Don't get me wrong, 16mm can most definitely look fabulous converted to HD. But I still don't think it is possible, at home, to get the kind of results that Hollywood can. They have scanning equipment that puts even the best moviestuff units (the Workprinters, Snipers, and the Quicksilver, which run nearly $10K) to shame. They also have software (and training) that is in a different league -- there is another world out there if you're MGM and can pay for the very very best.

Transferring films myself has caused me to look at films in a different way. Now when I look at an old film I can't help but notice the transfer, and often I'll see things and know exactly what caused them. I think I do pretty good transfers, better than the majority of transfer houses out there for hire. It bugs me when I see a cheap-ass transfer on a great classic. It REALLY bugs me when I see an old film and think that I could have done a better transfer myself on my Workprinter (which is surprisingly often). But when I see a really good, cost-is-no-object Hollywood transfer of a great film noir classic, I am blown away.