Those 35mm slides that you’ve been holding on to can now be digitally formatted with 35mm slide scanning. Most 35mm slides are in boxes stacked on shelves and closet floors. The owners don’t want to part with the slides, even though they haven’t brought them out to view in years. The slides hold memories and, in the case of businesses, important information. Improved techniques for 35mm slide scanning can help you preserve your photographs and illustrations on PC’s and DVD’s. You’ll be able to view them easily on any PC or television.

One of the best features of 35mm slide scanning is that now you’ll be able to print the slide images, email the images to friends or business associates, and include the images on digital videos or digital slide shows. Once your 35mm slides are converted to a digital format, you can download the images to your computer and organize, adjust, and transfer the images for any purpose. 35mm slide scanning allows you to quickly access your photographs, charts, and graphics for viewing or reference.

You can do your own 35mm slide scanning at your home or business. If you need certain slides to be scanned together, sort through the slides first and put them into groups. Some business presentations require slides to be scanned in a prescribed order. Keep in mind that you might have to work with different slide orientations (portrait or landscape), slide mount thickness, and film types when you group slides, and this could slow down your scanning process. While you are sorting through your slides, get rid of slides that you no longer need, are duplicates, or were never a good image to begin with. You don’t need to continue to keep slides that are of no value to you.

For good 35mm slide scanning, the slides need to be as clean as possible. Keeping slides clean is a never-ending process because they are dust magnets. It is also easy to scratch 35mm slides, and this can be a problem when you scan them. If your slides have a minimal amount of dust and scratches on them, your scanner may be able to take care of this. Many scanners have an infrared light used during 35mm slide scanning that passes through the film, but not the debris on the slide. The scanner software captures the dust and scratches and compensates for these by filling in the blank areas with colors that match the surrounding image.

Scanning negatives and slides can seem a bit tricky, but it can be done with the right equipment and know how. First of all, negatives and slides can be scanned with a scanner, but you cannot just put a negative on the glass and push the button to scan.

The scanner you use has to be one with built in negative scanning ability. Usually, a scanner designed for paper documents wont have this feature, but some do. A good scanner that is suitable for scanning negatives will produce excellent quality scans quickly, and there are different models to choose from that can allow you to scan numerous negatives and slides at once.

Scanning Negatives: DPI and Resolution

To begin, since the image on a negative is so small, you will want to keep a high resolution so that you can enlarge the picture and still maintain good picture quality. A good rule of thumb is that for every doubling in size for the picture, maintain that same increase for your resolution. For example, to get a 4X6in print from a 4X6in scan, the recommended dpi setting is 300. To get an 8X11 from that same scan, double the dpi to 600, and so on.

Scanning Negatives: Files and Output Type

There are several different file formats for images that computers use. These are TIFF, JPEG, and BMP files, just to name a few. The best files for scanning negatives are TIFF files. TIFFs can be edited and saved easily, and without compression loss. However, TIFFs can be large files that take up much memory. Besides choosing a file format, Output Type is another variable to consider when scanning. The default output type is usually Millions of Colors which is the best for photos with lots of color. Grayscale is for black and white pictures. It is recommended, though, that you maintain the default setting for color output, because this maintains the highest picture quality, and photo enhancement software can easily take the color photo and put it in black and white for you.

A word of caution about storage space: Many people have found that file sizes can mount quickly with scanning, saving, and editing photos. Pay special attention to file sizes and how much space is available on a CD or disk that you are saving the pictures to. Try to see about how much space a picture file uses, multiply that by the number of files you are saving, and make sure you dont run out of space in the middle of creating your masterpieces!

Keeping these tips and other important points in mind will help you decipher the puzzle of scanning negatives. These tips will get you started on your way to turning your tiny negatives into meaningful photographs that you will treasure for years to come.

Since digital cameras came into the market, most people use digital formats for new photos, and there are people keeping older film camera paper prints, slides and negatives. We will show how to convert them into digital formats.

Paper Prints

Sizes 4X6 and 5X7. If they are kept too long, tend to lose their quality, the paper might turn yellow, bend and colors faded.

Slides

Are similar to negatives but projecting photos on large screen.

Negatives

Are processed film usually 35mm roll which hardly used unless to develop new paper prints.

Want to know how to convert all those old photos from traditional paper and negatives to digital? This is easy to copy and a better way to keep the photos in the computer for long time. For amateurs try simple, easy and cheap methods. Professional photographers will spend time and money on this process scanning and requires different equipment.

