Local digitizing company brings Hollywood-grade film scanning to Chicago families and institutions racing against film degradation
CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, July 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Scan5, a locally owned digitizing company based in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood, is expanding awareness of its professional film scanning services for 8mm, Super 8, and 16mm reels. The company uses the Lasergraphics Archivist scanner, the same equipment trusted by Hollywood studios and national archives, to digitize 8mm film, Super 8, and 16mm reels at up to 5K resolution.
The service addresses a growing concern for Chicago families and institutions holding decades-old film collections. Acetate-based film reels commonly develop vinegar syndrome, a chemical breakdown that causes brittleness, shrinkage, and warping. Once the degradation begins, it cannot be reversed. Consumer projectors that could once play these reels have also become harder to find, leaving many collections stored but unwatchable.
Scan5 processes every reel frame-by-frame rather than recording film as it plays through a projector. The Lasergraphics Archivist scanner captures each individual frame separately, eliminating the motion blur, flicker, and color distortion associated with older telecine transfer methods. Standard file output is .mp4 for easy viewing across modern devices, with ProRes .mov available as an upgrade for archival and post-production use.
Customers can transfer 8mm to digital, as well as scan Super 8 and 16mm reels into high-resolution digital files, through three engagement paths: in-person drop-off at the Ravenswood office, local courier pickup within 50 miles of Chicago, and prepaid UPS shipping for customers outside the local area. Every project begins with a free, written, itemized quote after inspection, with no obligation to proceed.
“Every reel we scan will not degrade further from that moment forward,” said Dave Rosen, founder of Scan5. “For families and institutions with irreplaceable footage, that stability is worth acting on before another year of storage passes.”
Scan5 has completed digitizing projects for institutions including the University of Chicago, DePaul, UIC, The Field Museum, CTA, and The Innocence Project, alongside thousands of family collections. Original reels remain in a climate-controlled inventory room with 24/7 monitoring throughout every project and are returned in the same condition received. Free cloud download is included with every project.
Additional information about film scanning services and pricing is available at scan5.com.
About Scan5
Scan5 is a locally owned digitizing company at 4001 N Ravenswood Ave, Suite 502-B, in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood. The company specializes in converting analog media, including photos, slides, negatives, videotapes, film reels, audio cassettes, and discs, into modern digital formats. Founder Dave Rosen has managed digitizing projects of all sizes since 2018. Scan5 is a member of the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce and the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce. Learn more at scan5.com.
Dave Rosen
Scan5
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