Digitizing Slides Question

**Tamia** · 01-10-2010, 07:15 AM

I'm not sure if this is the correct place to ask this question, so please bear with me.

I have a couple hundred color slides and would like to have them digitized. I'm looking for quality, reasonable price, and reliability. Could anyone recommend a company where I can get this done? I considered buying a scanner of my own, but it seems as if the price for a good scanner would be more than having the scanning done by pros.

Thanks.

Tamia

little laker · 01-10-2010, 01:14 PM

Where are you located? If your not too far away from Kelowna, British Columbia we may be able to help you out in the lab where I work.

Although everyones idea of a reasonable price varies, so you may call us expensive... but then again, you may not

Ratmagiclady · 01-10-2010, 02:04 PM

Probably a good idea having it done professionally: while it's nice to be able to scan at will, people who start out with a big pile of old slides to scan do tend to become discouraged pretty quickly.

**Lowell Goudge** · 01-10-2010, 05:01 PM

I have seen articles in Popular Photography where you can send them to india for $.19 each (assumed US)

I am not sure what you can get a scanner for these days, but My Minolta Dimage II cost about $600 when I bought it in 2000. Since then I have scanned over 20,000 slides and prints,

It is a daunting task, my little job took the better part of 4 years. BUT, considering the cost per slide, you need about 3000 to brake even. The advantage is you may be able to store them logiclly as you scan, and be able to go back and rescan if you want something special. but it would take time.

FOr only 300 it is cheaper to go out to a pro, or perhaps rent a scanner for a weekend.

**Tamia** · 01-10-2010, 06:54 PM

I'm across the continent from you, little laker, and across the border in rural New York. Thanks anyway!

Ratmagiclady - I'm very much leaning toward professional digitizing for the reason you state and because of the reasons you mention, also, Lowell. I don't want to send my slides out of the country and am not THAT stingy (haha). Since I only have a couple hundred slides I want digitized, buying a good scanner just wouldn't be cost effective. I hadn't thought of renting a scanner, though. I'll check into that. Thanks!

Mister Pita · 02-11-2010, 09:18 PM

I'm coming in a little late, but you can research http://www.scancafe.com. They do send it to India in one master shipment, and it takes awhile to get your hands on the results, but the price for 35mm slides is good. Take a look for yourself.

**Tamia** · 02-12-2010, 06:13 AM

Originally posted by Mister Pita

I'm coming in a little late, but you can research http://www.scancafe.com. They do send it to India in one master shipment, and it takes awhile to get your hands on the results, but the price for 35mm slides is good. Take a look for yourself.

Thanks for the tip, Mister Pita. Not sure I'm keen on sending my slides so far away but I will check their website.

Mister Pita · 02-12-2010, 10:28 AM

I'd be nervous too. I have a good film scanner but then, I couldn't even think of doing 200 at a crack even for myself. The other way to think is this: I've had the corner Walgreens lose my film. Once it leaves my hands, it can go wrong anywhere. More changes of hands means more opportunity to go wrong, but it really all comes down to The System used. I'll be receiving a ton of family slides this year, and they'll have to go somewhere. I'd send just a few to a couple places, see what I think of the result, and take it from there. Good luck!

**Lowell Goudge** · 02-12-2010, 10:48 AM

Originally posted by Mister Pita

I'd be nervous too. I have a good film scanner but then, I couldn't even think of doing 200 at a crack even for myself. The other way to think is this: I've had the corner Walgreens lose my film. Once it leaves my hands, it can go wrong anywhere. More changes of hands means more opportunity to go wrong, but it really all comes down to The System used. I'll be receiving a ton of family slides this year, and they'll have to go somewhere. I'd send just a few to a couple places, see what I think of the result, and take it from there. Good luck!

200 shots, is that all

I have a Minolta Dimage II scanner (Minolta no longer is in this business sadly) and over the 10 years I have had it, I have stuffed 20,000 shots through it.

Did it take time, yes, about 5 minutes every half hour (while sitting watching TV) to re-load the carrier with either 4 slides or 6 negatives, then select the exact exposure etc for each frame, push the scan button and walk away.

