Capture Review: A Service for Digitizing VHS, Film, and Photos

It's a big worry for many of us: What do we do with all those old photos, videos, and tapes? They hold so many memories, but as time goes by, it gets harder to keep them safe and viewable.

That's where Capture Digitizing is supposed to come in. This service specializes in converting your old VHS tapes, films, slides, and printed photos into digital files that you can easily keep and share. They work with a wide range of formats, so there's a good chance they can help preserve whatever memories you have stored away.

But are they good enough? Well, that's the question we plan to answer in this review. Stick around to find out what we have to say about this digitization service.

About the Company

Capture, as you’re probably already aware, is a service provided by a company that converts old analog media into digital formats for easy viewing on modern devices.

The Capture brand is owned by YesVideo, which is the main company responsible for the digitization process. Capture is just their relatively new brand, through which they conduct their business, similar to how Southtree operates with their Legacybox and Kodak brands.

Essentially, Capture and YesVideo are the same entity, operating under two different names.

According to Crunchbase, the company was founded in 1999 by Sai-Wai Fu, who is also a founder and the CEO of Kuna, a company known for its smart WiFi camera and intercom system integrated into an outdoor light. The current CEO of YesVideo is Lisa McCabe.

YesVideo, or Capture, whichever you prefer to call them, has partnered with several major brands such as Costco and CVS Pharmacy. These brands offer digitization services through YesVideo/Capture, similar to how Walgreens partners with iMemories for their digitizing services.

What Formats Does Capture Convert?

Like most digitization services they convert videotapes, film reels, and photos.

When it comes to specific videotapes they digitize:

• VHS, S-VHS
• VHS-C, S-VHS-C
• MiniDV, DVC
• DV, DVCAM
• Video8, Hi-8, Digital8
• Betamax

For film reels they convert the standard 8mm, 16mm, and Super 8.

And finally for photos they accept:

• Print photos (2″x2″ up to 8″ x 12″)
• Slides (35mm, super 35mm, 110, 126, 127, 127 superslide, 120/220)
• Negatives (35mm, APS, 110 film, 110/120 film, 126 instamatic, large negatives)
• Albums (up to 14″x14″ albums)

Digital Options

As to how you can receive your newly digitized items you can choose between three different options. These are:

• Digital download - you receive a 60-day MemoryCloud account where you can view and download the files.
• USB drive
• DVD

If you decide to go with the digital download option I suggest you download your files ASAP because after those 60 days are over they will delete your files.

Capture Pricing

Let’s break down the pricing based on what you want to convert:

Videotapes

If you want to digitize videotapes, you will have to pay $29.99 per tape, but this covers only up to 2 hours of content. For each additional 2 hours, you will need to pay the same amount.

As mentioned earlier, the digital download is free for 60 days. However, after that period, you will either be automatically charged, or they will request payment for continued use of their cloud service. We recommend downloading the files and seeing if you can cancel the MemoryCloud account if you no longer need it.

If you prefer not to use the cloud, you can opt for a USB drive for $14.99 or a DVD for $6.99. You even have the option to choose from multiple themes for the DVD case, which is a nice touch.

Additionally, they will repair or splice the videotape if necessary and even replace the case if needed.

Film

You have the option of selecting from reel sizes of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, to 10 inches. For example, a 3-inch reel size holds 50 feet of film, while a 4-inch reel holds 100 feet, and so on. The price for converting film is $29.99 for the first 100 feet and $0.25 for each additional foot after the first 100.

By default, they will also digitize the audio if it's present. The prices for USB and DVD are the same as those mentioned for videotapes.

However, there is a new option available besides choosing a DVD case: audio. For instance, if your film reel does not contain audio, you can choose from multiple options such as: no audio, baby, big band, celebration, children, classical, country, and so on.

They will clean, splice, and perform scratch reduction if necessary. Moreover, they will also work on preserving the original audio and enhancing the colors.

