Convert VF-50 disks to digital files
Send your Video Floppy Disks to GARPENHOLM and receive modern digital image files. We handle PAL, NTSC and SECAM related sources.
Conversion guide
Still Video Disk conversion service
VF-50 Still Video Disk digitization
Professional transfer of VF-50, VFD-50, Mavipak and other 2-inch Still Video Floppy Disks to modern digital image files.
GARPENHOLM preserves analog still-video media with a dedicated workflow for playback, stabilization, capture and delivery. This is not a file copy job. It is an analog recovery chain designed for legacy camera formats.
Receive modern delivery files
We digitize your images with professional playback and capture equipment, then deliver the processed files online or on USB storage.
Pricing and delivery
Bulk conversion for larger collections
For archives, retailers and private collections with many disks, ask for a quote and a logistics plan suited to volume handling.
Large volume options
Professional playback and capture
The workflow uses specialist readers, time-base correction, scaling and clean capture stages for the best practical recovery.
See the equipment chainPreservation first
Preserve images from VF-50 and Still Video Floppy Disks
GARPENHOLM helps customers recover and digitize images from 2-inch Video Floppy Disks, also known as VF disks, Still Video Disks, VF-50, VFD-50 or Mavipak media. These disks were used by early still-video cameras from manufacturers such as Canon and Sony before modern digital camera storage became common.
The pictures on these disks are not stored as modern image files. They are analog video frames or fields and must be played back, stabilized, captured and processed with suitable video equipment. Our workflow is designed for customers who want a practical way to preserve old images before the media and playback equipment become harder to use.
How it works
A Still Video Disk conversion is an analog video process
Each image has to be played from compatible hardware, stabilized and captured before it can become a reliable modern file.
1. Playback and signal handling
Each image is played back from compatible Still Video equipment. The analog signal is handled carefully to reduce timing errors and image instability.
2. Stabilization and capture
The video signal is stabilized, de-interlaced and captured using professional video hardware. This helps preserve as much detail as possible from the original disk.
3. Digital delivery
The processed result can be delivered as modern digital image files, suitable for archiving, sharing and further restoration or upscaling.
Technical information
Reference material for media, hardware and accessories
The Video Floppy Disk
Learn how the 2-inch Still Video Disk stored analog video frames in cameras from the 1980s and 1990s.
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Accessories
Read about common accessories for Canon RC-250, RC-251, RC-260 and RC-261 Still Video cameras.
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Camera electronics
Explore the electronics and internal hardware behind the Canon RC-250 and RC-260 camera families.
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Sample images
Compare real-world examples captured from Video Floppy Disks and processed into modern digital images.
Open gallery
Canon RC-250 / RC-251
Compact Still Video camera family used with VF-50 media in PAL-oriented markets.
Camera overview
Canon RC-260 / RC-261
Prosumer still-video camera family with related accessories, media handling and signal output hardware.
Technical overviewDigitized examples
Sample images recovered from Still Video Disks
Click any sample to open the full-size view. The heavier full-resolution images are still deferred until the lightbox is actually opened.
FAQ
VF-50 conversion FAQ
What is a Still Video Disk?
A Still Video Disk is a 2-inch magnetic video floppy disk used to store still frames as analog video. It is different from a normal computer floppy disk because the images are not stored as JPG, PNG or another modern file format.
Can old VF-50 and VFD-50 disks still be digitized?
Yes, if the disk is physically readable and suitable playback equipment is available. The process requires analog video playback, signal stabilization, capture and post-processing.
Where do I start?
Start with the conversion instructions, review the sample images, or contact GARPENHOLM if you have many disks or unusual media.