Hi all,

I'm looking again at a Groupon that just came up for 35mm slide scanning... lI think it's $39 for 300 scans, 1000dpi, but you have to pay both ways for shipping (and I'd definitely want my negatives back).

I know there have also been posts here about do-it-yourself, and especially some of the cheapo scanners available on Amazon and elsewhere. Does anyone have a good idea or opinion as to how much work it is to do it yourself, and whether the results are really as good as they are versus getting it done by a professional service?

I'm tempted to use the service, if only for the fact that I wouldn't have to spend the time to do it myself... but being the control freak I am, I might also like to do it myself, if only so that I have more control over the process.

What do you all think? TiA

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Freya says, 'Hello from NOLA, baby!' (Laissez bon temps rouler!)

After reading a horror story about a lady who sent a bunch of negatives (irreplacable family photo's, of some people who where now long dead), and had the negatives lost by the scanning company BEFORE they got scanned... I'm hesitant to send 'em anywhere.

Sure, it's ONE story... anecdotal.. and probably not fair to paint the whole industry.. but I'd be hesitant.

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Paul F.
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Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
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Eureka, CA

Thats only 13 cents per scan. I doubt if the scans are very good.

Also when they specify 1000 dpi, that doesn't tell me very much unless they're also specifying the size of the output. For example, if I scan a slide at 300 dpi, and my output is going to be 8 by 12 inches, then I'll end up with a 2400 by 3600 pixel image file.

Also realize that you'll be able to batch scan at least 4 slides at a time if you have a decent scanner.

I think its a good idea to use a service but make sure its high quality. Even high quality services can be rather cheap.

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Look for some links in a post I made last week. IMHO, if you have lots of volume to do, are willing to put in the setup time and are a control freak, the "camera scanning" method will be the best. After the system is set up it is very very fast, and you end up with a raw file you can tweak in Lightroom or Aperture to bring out shadow detail, etc.

Oh, and a p.s. re: Groupon: I feel like unless its a product or service that you have prior knowledge of the 'regular' price that the chance for scam pricing is pretty high. Mark it up in order to mark it down. I say blah on Groupon personally. I'd rather send my slides via Costco at regular price than any Groupon 'deal'



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2013 11:16AM by thermarest.

I know someone who bought one of these (or a similar model) on ebay for $30:
[www.ebay.com]

Apparently you load a carousel or stack loader, push a button and away it goes. I haven't had a chance to see it in action yet, but he says it works quickly and the resolution is fine for viewing on a TV screen. I imagine one could scan a large number of slides with this, and then pick out a few for special treatment (i.e., more costly, higher-res scanning).

If I get to try it, I'll let you know how it goes.

1000 dpi is way too low for negs and slides. I would go with a service like [www.digmypics.com] if you have more than a few dozen slides or don't already have the appropriate equipment in hand. For DIY using a flatbed scanner you need to get a high quality scanner with digital ICE, negative/slide holders and an illuminated lid. It can be extremely time consuming considering the amount of straightening, color correction, dust removal, file renaming and other fiddling you need to do.

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"In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion." (1987) -- Carl Sagan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2013 11:36AM by davester.

Costco does slide scanning. I used them for a project and was happy with the quality and price.

Thanks everyone for input. Yes, I'd be worried about sending off the negs and getting them back, but on the flip side, I'd rather leave the scanning to professionals. I have no issue with Groupon, I've used them plenty before, without a problem.

Oh, and another concern that just occurred to me. What about privacy and ownership of the scanned images? Not that I have anything risque or anything like that, but of course with one of these scanning services, might an employee "help" themselves to an image or two...

And one other option: turns out a Costco is coming to New Orleans. The very first Costco in the city, and them opening a location in NOLA, post-Katrina... I'm VERY happy about this. It will bring needed jobs, improve the neighborhood, be convenient for shopping, etc. So I could maybe just wait until they open... assuming they do slide scanning on the premises.

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Freya says, 'Hello from NOLA, baby!' (Laissez bon temps rouler!)

If you want to have them done, try to find a reputable local source. At least that way you don't add the possibility of losing images in shipping.

The scan resolution you mentioned, although we can't be sure exactly what they meant, sounds way too low. The lowest res I use on my Plustek scanner is 3600 dpi. I use my older Polaroid scanner at 4000 dpi. At those resolutions, with a good source image, you can make a pretty good-sized print.

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Paul F.
After reading a horror story about a lady who sent a bunch of negatives (irreplacable family photo's, of some people who where now long dead), and had the negatives lost by the scanning company BEFORE they got scanned... I'm hesitant to send 'em anywhere.

Sure, it's ONE story... anecdotal.. and probably not fair to paint the whole industry.. but I'd be hesitant.

I'm sure this happens moren than one would like to think. You'd need to have a very careful workflow and workforce to ensure that it does not. The cheaper the price, the less inclined I am to believe in either the quality of the scans or the tightness of the tracking system.

And then things DO get lost in shipping, so you've added another element of uncertainty to the process of getting your stuff scanned by a service.