[pov] Re: slide scanning service?
- From: Michael Elenko <michael.elenko@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: pov@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:33:35 -0800
As with other digital images, the more demanding your output requirements, the
more expensive and time consuming the work involved will be.
If one just needs decent quality images for web delivery, smaller personal
prints, or a small-run memory book, then medium resolution jpegs will suffice.
And you can tweak the scanned images to a fair degree in software.
If, however, the requirement is for art prints or large prints, then you can
pay extra for scans to be output as RAW format files by a lab. These will be
much larger in size but they have the potential for greater fidelity with the
original slide if you know how to use RAW processing software.
Finally, there are expensive drum scanners that are used with film, and produce
images with the subtle details found in the original film. Fine images found
in art galleries and used in commercial work are generated from this process.
I think James' mom and Viv's needs would be best met by having medium-to-high
jpegs created. The two popular options are a service such as Scan Cafe or
Costco. They are both bargains compared with doing it yourself. I've had over
100 slides scanned by Costco for about fifty cents each. They were good enough
for my personal memory book needs, but nothing I'd create a gallery print from.
An advantage is that your slides are worked on locally.
Scan Cafe charges about $175 for 500 slides, a deal. They have you send your
stuff to India where cheaply paid labor turns it around fairly quickly. I've
never used them, but know happy customers. While they claim strong processes to
prevent loss, there is inherent risk. But that happens everywhere. . .They can
also do color correction etc. This can be very useful if they do it well
because correcting scans can suck hours and days out of your life.
You can also purchase a flat-bed scanner that is configured to accept a rack of
nine slides or so--but these tools are not cheap and the quality is not as
good. Most importantly it will take you a few dozen hours to scan 500 slides
and then days to deal with removing dust marks and corrections/sharpening in
Photoshop.
You can also spend between $200-$1500 on a dedicated film scanner that will
scan at a higher quality than a flat bed. But it will still take many hours to
clean up 500. I have a little Minolta that sits above my keyboard on a shelf
haunting me about the thousands of slides at the other end of the room.
One more thing, if your slides are the original Kodachrome, that may require
more technical savvy--I'd leave that for a service.
I'm sure others on the list can provide their own experiences and add to this
general overview.
ME
On Jan 12, 2011, at 4:46 PM, Viv Ilo E. Veith wrote:
> Michael, could you speak to the options a bit? I know nothing about the
> slide scanning yet and have a few boxes of important memories that I would
> like to have converted. The thing is, I am not entirely sure of the future
> use of the slides. They are from an incredible year spent traveling the US
> in a flat nosed school bus for a full year with 19 other students when we
> were 17-18 years old. I just successfully reconnected all 20 of us! There
> is the possibility of a book growing out of these slides.
>
> Viv Ilo E. Veith
>
> Home/VM: 206.734.4916
> Cell: 206.696.8904
> (Please try the home line first: Low minute cell phone.)
>
> On Jan 12, 2011, at 10:57 AM, Michael Elenko wrote:
>
>> James
>> What level of quality does your mother require? What output medium?
>>
>> ME
>>
>> On Jan 12, 2011, at 10:22 AM, James Culbertson <albion@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>>> My mother has about 500 slides she wants to have scanned by a service. She
>>> was reprints manager for Mountaineers books in Seattle for decades so she
>>> is quite savvy with Photoshop and scanning, but is a bit overwhelmed with
>>> the thought of doing all the work.
>>>
>>> She has found Scan Cafe (http://www.scancafe.com/), but wants to know if
>>> there is a better service.
>>>
>>> Anyone have any experience with these services? Recommendations?
>>>
>>> Thanks much,
>>>
>>> James
>>>
>>> pov@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>
>>> To subscribe or unsubscribe: //www.freelists.org/list/pov
>>>
>> pov@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>> To subscribe or unsubscribe: //www.freelists.org/list/pov
>>
>
> pov@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> To subscribe or unsubscribe: //www.freelists.org/list/pov
>
Michael Elenko
Eye In The Triangle Photography
206-226-3315
pov@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
To subscribe or unsubscribe: //www.freelists.org/list/pov
Other related posts:
