Scanning Old Photos (lots of them)

[Golfman]

Any suggestions for how to scan lots (hundreds+) of old family photos etc. Also providing the best quality end results possible. Are there companies that offer this service? Thanks.

[CVP]

Lots of companies but could get quite pricey if you have loads and loads to do. If you're good at scanning and editing then buying a secondhand scanner, doing all your scanning and then selling it again may be the most cost effective way, allbeit more time consuming for you.

Chris

[4hero]

My father in law just got this done recently, all family photos dating back to the 1800's. Guess what he did with the originals? Put them in the skip! I cannot believe some people

Edited by 4hero on Thursday 28th August 16:51

[_dobbo_]

I scanned 30 odd 120 film slides this morning - it took bloody ages (as usual), which is probably why it's expensive to get it done professionally.

What you need is someone desperate for pocket money who you can pay a pittance to do the scanning for you! Any children/nieces/nephews you can use as slave labour?

[Golfman]

www.iphotoscanning.co.uk

[Simpo Two]

4hero said:

My father in law just got this done recently, all family photos dating back to the 1800's. Guess what he did with the originals? Put them in the skip! I cannot believe some people

Agreed, priceless stuff lost for ever, even if it has been digitised.

I don't have a slide scanner, but I do have a modest studio and a macro lens, so it wasn't too difficult to set up a clip for 35mm slides, backlight them through some opal perspex and reshoot with a DSLR.

[Coq au Vin]

CVP said:

Lots of companies but could get quite pricey if you have loads and loads to do. If you're good at scanning and editing then buying a secondhand scanner, doing all your scanning and then selling it again may be the most cost effective way, allbeit more time consuming for you.

Chris

That's exactly what I'm doing. I've Just picked up an older semi-pro Nikon film scanner (an LS2000) and I'll spend the next few months scanning all my old negatives and slides in. Even if I didn't sell the scanner at the end of the excercise, it should still work out cheaper than getting them done professionally.