I know there are some of you who have experience with these things, so here goes:
I need to buy a scanner with the capability of scanning 35mm slides to create files both for making prints and for viewing on the web. My father has thousands of slides from photos he’s taken over the years, and my plan is to create a CD for each of my six brothers and sisters. I can then make one huge digital photo album by merging in scanned images from albums other family members have compiled.
Any advice would be appreciated, but especially that from those with experience doing this sort of thing on a budget.
I can scan my 35mm slides with my Visioneer 8920. But, I’ve had it for 6 mos. so I know it’s already outdated! But for a little over $125 it works great!
I have a scanner with slide capability. (forget the name, sorry, it’s in seattle. Got it at Sam’s Club last year.) Something to consider when shopping is - how many slides can it handle at once? Mine is unfortunately designed to only hold two at once, though I think I can get around it with a little effort. But thousands of slides, two at a time…ugh.
Yeah, scanning thousands of slides sounds daunting, but I bet out of those slides, hundreds can be left in the case because the photographer bracketed his shots, blew shots, missed shots, duplicated shots.
I bet there will be lots of sorting and picking to do, which may end up taking more time than scanning.
Our scanners at work take about a minute a slide, but they’re pretty old. I don’t know if newer ones are faster. Anyway, you can spend the time it spends scanning to pick out the next shot to do.
Thanks for the tips. Especially the one about looking for one that can gang up multiple slides on one scan! That would be really helpful.
Yes, there is a lot of sorting to be done. I don’t feel any need to scan all the postcard type shots from vacation trips. My folks love plants and flowers and gardening, so there are quite a few shots of various botanical gardens and whatnot. I’m going to focus on those slides with people in the pictures.
When I get going on it, I’ll post a few choice ones. Some are really funny. Like me and the siblings circa 1972, all dressed like the Partridge Family!
software provide automatic correction of excessive grain, faded old slides, an automatic scratch detection/removal ; all these do slow it down, but do not compromise sharpness, and can be automated in batch (multiple slides) mode.
high resolution 4000 dpi; this makes the normally used (2000dpi) mode much sharper.
very high maximum density threshold, allowing to cleanly read bitch films like Fuji’s Velvia, or save grossly underexposed views.
fast transfer thanks to an IEEE 1394 interface (Firewire), the interface board being supplied.
optional slide tray feeder (up to 50 slides at a time) and optional uncut film feeder (up to 40 frames)
Drawback ? There may be better scanners for colour negatives (thinking of Kodak’s here) but if you mainly feed it transparencies (or black and white negs) it’s the best at prices still affordable by an advanced amateur.
I’m the happy owner of their 8000 ED (this for bigger formats, and way dearer) which is of the same generation, and shares the same impressive software. It is a winner, and my 21st century “dry darkroom enlarger”.
Epson makes a couple of models between $100 and $250 that have slide attachments. Mine is the cheapest (no slide attachment…Next model up has it…) My model is Perfection 1250. It is exceptionally easy to use - Well thought-out software and user interface.
Best.
Byll