Photos, Slides & Negatives

The price is $29.99 for the first 50 photos, slides, or negatives, and after that, it's $0.50 per photo, slide, or negative.

The price for albums is listed on a separate page. It costs $29.99 for the first 35 photos of each album and $0.70 for each additional photo.

They will remove glare, crop, and perform color correction.

Time Capsule

Just like Legacybox and iMemories, Capture also offers its own shipping box, known as the Time Capsule, which is exclusively available on Amazon.

Ordering is straightforward with the box. All you need to do is fill it with your items and send it back to them using the included prepaid shipping label. Once they receive the package, they will digitize everything inside and return it to you.

You have the option to choose between 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or 20 items. Each item can be one videotape, one film reel, or a set of 25 photos.

You can check it out here.

How Capture Works

Once you decide what you want to have digitized and place an order on their website, you then need to pack all your items in a box and ship them. You will have the option to use a prepaid shipping label or choose your own shipping method. The shipping label will be sent to you via email after you place the order.

After they receive your media, they will notify you via email, and once everything is finished, they will send it back to you.

The process is straightforward and similar to other digitization services. However, there is one distinction: you need to pack your items in your own box. This contrasts with services like iMemories, which provide a shipping kit. This kit includes a crush-proof box with shock-resistant cushions and waterproof bags to prevent damage to your items during shipping.

Turnaround Time

Capture claims that you will receive a downloadable digital copy within 30 days, but this can vary depending on the number of items you send them.

We received our package in approximately 45 days, which is not too bad considering the usual turnaround time for these conversion services.

What Do Other Customers Have to Say About Capture Digitizing?

Unfortunately, the online reviews are not very positive. Under the YesVideo brand, there are 160 reviews on Yelp with a score of 2.2 out of 5. Ninety-three of these reviews are 1-star, which is dismal. Most negative comments mention poor conversion quality and unexpected extra charges beyond the initial quotes. On Trustpilot, the score is 3.5 out of 5, but strangely, there are no reviews, so the basis for this rating is unclear.

Given that the Capture brand is relatively new, it seems YesVideo created it in hopes of a fresh start in terms of reviews. Currently, there are no reviews for Capture on platforms like Yelp and Trustpilot. However, the official website does feature reviews, which are, unsurprisingly, positive.

Our experience was mediocre at best, and we encountered some issues with customer service, similar to what many other reviews have noted.

The Marketing

A lot of digitization companies feature a blog on their websites where they post articles related to conversion and analog media, which isn't too surprising. However, some also publish articles designed to rank high on search engines like Google intentionally.

For instance, Capture has written numerous articles comparing themselves to different companies, and, as you've probably guessed, they portray themselves in a positive light, making it seem as if they are the superior service.

These types of articles aren't inherently bad when done by a third party, such as an independent review site like ours. You should be wary of articles that aren't impartial. Regardless of what I type in Google about digitizing, Capture always appears at the top with an article claiming their superiority and so forth.

However, there are some services that don't resort to publishing these questionable articles on their sites. Prime examples of such sites are iMemories and ScanMyPhotos, though I'm sure there are others. It's just that Capture's site is overrun with these types of articles, which turns many people off from this kind of advertising.

Alternatives

There are plenty of alternatives to Capture, but the only one we believe is better is iMemories. It is not only cheaper but also offers higher quality conversions, great customer service, and much more.

Final Verdict

The aggressive marketing of Capture might lead you to believe that they are the best option for digitizing old analog media. However, don't be misled. Our entire experience with them was mediocre at best, which is why I do not recommend them to anyone. Most people looking to convert their old tapes, 8mm film reels, and so on, don't have the time or patience to deal with a service like this.

This is why we strongly recommend checking out iMemories first if you're interested in digitizing some of your old media. However, if you still think Capture is the right choice for you, we won't stop you, but just be aware of the potential headaches.

If you're interested in exploring other services, you can read our review of the best digitizing services.