Photo/negative scanning thoughts?

I am sitting in front of probably 250 packets of photos. The idea was to go through them and organize them neatly in labeled archival boxes.

Well, that was the idea anyway.

I'm torn between just boxing them up and shipping them to a scanning company in California or getting a good/affordable photo/negative scanner.

I have some 110 negatives that I'm afraid are mostly faded but if there's anything I can save, I'd like to try. I have very few prints from those rolls. All the rest are 35mm, most with negatives intact.

After all this time, it doesn't matter if it takes me a few hours to scan some. I can just go packet by packet as I have time. But I'm not entirely sure about equipment. Kodak has one personal version that looks pretty nice.

Anyone have experience with this stuff and advice to share?

Shop around to see if any local shops do the "$100 shoebox" special where they'll take whatever pictures you have that fit in a shoebox and scan them for a fixed price. Check resolutions first though and make sure they're high.

I've tried scanning some negatives and slides with the scanner adapter I have with less than stellar results. My scanner however, is many years old and I'm sure technology has improved.

I know macktruckturner (anthony) scan's his own medium format negatives with good results, so you might PM him?

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Hubzilla was pretty nervous about sending our photos away. I will look around for local providers.

We had a flatbed scanner that gave up (also many years old). It did photos well but I always had trouble with the prints skating across the glass when I closed the lid. I never tried negatives because they're not in sleeves (yet) and I'm afraid to cause more damage.

Thanks for the idea about checking in with mackt-t, too! I will!

Tracker (Gary) has also posted up some comments about scanners... You might ping him.

Better yet, take a gander at the other equipment threads. I recall one in there on scanning.

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Will do!

I have a Nikon Coolscan IV which does 35 mm slides and negatives and utilizes what they call "Digital Ice" technology. It makes the post scanning process MUCH quicker. Whatever you decide, just know that you will be spending a lot of time!

jimculver said:

I have a Nikon Coolscan IV which does 35 mm slides and negatives and utilizes what they call "Digital Ice" technology. It makes the post scanning process MUCH quicker. Whatever you decide, just know that you will be spending a lot of time!

Click to expand...

+1 and then some.

I don't have the Nikon Coolscan, but I did purchase a dedicated negative scanner a while back. Used it for a little while. The bug has quit biting, so to speak.

When I next want bring my old photos and negatives over to digital, I am going to send out to a pro to do.

I bet I was easily moving at a pace of 4 pics an hour when all was said and done.


Here is a thread I started a while ago on this topic.

http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46617&highlight=scan

My uncle purchased a Nikon scanner (may be the same one Jim has) and digitized all his slides.
His initial plan was to buy the expensive scanner, use it, and sell it. Thus recouping most of the expense.
Factoring in saving all the memories, and it was well worth the cost.