I now have (i think) every frame I ever shot, glad i did it, but at the onset, looking at the boxes of slides and envelopes of negatives, I have to admit, it looked daunting.

GeneV · 02-12-2010, 12:04 PM

I've gotten a carousel (144) slides done in as little as an afternoon while multitasking. 200 slides is not a big job. I certainly would not buy a scanner for that. I haven't put as many through mine as Lowell, but I would be in that ball park if I get through the closet.

**Lowell Goudge** · 02-12-2010, 12:25 PM

Originally posted by GeneV

I've gotten a carousel (144) slides done in as little as an afternoon while multitasking. 200 slides is not a big job. I certainly would not buy a scanner for that. I haven't put as many through mine as Lowell, but I would be in that ball park if I get through the closet.

I think in some cities, you can rent one for a weekend for about $70.

that would work out to about $0.33 per slide which is expensive compared to sending them to india.

I know a local shop that was charging $1 per strip plus $6 for a disk, to scan to disk, the interesting point was that the strip could be a full roll or just a single frame.

this was where I bought my K10D 3 years ago,

Not sure the cost now, but still more expensive because most negatives are in sets of 4 frames.

GeneV · 02-12-2010, 01:31 PM

Originally posted by Lowell Goudge

I think in some cities, you can rent one for a weekend for about $70.

that would work out to about $0.33 per slide which is expensive compared to sending them to india.

I know a local shop that was charging $1 per strip plus $6 for a disk, to scan to disk, the interesting point was that the strip could be a full roll or just a single frame.

this was where I bought my K10D 3 years ago,

Not sure the cost now, but still more expensive because most negatives are in sets of 4 frames.

Yeah, I would go to a local processor. The camera store that does my film will do it for something like that. Unless you are up for putting the scanner up on Ebay, buying a machine is not an option. OTOH, my scanner is now being listed for $1,000 more than I paid for it.

01-10-2010, 07:15 AM	#1
Tamia Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Here, there, and everywhere. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,384	Digitizing Slides Question I'm not sure if this is the correct place to ask this question, so please bear with me. I have a couple hundred color slides and would like to have them digitized. I'm looking for quality, reasonable price, and reliability. Could anyone recommend a company where I can get this done? I considered buying a scanner of my own, but it seems as if the price for a good scanner would be more than having the scanning done by pros. Thanks. Tamia

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01-10-2010, 01:14 PM	#2
little laker Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,697	Where are you located? If your not too far away from Kelowna, British Columbia we may be able to help you out in the lab where I work. Although everyones idea of a reasonable price varies, so you may call us expensive... but then again, you may not

01-10-2010, 02:04 PM	#3
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Probably a good idea having it done professionally: while it's nice to be able to scan at will, people who start out with a big pile of old slides to scan do tend to become discouraged pretty quickly.

01-10-2010, 05:01 PM	#4
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,891	I have seen articles in Popular Photography where you can send them to india for $.19 each (assumed US) I am not sure what you can get a scanner for these days, but My Minolta Dimage II cost about $600 when I bought it in 2000. Since then I have scanned over 20,000 slides and prints, It is a daunting task, my little job took the better part of 4 years. BUT, considering the cost per slide, you need about 3000 to brake even. The advantage is you may be able to store them logiclly as you scan, and be able to go back and rescan if you want something special. but it would take time. FOr only 300 it is cheaper to go out to a pro, or perhaps rent a scanner for a weekend.

01-10-2010, 06:54 PM	#5
Tamia Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Here, there, and everywhere. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,384 Original Poster	I'm across the continent from you, little laker, and across the border in rural New York. Thanks anyway! Ratmagiclady - I'm very much leaning toward professional digitizing for the reason you state and because of the reasons you mention, also, Lowell. I don't want to send my slides out of the country and am not THAT stingy (haha). Since I only have a couple hundred slides I want digitized, buying a good scanner just wouldn't be cost effective. I hadn't thought of renting a scanner, though. I'll check into that. Thanks!

