The short answer: Ask for two, not one. ProRes or MXF is your master: it keeps everything the scanner saw, is meant for editing and archiving, and is several times larger. MP4 is your viewing file: small, plays on any phone or TV, meant for sharing. Without a master, the next time you want to edit or improve the film you scan again. We deliver all three on request, and the download link is valid for one month.
The scan is done, the link arrives, and you must answer a question you never thought about: which file. The decision is simple once you know what each is for.
What is the difference between a master and a viewing file?
A master is the closest thing to what the scanner captured: every frame in full detail, with no compression that throws information away to save space. A viewing file squeezes the same film into something small enough to send on WhatsApp and play anywhere, discarding detail the eye rarely notices when watching, but exactly the detail that allows later correction. What is not in the file cannot be invented.
When do you really need ProRes or MXF?
When you plan to edit: joining reels into a family film, adding titles and music, trimming dull stretches. Editing software works best with a lightly compressed file, and every colour correction comes out cleaner from a master. Even with no plans to edit, the master is insurance: the original keeps ageing, and the scan freezes its condition on the day it was made. Keep only an MP4 and every future improvement starts from a compressed version. Our 8mm and Super 8 transfer page explains what the scan includes.
Why is MP4 not "worse", just "for something else"?
MP4 is the file you will actually open: on your phone, on the living-room TV, in the family group. It is small, loads fast and plays without installing anything, and in ordinary viewing the difference from the master is barely noticeable. The trouble starts only when you go the other way: editing an MP4, or trying to improve it.
| Format | Best for | File size | Plays on phone and TV? |
|---|---|---|---|
| ProRes | Editing, colour correction, archive | Several times larger than MP4 | Needs editing software |
| MXF | Editing and archiving, pro workflows | Several times larger than MP4 | Needs editing software |
| MP4 | Viewing, sharing, WhatsApp, TV | Small | Yes, everywhere |
| All three (our recommendation) | Archive master plus a daily file | The most space, once | Yes, via the MP4 |
Which file goes where?
The backup rule in the preservation literature is 3-2-1: three copies, two kinds of media, one away from home. The master is the copy you never touch: external drive plus cloud, copied from, never edited. The MP4 lives on your phone and computer, goes to the family, and is regenerated from the master if lost. Our link lasts one month, so download at once, copy to two places, then share. The same routine applies to tapes transferred to USB, and to discs from an old transfer: convert the DVD to a file and back that up too.
How do we deliver files at Studio HanaBi?
After the frame-by-frame scan on the Muller HDS+, restoration and colour correction, we produce the files you asked for: ProRes, MXF, MP4, or all three. No need to decide before the scan; the first minute is on us, and you choose after seeing it. The link is valid for one month. Original reels come back by self-pickup or paid delivery on request; otherwise we keep them for up to two weeks after completion. Store them properly at home, as described in where to store tapes and film. That is how more than 5,000,000 frames and photos have passed through our hands.
Not sure which file to ask for? Tell us what you will do with the film and we will recommend. The first minute is on us.
We send couriers to your door anywhere in Israel, in both directions. Small jobs are usually ready within about seven working days, large ones within about 21, and the first minute is on us — you see how your film comes out before you decide. You can also drop off in person: our studio at 9 HaMa'ayan St., Rishon LeZion, 5 Lisin St. in Tel Aviv, or Mitzpe Hararit in the Galilee. Call 03-5610368 or leave your details on the contact page. What each service includes is listed on the price list (Hebrew).
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ProRes and MXF?
Both are masters that keep full detail. The choice depends on the editor's software; if you have no editor, leave it to us.
Can I make an MP4 from the master myself?
Yes, any editing software exports MP4 from a master, as often as you like. The reverse does not work.
What if I did not download the files in time?
The link lasts one month. Download as soon as it arrives and copy to two places.
How are the files delivered?
By download link when the job is complete. Originals come back by self-pickup or paid delivery, or are kept for up to two weeks.
