Microfilm scanning & production · Ontario-based expertise
Microfilm Scanning & 16mm/35mm Film Services
Digitize existing 16mm or 35mm rolls, microfiche, and aperture cards into organized digital files. We also create new 16mm and 35mm microfilm from paper records for long-term preservation. Not sure what you have? Use the format examples below or send us a photo.
Two ways we help
Make new microfilm. Bring existing film into digital workflows.
Many projects start with existing reels, fiche, or aperture cards that teams need to use again. We digitize those collections into organized files, and we also create new 16mm and 35mm microfilm for long-term preservation, including archival, church, and historical records.
Microfilm production
We film paper records and other source material to create a microfilm preservation copy, with format and reduction selected to suit the material and intended use.
- 16mm and 35mm roll film
- Bound books, ledgers, standard documents, and large-format records
- Microfiche and aperture-card projects can be scoped to your requirements
Microfilm scanning and digitization
We convert existing microfilm and microfiche into digital images, then organize the files and indexing around how your team needs to find the records.
- 16mm and 35mm rolls, plus supported fiche formats
- Image files such as PDF, TIFF, or JPEG, based on the project
- OCR and indexing options where source quality and project needs allow
Choosing a format
16mm or 35mm? Start with the records.
The right format depends on the size, layout, and volume of the material, as well as how the film will be stored and retrieved. We review those details with you before recommending a setup.
Often used for compact document series, office records, continuous forms, and other records with smaller image areas.
Can suit larger image areas, including newspapers, maps, engineering drawings, and other oversized records.
A simple format finder
What does your microfilm look like?
Microfilm is a general term. Your records may be on a reel, a flat sheet, a clear plastic jacket, or a card with a small film window. Use these examples to get oriented. You do not need to know the exact technical name before contacting us.
Many organizations come to us to digitize collections they already have. We also create new microfilm for long-term preservation, including records held by archives, churches, libraries, and historical collections.
Photo by Hym3242 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Roll microfilm: 16mm or 35mm
What it looks like: A narrow strip of film wound on a small reel, sometimes stored in a labelled box or cartridge.
Common uses: 16mm often holds office-sized pages and record series. The wider 35mm film is often chosen for newspapers, books, maps, and larger drawings.
We scan existing rolls and produce new 16mm or 35mm film. Reel length and how many images are captured per frame help us scope the work.
Photo by Hannes Grobe / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Microfiche: a flat film sheet
What it looks like: A transparent sheet, often about 4 × 6 inches, with many reduced pages arranged in rows and columns.
Some fiche is made by photographing pages directly onto the sheet, often called step-and-repeat. You may see library records, newspapers, catalogues, or office files. We scan the sheets and can organize the images to match your retrieval needs.
Photo by Ianaré Sévi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5.
Jacketed microfiche: film strips in a sleeve
What it looks like: A clear plastic sheet with horizontal channels. Short strips of 16mm or 35mm film sit inside the channels, so it looks like a fiche sheet with lines or seams.
Some jackets hold 16mm strips, some hold 35mm, and combo jackets can hold both. The film may contain routine files, registers, plans, or mixed collections. If you can see several strips inside the sheet, this may be what you have.
Photo by Ianaré Sévi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5.
COM fiche: computer reports on film
COM means computer-output microfiche. Instead of filming paper pages, a computer system recorded reports or data directly onto the film. It often looks like very dense, tiny text, sometimes with a frame-location index.
Tell us if the fiche contains reports, statements, or printouts from an older computer system. We can review a sample and confirm scan, file, OCR, and indexing options.
Photo by Ianaré Sévi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5.
Aperture cards: a drawing on a card
What it looks like: A stiff card, often about 3.25 × 7.5 inches (8.3 × 19 cm), with a small rectangular film image mounted in a window. Most hold one 35mm image, often a building plan, engineering drawing, map, or blueprint. Some cards hold multiple smaller images.