02-11-2010, 09:18 PM	#6
Mister Pita Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: ILLINOIS Posts: 52	I'm coming in a little late, but you can research http://www.scancafe.com. They do send it to India in one master shipment, and it takes awhile to get your hands on the results, but the price for 35mm slides is good. Take a look for yourself.

02-12-2010, 06:13 AM	#7
Tamia Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Here, there, and everywhere. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,384 Original Poster	Originally posted by Mister Pita I'm coming in a little late, but you can research http://www.scancafe.com. They do send it to India in one master shipment, and it takes awhile to get your hands on the results, but the price for 35mm slides is good. Take a look for yourself. Thanks for the tip, Mister Pita. Not sure I'm keen on sending my slides so far away but I will check their website.

02-12-2010, 10:28 AM	#8
Mister Pita Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: ILLINOIS Posts: 52	I'd be nervous too. I have a good film scanner but then, I couldn't even think of doing 200 at a crack even for myself. The other way to think is this: I've had the corner Walgreens lose my film. Once it leaves my hands, it can go wrong anywhere. More changes of hands means more opportunity to go wrong, but it really all comes down to The System used. I'll be receiving a ton of family slides this year, and they'll have to go somewhere. I'd send just a few to a couple places, see what I think of the result, and take it from there. Good luck!

02-12-2010, 10:48 AM	#9
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,891	Originally posted by Mister Pita I'd be nervous too. I have a good film scanner but then, I couldn't even think of doing 200 at a crack even for myself. The other way to think is this: I've had the corner Walgreens lose my film. Once it leaves my hands, it can go wrong anywhere. More changes of hands means more opportunity to go wrong, but it really all comes down to The System used. I'll be receiving a ton of family slides this year, and they'll have to go somewhere. I'd send just a few to a couple places, see what I think of the result, and take it from there. Good luck! 200 shots, is that all I have a Minolta Dimage II scanner (Minolta no longer is in this business sadly) and over the 10 years I have had it, I have stuffed 20,000 shots through it. Did it take time, yes, about 5 minutes every half hour (while sitting watching TV) to re-load the carrier with either 4 slides or 6 negatives, then select the exact exposure etc for each frame, push the scan button and walk away. I now have (i think) every frame I ever shot, glad i did it, but at the onset, looking at the boxes of slides and envelopes of negatives, I have to admit, it looked daunting.

02-12-2010, 12:04 PM	#10
GeneV Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Albuquerque NM Photos: Albums Posts: 9,830	I've gotten a carousel (144) slides done in as little as an afternoon while multitasking. 200 slides is not a big job. I certainly would not buy a scanner for that. I haven't put as many through mine as Lowell, but I would be in that ball park if I get through the closet.

02-12-2010, 12:25 PM	#11
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,891	Originally posted by GeneV I've gotten a carousel (144) slides done in as little as an afternoon while multitasking. 200 slides is not a big job. I certainly would not buy a scanner for that. I haven't put as many through mine as Lowell, but I would be in that ball park if I get through the closet. I think in some cities, you can rent one for a weekend for about $70. that would work out to about $0.33 per slide which is expensive compared to sending them to india. I know a local shop that was charging $1 per strip plus $6 for a disk, to scan to disk, the interesting point was that the strip could be a full roll or just a single frame. this was where I bought my K10D 3 years ago, Not sure the cost now, but still more expensive because most negatives are in sets of 4 frames.

02-12-2010, 01:31 PM	#12
GeneV Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Albuquerque NM Photos: Albums Posts: 9,830	Originally posted by Lowell Goudge I think in some cities, you can rent one for a weekend for about $70. that would work out to about $0.33 per slide which is expensive compared to sending them to india. I know a local shop that was charging $1 per strip plus $6 for a disk, to scan to disk, the interesting point was that the strip could be a full roll or just a single frame. this was where I bought my K10D 3 years ago, Not sure the cost now, but still more expensive because most negatives are in sets of 4 frames. Yeah, I would go to a local processor. The camera store that does my film will do it for something like that. Unless you are up for putting the scanner up on Ebay, buying a machine is not an option. OTOH, my scanner is now being listed for $1,000 more than I paid for it.