up-res output stream may appear to correspond to 1920 X 1080
HD, the original image itself is still only 860 pixels worth of resolution which barely exceeds standard def!
It's all about the glass! With Spectra's new V3-S dedicated 8mm gate and its correct optics, we can
now use the entire surface area of the chip in the Spirit allowing for the first, true 1920 pixel scan
(more than double the resolution of the 16mm modification)! The only limitation will be the film itself!
Spectra's new V3-S Spirit gate undergoes testing
Rockin 8mm on the Spirit in Full HD Resolution at Spectra!
Available
Now!!!
Scanity 2K - 4K Onelight DPX Log "Flat Pass" Scans Superior full resolution tri linear scan! No bayer resolution upscaling! All rate totals rounded up to nearest 15 minute increment.
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Rates per Hour 35mm, 16mm, Super 8
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4K DPX Files (4096 X 3112) Rate = 4X film run time. 1/2 hour minimum.
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525.00
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2K DPX Files (2048 X 1080) Rate = 2X film run time. 1/2 hour minimum.
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525.00
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8mm Telecine Set-up Fees
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Per Session
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Super 8mm Spirit Gate Set-up (hi def + std def)
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No Charge!
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Reg 8mm Spirit V3S Gate Set-up (hi def)
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75.00
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Reg 8mm 4K Gate Set-up (std def)
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75.00
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New! Tape Capturing/Digitizing
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Tape Format
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DVD Mpeg-2 (DVD stock included)
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Editable DV File (on hard drive)
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Mini DV, DVCAM
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60.00 per Hour
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145.00 per Hour
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Hi-8, Digital 8, Video 8
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60.00 per Hour
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145.00 per Hour
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VHS, Super VHS
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60.00 per Hour
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145.00 per Hour
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BetaSP, 3/4", 3/4" SP
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60.00 per Hour
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145.00 per Hour
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2" Quad (Quadruplex)
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600.00 per Hour
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600.00 per Hour
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Client Supplied Drives - Additional Services Note: We immediately purge all files after jobs are complete. We strongly recommend our file vaulting service to back-up your files from shipping damage or accidental deletion.
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Per Session
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30 Day File Vaulting Service - Up to 300GB of added protection! 10 cents/ Gig beyond 300!
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25.00
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Hard Drive Reformatting to Mac - For all non-Mac formatted drives. All files will be deleted.
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25.00
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Hard Drive Missing Elements - Missing cables or power cord that we procure for job completion.
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25.00
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File Recovery - Any file restoration and download without prior vaulting service (not guaranteed)
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175.00
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Spectra upgrades standard definition service to Spirit!
Spectra continues to push ahead with advances to all levels of film
scanning service. Our excellent Spirit scanner has been updated and
will now also provide service for all future SD scans (in addition to our
HD scans). People still working with SD can now expect cleaner
whites,less noise and sharper pictures.
See rates below!
Spectra's Spirit now for both HD and SD scans!
HD 4X3 Pillar Box
An entire 1:33 film frame is
visible with no resolution or
image loss. Black "pillars"
are inserted on right and left
to fill in the unused portion
on the HD screen. This is
the ideal choice for archives.
HD 16X9 Full Screen
The default for full resolution
super 16. Film such as super
8 or standard 16 must be
cropped in removing some
top and bottom of film frame
to fit an HD screen. Ideal for
fluid transitions with HD video.
Fotokem, Pro8mm, Cinelicious,
Yale, Deluxe, Cinelab, Pac Lab,
Note: Scene to scene color graded transfers calculated at 3:1 transfer time to run time ratio (multiply film run time by 3 to obtain transfer time). 3:1 transfers include color correction needed on shots lasting 10 seconds or longer. One-light (non-color graded) transfers calculated at 2:1 transfer time to run time ratio (multiply film run time by 2 to obtain transfer time). 2:1 transfers include setting up color at the beginning of a roll and ignoring individual shots. One-light color and exposure is set "flat" to keep the pass legal for color correction elsewhere. Use the Kodak film calculator link to estimate footage run times. 1/2 hour minimum required. Hard drive or tape not included.
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Note: All digitizing is billed at 1:1 ratio and will not include color or audio corrections. Any additional viewing or organizing of tapes that we are required to do will be billed separately.
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New from Spectra! Remote Server Cloud Access for Film Dailies (up to 100 Mbps)
Spectra now offers instant remote server accessibility to fully editable film transfer dailies from any computer in the world.
This means that a director in New York, editor in Los Angeles and DP in Brazil can all gain accessibility to film dailies for
expedited editing and creative decision making. Our cloud also doubles as your file vault for 30 days in case previously
downloaded files are accidentally corrupted or deleted.
The drawback is that download times, while usually faster than shipping, can take several hours or more depending on
file size and user internet connections. Considering this we suggest the following:
1. Download from wired connection with 50Mbs or faster service. Wireless connections not recommended!
2. Be sure your computer settings do not activate "sleep" mode or shut down during the download.
3. Avoid using internet for other purposes while downloading to reduce the chance of errors or corruption.
4. Try to restrict cloud downloads to files under 30 Gigabytes each
5. Be prepared for slow download speeds depending on providers and distance (1.5MBps average)
To test your connection, please log onto our cloud server and start the download of a 5GB test file. This will allow you to
properly gauge download speeds from your location with some accuracy:


Super 8 Millennium vs Spirit Comparison Video
Special thanks to Christian Schneider for producing a direct,
unbiased comparison of the same 8mm footage transferred on
our Spirit SDC 2000 at 1080 resolution versus a competitor's
Millennium II at 2K uncompressed resolution. Both the BW and
color films are somewhat grainy due to high film ASA, format and
lighting. The example shows the Spirit producing more crisp
detail, accurate color with no additional digital noise. Proof that a
more advanced capturing array, superior optics and a trained
colorist at the controls will continue to lead the pack in quality.
This explains why only the very best facilities still use the Spirit
telecine for professional work while Millennium and the newer
budget scan machines on the market fail to measure up even
though they may claim to offer "more resolution". As a million
dollar machine, the Spirit was designed with amazing optics and
capturing that currently surpass all the competitors regardless of
their claims. See the difference Spirit makes!

