Quote:
Originally Posted by BenRosa
Greetings:
I've about 150-200 35mm slides I want to digitize but don't want to purchase a bunch of expensive equipment.
Can anyone provide advice/guidance on how to pursue?
Thank you...
Ed in Tampa
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Ed:
I have scanned over 3,000 slides and over 1,000 photo prints that spanned my family history of over 100 years. I did it with a
hp special slide/print scanner they came out with over 15 years ago which sold for $400. They no longer make it, but there is a later model. I did an internet search on “slide scanners” and a number came up by various manufacturers that you might consider. Since you have only a few hundred slides, it might still be economical to buy a scanner, even just for this task. If it can double as a regular scanner, you will get other use out of it. Whatever you do, look for at least 300 dpi.
One of the biggest considerations is how much time are you willing to devote to this task if you consider doing it yourself. It can be time-consuming especially if you start adjusting the color tint, contrast, etc. Still, if you can find a scanner for $200-$300 and amortize the cost over the slides, that’s only $1.00 - $1.50 each. The picture below is one slide that I scanned.
As an alternative, you might look for a photo store that caters to professional photographers to do this. There are several things you should look for. Ask to see a sample of their work; compare the slide with the digital image. Some cheap processors skimp on the resolution. You shouldn’t expect to get the color tint, contrast, or any other time-consuming operations adjusted without paying extra for it. How important these are to you is something you will have to decide. Then there are possibly some on-line processors. The same considerations apply.
Good luck.