Flatbed Scanner

Have you considered just having it done by someone? Some of them do a pretty good job and have very good equipment.

I'm using an Epson V500, have gone through about 8000 BW negatives, 12,000 color transparencies, 6000 color negatives. Still working my way through my photo libraries, about three years now with the Epson.

Started 10 years earlier with a Microtek that would handle only one transparent item at a time, then an HP all-in-one (C7180) that supposedly matched the Epson for resolution, but was extremely slow and the scanning software didn't work well.

If I was to start with something else, it would be the Epson V600, because the Digital ICE feature on that one works both sides of transparent media (otherwise the performance specs are the same). I think V550 replaces V500, not sure of the feature set. V500-550-600 are in the $200 range, and when I bought, included a license for Photoshop Elements, about $50 value.

Next step up is a big one. V800 lists over $700, V850 is $950. Both can do a lot more with difficult source materal, but even my V500 has pulled images from Kodachromes too dense to project (my wife's, if they had been mine they would have been thrown away) and BW negatives so thin that I never could have printed them.

I'm doing all this work on a Mac. I'm using Lightroom, however, rather than Photoshop Elements, on that platform.

Scanning small format stuff on a flatbed is tedious. I can work at it 2-3 weeks at a time, maybe get through 120-160 slides in 10-12 hours on a good day, 40-80 when the material is being difficult and low humidity is hampering dust control. My stuff is 1/2 frame and full frame 35mm, 126, 4x6 and 6x6 cm on 120/620 film and even done a little bit of 110 (a real pain to work with). My target has been around 6 MP, which means 3200 dpi from 1/2 frame, 2400 dpi from 35mm full frame or 126. Most high volume, low cost scanning services target a lower resolution (as low as 600 dpi), but you can get just about anything you are willing to pay for, e.g. 4000 dpi for about $1 per image, automated scans. Adjust the process for each image, as I am doing at home, at least 10x that from the specialty labs that work for pros still shooting film.

If all you have to work with is 35 mm material, you'll likely be more productive with a GOOD slide/film scanner. PlusTek and Pacific Image in the middle price range ($300-500), Pacific Image at the high end ($1000-2000 range) Models include a batch scanner for 35mm slides, and models for 120 format. Top of line for film scanning, quality and speed, are Flextight from Hasselblad (a little over $20,000 for the X5 model).

Don't consider those $30-50 slide scanners using a webcam to take a picture of the slide. I've struggled trying to get them to work for friends who bought them, they don't work, not even at the online-image level of expectations.

obgraham wrote:
Epson V-500 Photo has scanned thousands of slides, prints, and old negatives for me, and also just plain document scanning.

The software is easier to use than the HP variety. Canon software is also good, but the Epson has more features.

Caution: scanning slides and 35mm negatives is a time consuming task.

x2

I agree with most all TaTest wrote above. Converting images to digital is always a matter of compromise:

How good is the source both technically and the subject matter?
Where is the point of diminishing returns in file size?
How much cash to expend on the hardware?
How much time can you devote?
How much do you want to correct or manipulate the image as you work?

I found it very rewarding. No doubt there are better scanners and methods. The V500 and I worked out okay.

Thanks to all for the input.

Epson keeps floating its way toward the top of the recommendations, and the V-600 will probably be the choice.

The negatives and slides will reside in a fire-proof box for the time being.

Hope I have the patients to make it through the scanning of all the photos the wife has accumulated..

rw

obgraham wrote:
Epson V-500 Photo has scanned thousands of slides, prints, and old negatives for me, and also just plain document scanning.

The software is easier to use than the HP variety. Canon software is also good, but the Epson has more features.

Caution: scanning slides and 35mm negatives is a time consuming task.

Ditto..

I went to a photo shop for a price of taking 35mm slides to digital.. about 300 slides... price was 500 dollars.

I got the above flatbed scanner .. works great.. then started with photos to digital.. again works well. and saved Hundreds.

I am retired .. so my time is FREE, Rainy days' can not work outside in the rain.. so I SCAN...

45 years worth, to do. I was LATE to digital. but MAN it is great.

I have the scanner next to my easy chair, watching television. and scanning.

JayGee wrote:
Have you considered just having it done by someone? Some of them do a pretty good job and have very good equipment.

Yeah, sending out IS a "possibility" BUT, if you have a lot of items to scan it can get extremely expensive, in a hurry.

Additionally, if they are your ONLY negatives, slides or prints once they are out of your hands you no longer have control of them.. Not to mention if the outside vendor loses them or damages them you are done..

The only good thing about having an outside source do them for you is speed.. They will get them done faster..

BUT, there IS a trade off to the speed, QUALITY..

They will not take the time to color correct or adjust the digital copies..

The advantage of DIY is you CAN correct each one BEFORE committing to a final scan..

I have so far dealt with 35mm slides (1500 of them), 100 of "110" negatives (tiny little things) and about 8hrs worth of Super 8mm film transfers.. I have done all of those from my families archive..

Sure, it took a lot of time, but in the end I am very proud and happy with my results..

My projects started out about 10 yrs ago when my Dad wanted to run some super 8 movies.. We set it up and the first reel the projector broke..

So, decided to pull out the 35mm slides.. Was disturbed at how much many of the slides had deteriorated.. I realized that if action wasn't taken, the slides in another 20 yrs would not be any good.

Bough the slide/film scanner and the projects started..

Once I had some of the slides scanned, I realized many of the people in the slides I did not know..

Spent many enjoyable hrs showing those photos to my Mom and Dad and they gave me the names of folks and where the photos were taken! I compiled a list giving the file name and the people on those slides..

Sadly, I was not able to complete all the scans before my mom passed.. My Dads mind is not good so I have about 600 slides that I am going to check with some of my Cousins to see if they know..

If you have photos and want to pass them to your kids, I would highly recommend marking the names of folks in the photos, even if you think others will remember.. It is better than what will happen when you are gone and no one in the family recognizes who is in the photos (I HAVE seen that happen), the photos just get thrown out..