Login: test
Password: test
16mm 3K vs Spirit Comparison
Thanks to another client of ours for a
direct comparison of 16mm transferred
on our Spirit at 1080 resolution ( far right)
versus a competitor's Bayer scanner at 3K
resolution (left). Both versions were
professionally color corrected by each
facility for finished editing and viewing.
Again, the example shows that Spectra's
Spirit and trained colorists provide much
better detail and color. Leaves and bark
on the tree appear colorful and detailed
while the 3K scan tends to be soft and
washed out. The positive black and white
Spirit image also shows much more
dynamic range and crisp detail of tree
branches while there is little to see from
the 3K version.
As we see, what is advertised as more is
actually less. Although the modern
scanner may suggest a 3K capture spec,
there are system shortcomings that
significantly effect picture resulting in less
actual resolution. Low budget Bayer
scanners of today still can not compare to
the extraordinary quality built into a line
array Spirit.

Millennium II Spirit
Competitor 3K Bayer Scan Spectra Spirit 1080 Line Array Scan
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Hi-Def Mastering Formats (1920 X 1080 Spirit) Discount! See our all inclusive packages at the bottom of our film page!
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Rates per Hour 35mm, 16mm, Super 8, Reg 8
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Hard Drive Files (1920 X 1080) 35/16/8mm sound options available!
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425.00/Hr
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SCANITY True RGB 4K Scans at Spectra
The Bayer Limitation:
The illustration above exemplifies the
significant limitations of the Bayer sensor
which is only capable of scanning 1/3 the
information of 3 dedicated line array
sensors working together in Spectra scans!
Spectra is now one of the few sources that will provide true RGB 4K (4096 X 3112) scans in super 8, 16mm and 35mm from their recently installed DFT Scanity RGB scanner. The line array sensor within is superior because it provides all color and resolution information using 3 sensors (one dedicated for each color) instead of a single Bayer filtered sensor found in budget scanners. You see bayer chips being used in cheaper scanners such as ScanStation, Flashscan and Blackmagic Cintel to save them big on component costs. High end machines such as Scanity and Spirit that utilize line array scanning are considered the first choice when big budget movies or TV series require professional quality, full information log file scans.
The Bayer sensor is inferior because it only involves a single chip that must capture and extrapolate all color information, losing critical data in the process. The Bayer sensor must use half its pixels for green, and one quarter of its pixels for red and blue each. This means that only half the green dye resolution and a quarter of red and blue dyes are captured. The missing pixels are filled in by "interpolation" which attempts to fill in the blanks. To put this into numbers, our true 4K scans will capture 38 Mpix per frame while a 4K Bayer sensor scan can only capture some 12 Mpix per frame (the rest is filled in by interpolation). That's less than a third of the actual scan information that our RGB array scanners can deliver! Beware of companies touting 2K or 4K scans who actually use Blackmagic Cintel, Lasergraphics Scanstation or Fabriek Muller HDS scanners. These machines do NOT deliver full resolution from the film!
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Color Correction of DPX Files (Stage 2) Should you wish to have a professional colorist grade your "flat pass" 2K/4K DPX files to look good for immediate editing, Spectra can provide these services as a second step! We offer state of the art color suites that include DVO Enhance and DVO Restore in addition to the very best in color correction tools. Using this powerful, new
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software we can make professional commercials, music videos, documentaries and feature films look incredibly good with color tracking, layered corrections, grain reduction, color restoration, scratch and dust removal and many more tricks - all at your disposal.
Our flexible Nucoda system can also handle file types from any other source ranging from digital Red .R3D files to older DV files. This includes file types that may have already been captured on another scanner.
We provide our clients with the option for unsupervised flat rate service (3X the film run time) for basic color correction or client supervised sessions billed by the hour for more intensive work.
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Spectra Color Online Correction - 1080, 2K, 4K Files
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Rates per Hour DPX, ProRes, R3D, TIFF
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Unsupervised Flat Rate (Flat Billing at 3X File Run Time)
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TBD
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Supervised Billed Hourly
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TBD
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Available NOW!
What is a "Onelight Flat Pass"? Should I have my film corrected?
A onelight flat pass is the only way to scan an image off film with today's traditional scanners. This includes Scanity, Scanstation and all others in addition to the Golden Eye. This means that there is no color or exposure correction. All the picture information remains intact; the highlights are not blown out and the shadows are not crushed. The digital file is delivered "flattened" to allow a colorist full access to control highs, lows and color in a separate color correction suite (such as our Nucoda bay). Our Nucoda color/exposure correction option (stage 2) should be considered as a way to simplify the down stream editing and color correction process, keeping cost and delivery time minimal. See the Nucoda section directly below for more information.
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For those who want edit-ready files at a lower price point, we also offer professional grade 1080 film scans from our Spirit. The Spirit and Davinci color systems work together in real time allowing for far greater cost savings for our clients. See the HD Spirit section further below for details.
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