Price the VHS recordings by length
E S Photographics publishes a VHS and Betamax price of £25.00 for the first tape and £20.00 for additional tapes. VHS or Betamax recordings running over two hours carry an additional charge of £5 per hour or part of an hour.
Make a list of the tapes and any known running times before requesting a quote. Ask for the complete total, including the chosen delivery medium, any applicable tax and any other charges. The published figures do not establish those details or a processing time, so agree both the cost and expected completion date directly.
Separate camcorder tapes from cine reels
The camcorder list includes MiniDV, Hi8, Digital 8, 8mm, VHSC and MiniDVD. Published prices for that group are £25.00 for the first tape and £20.00 for additional tapes. This is useful when a family collection spans several cameras, but identify each item rather than assuming that every small cassette is the same format.
The website also lists cine film transfers, with a £25.00 minimum order charge. That is a film condition, separate from VHS pricing. A reel of cine film and an 8mm video cassette require different handling, despite the similar terminology. Photograph unfamiliar labels and ask which service applies. For cracked cases, tangled tape or visible mould, describe the condition before arranging a handover; do not try playing a suspect cassette to discover what is on it.
Choose the output around how relatives will watch
The video transfer page offers DVD or memory stick. A DVD may suit a relative who already watches discs, while a memory stick is worth discussing if you want computer access and copies for an archive. The advertised delivery choice does not specify the video file type, resolution or how recordings are divided, so ask what you will receive before choosing.
For files, request a format that works with the devices you intend to use and check whether each tape becomes a separate file. Ask how blank stretches or several recordings on one cassette are handled. Keep a numbered inventory so the returned footage can be matched to its original.
Arrange collection and check the returned footage
Collection deserves attention here. The video transfer page says that work left uncollected after three calendar months will be disposed of, including tapes and finished work. Agree how you will hear that the order is ready and arrange collection promptly.
After collection, check every recording at the beginning, middle and end, including sound and any changes between scenes. Compare the returned items against your inventory and raise missing footage or playback problems promptly. Keep the original tapes, even after a successful transfer. Save a second digital copy on a separate drive before reorganising or editing files; one memory stick should not become the only surviving copy of a family recording.
Connect the video with the family's photographs
E S Photographics also publishes scanning prices of 95p per 35mm slide or transparency and 95p per negative of any size. If photographs relate to the same celebrations as the videos, discuss them as a separate part of the order and ask about their digital delivery. These scanning rates are not tape transfer rates.
A few accompanying images can help relatives identify a wedding venue, a holiday year or someone briefly seen in the footage. Invite family members to contribute names and recollections, keeping uncertain dates approximate rather than turning a guess into a fact.
Bring the converted memories into Memrial
After conversion, Memrial provides a separate private family archive for digital photos and home videos. It does not convert tapes and is not part of E S Photographics. The free plan includes 2.0 GB of storage shared across the archive, with no card needed. Check file sizes before uploading, then invite relatives to add comments and stories. Timeline accepts exact or approximate dates, helping everyone find memories by year even when an old tape label is incomplete.
For a family anniversary, a Live Watch Party can synchronise an uploaded home video for relatives nearby or far away. The host controls play, pause and seeking, with voice and text chat; the free allowance is three hours per month and up to six participants. Event Memories offers a secure occasion contribution link for gathering related photos and videos. Contributors sign in but do not need archive membership, uploads collect in the event album, and closing the link keeps the memories already contributed.