You may also see punched holes used as machine-readable index codes, plus a printed drawing number or title. We scan the film image and can discuss how to carry card labels or indexing into the digital files.
Have something that does not match these examples? Oversize fiche, single-image 105mm sheets, unusual cartridges, positive or negative images, and film with different colour tones also exist. Colour or appearance alone does not identify the format.
You can email a photo of the item and any box label to info@polarimaging.ca, or request an estimate. Include an approximate count of reels, sheets, or cards if you know it. There is no need to unroll a reel to identify it.
A clear, careful workflow
From project review to organized delivery
Every collection is different. We confirm the details up front so the output fits your use case and expectations.
Review the material
We discuss film or source-record formats, volume, condition, image density, retrieval needs, and any handling requirements.
Agree on the output
We confirm the film format or digital file type, image settings, OCR, indexing, file naming, and delivery plan.
Capture and check
Our team prepares the work, captures the images, and reviews image quality. Items needing attention can be flagged for review.
Deliver and reconcile
We organize the completed files, confirm delivery and return arrangements, and close out the project with you.
Plan your microfilm project
Request a microfilm project estimate
Use the format examples above to narrow it down. Still unsure? Email us a photo of the reel, fiche sheet, aperture card, and box label. Our team can help identify it and suggest the next step.
Need paper records scanned too? Explore our document scanning services.
Need to view and inspect microfilm in-house? Explore ViewScan 5 micrographics equipment and service.
Built around your collection
Need to preserve records, scan existing film, or do both?
Share what you have and what you want the finished records to do. We will help you scope a practical next step.
Microfilm questions
Frequently asked questions
Can Polar Imaging create new microfilm and scan existing microfilm?
Yes. We can create microfilm from paper records and digitize existing microfilm collections. Some projects use both services, for example creating film for preservation and digital files for day-to-day access.
What types of microfilm and microfiche can you work with?
We work with 16mm and 35mm rolls, flat microfiche sheets (including step-and-repeat and computer-output microfiche, or COM), jacketed fiche, and aperture cards. Oversize sheets and mixed or unusual formats can be reviewed too. See the format examples above for photos and simple descriptions.
What if I do not know which format I have?
You do not need to identify it before contacting us. Email a photo of the reel, card, fiche, and any box label to info@polarimaging.ca, or describe what you see in the project details field. An approximate count is helpful.
Can you make scanned microfilm searchable?
OCR and indexing may be available depending on the condition, contrast, and legibility of the source film, along with how you need to retrieve the records. We confirm a suitable approach after reviewing the material.
What digital file formats can you deliver?
PDF, TIFF, and JPEG are common options. We can confirm the best format, image settings, and naming or indexing structure for your project before work begins.
How can I tell microfiche from an aperture card?
Microfiche is a flexible, transparent sheet, often about 4 × 6 inches, with many small images in rows and columns. An aperture card is a stiff card, often about 3.25 × 7.5 inches, with film mounted in a rectangular window. Cards often hold building plans or engineering drawings. Compare the format photos above if you are unsure.
What is jacketed microfiche?
It is a clear plastic sheet with narrow channels that hold strips of microfilm. Some jackets hold 16mm strips, some hold 35mm, and combination jackets can hold both. The visible seams or rows of strips are a useful clue.
What does COM mean on microfiche?
COM means computer-output microfiche. Reports or data were recorded from a computer directly onto film instead of first being printed on paper. COM fiche often looks like very dense, tiny rows of text.
What is step-and-repeat microfiche?
It is a flat sheet made by photographing pages one after another, placing the reduced images in rows and columns. The term describes how images were recorded onto the sheet. Jacketed fiche is different because it contains separate strips of film inside channels.
Start with a conversation
Let’s talk about your microfilm project
Tell us what is on the film or what you need preserved. We will help identify the details needed for a clear project estimate.
Prefer email? info@polarimaging.ca