Scanning to digital & original storage

[ali_kat]

Morning & Happy New Year

Due to various relatives leaving this planet over the last few years, I've inherited a lot of old family photographs and slides that I need to do something with.

Please can you advise on the best way for me to convert them to digital and then store the originals?

Do I buy a scanner/send them off?

Which scanner? The ones I've been looking at that are slide/picture specific are limited to the size of the max picture (5x7) & I have larger ones than that (8x10) and also some stuck firm in albums.

Many thanks

[Simpo Two]

HNY Ms Kat. Prints are easy; the average printer/scanner/copier - I have a cheap Canon - scans perfectly well and goes up to A4 which include 10"x8" (I presume your sizes are in inches). Select the resolution you want, eg 300dpi, then save as JPG and if it needs it, tart up in Photoshop etc.

Slides by comparision are a b1tch; the cheap toy scanners are rubbish and the 'proper' ones get expensive. I had reasonable success using a macro lens and backlight, but it's fiddly and you need the macro lens. Depends how much effort you want to put in!

[GSalt]

How many have you got to do and how much time available?

If you've got a lot to archive..
- Getting someone else to do it save you time but costs you more in cash terms.
- Buying a scanner will cost you less in cash terms but cost you time to perform the scans.

A good flatbed scanner is my preferred way of doing this myself. I have an Epson V500, but I know some of the newer Canon scanners have better software for faster bulk scanning of slides and negatives. I'm not sure which Canon model my Dad is using, but I know he drops half-a-dozen slide across the flatbed and the software identifies and individually scans each frame in one pass.

Once their scanned the originals should go into acid-free archive quality storage - either interleaved between paper sheets in an archive box or into individual sleeves in a binder.

[ali_kat]

Thanks, there are several 100 of each, it I have time (although I get impatient )

My scanner is built into my printer & is crap

I've been looking at these?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Multiformat-Slide-Photo-F...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Express-Panda-Premium-Pho...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Epson-Perfection-Scanner-...

[sgrimshaw]

ali_kat said:

Thanks, there are several 100 of each, it I have time (although I get impatient )

My scanner is built into my printer & is crap

I've been looking at these?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Multiformat-Slide-Photo-F...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Express-Panda-Premium-Pho...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Epson-Perfection-Scanner-...

Forget the first two if you want anywhere near decent quailty results.

[ali_kat]

[Cabrony]

Photoscan app by Google?

[mojitomax]

Epsom perfection v800.

I use this to scan X-rays and it works perfectly. It has a backlight to scan transparencies

[ali_kat]

Cabrony said:

Photoscan app by Google?

Have you used it?

I think I'd need a tripod to hold my phone still?

[ali_kat]

mojitomax said:

Epsom perfection v800.

I use this to scan X-rays and it works perfectly. It has a backlight to scan transparencies

Sounds like I need an Epsom then

[Jader1973]

I'm actually scanning slides as I type this - FIL had a load he wanted done.

I bought an Epson V370 to do it - does 4 at a time from 50 up to 4800 dpi., comes with a holder for slides and negatives. Instructions are a little vague but I worked it out eventually

I'm pretty pleased with the results so far, hopefully FIL will be too.

ETA - I've been doing a box of about 24 at a time - takes roughly 30 to 40 mins at 360 dpi.

20 boxes and 4 cases of 36 slides each has taken me a little while

Edited by Jader1973 on Monday 2nd January 05:09

[Cabrony]

ali_kat said:

Cabrony said:

Photoscan app by Google?

Have you used it?

I think I'd need a tripod to hold my phone still?

Haven't tried it but for free I think it would be worth a try?
I think it takes 4 or 5 pictures of the original photo so I assume any hake is eliminated.

[Simpo Two]

mojitomax said:

Epsom perfection v800.

Cabrony said:

I think it takes 4 or 5 pictures of the original photo so I assume any hake is eliminated.

So to summarise, you need a racecourse without fish.

[checkmate91]

[ali_kat]

but to be fair, it's free...

[AndrewEH1]

To hijack this thread a little...What about negative scanning?

Any recommendations of a good negative scanner?