Scan paper photos prints on a scanner yourself, is a cheaper way, unless you want to send to a professional scanning service that will scan and mail them back the originals and a DVD with the digital scans. Sometimes, it’s a risk to take, mailing the only hardcopy of your photos.

The Resolution is measured by the number of dots per inch, if you are going to scan it yourself. Usually the scanner can scan at 1200DPI or more. The higher the resolution the slower the scan and bigger photo file size. If the higher resolutions scan is at 300 to 600 DPI, you get better results.

When you buy a scanner check the scanning Speed, which is measured by number of scans per minute and check the speed at the DPI you’re going to use. Speed is important if you are using more than hundreds photos. For better results, scan at the lowest resolution possible, 300-600DPI is good enough.

Photo feeding is not an issue if only small number, but for more photos make sure that the scanner is fast and easy loading. A good scanner will automatically load stacks of photos, feed and scan them for you.

You can see how easy to photo paper prints by yourself rather than using professional scanning service. For a small investment, get an expensive automatic scanner which has all the functions to convert your original quality memories into digital format, for you and your children to enjoy.

Plus you can keep these photos stored safely on DVD hard drive or online where you can never loose them. And you can share your photos with the world faster then you can say cheese!

If you have been photographing for years, you likely have many photos that are not in digital format. Whether you have negatives or actual images, these photos have a limited life span. The only true way to preserve a photograph is to have it digitized. A CD is going to last much longer than a photo that can fade and lose color contrast with time. If you need to turn convert photos to digital formats, you have two basic options.

Scanning Them at Home

The most obvious option to get a digital copy of your image is to scan it at home using convert photo digital equipment. A flatbed scanner and the right scanning software can make a digital copy of a print fairly easily. A USB slide scanner is usually the best and easiest solution. This copy can then be transferred to a CD or memory card.

If you’re like most people, you have a huge collection of photographs, slides and negatives or transparencies. Photographs are something we all tend to accumulate: we take our own pictures, friends and family give us pictures, and pictures are passed down through the generations. Sometimes these photographs are stored in photo albums, boxes, or drawers. Few storage areas are actually good for photographs, and many of our prized shots fade over time and get torn or bent.

Scanning your old slides and negatives with a usb slide scanner is a great way to preserve your photographs. You will be able to organize all your photographs for viewing and can share them with others. The digital images of your photographs will be stored on CD’s or DVD’s where you can access them at any time. You will be able to print and email as many photographs as you want and can use them for creative projects, such as special DVD’s for anniversaries or birthdays.

Flatbed scanners are the most common scanners used for home photo scanning. Many times the scanning equipment also serves as a copier and a fax machine. Photo scanning on a flatbed scanner is similar to making a copy. You place the photograph face down on the glass plate, close the lid, and then push the button for the scan preview. Make sure both the photograph and the scanner’s glass plate are clean before you begin to scan. Even images of tiny debris and dust will be visible on your digital images. Be particularly careful with heirloom photographs. These are usually fragile, and rough cleaning methods may tear them. It’s also a good idea to wear white cotton gloves while you’re scanning your photos to keep from transferring oils from your hands to the glass plate or photographs.

You will be able to see a preview screen of your photograph before you actually scan it. You’ll be able to tell if you need to adjust the placement of the photograph or if there is dust, hair, or other debris on the photograph or glass plate. Use the color photo setting even if your photograph is black and white. This will give you more options when you’re making the final adjustments to the digital image. The DPI (dots per inch) setting you should use for photo scanning is 300DPI, and settings of up to 600DPI are usually recommended. A higher DPI makes it easier to restore your photographs to high quality images. After you have scanned your photograph, you can use the graphics software program to make adjustments to the coloring and lighting for an enhanced digital image.

Today’s technology makes it easier than ever to convert negatives to a digital format. Scanning services will take your negatives, quickly scan them using high-resolution scanning equipment, and burn the resulting image files onto a CD that you can use to archive your memories. If you have a pile of negatives that you want to have scanned, make sure you prepare them properly for the process.

Handle Negatives Carefully

When you convert negatives to a digital file, any damage on the negative will be included on the scanned image. This happens because the scanner scans the image exactly as it is. As you prepare your negatives to send them to the scanning company, do not touch their surfaces. Handle negative by the edges only, because fingerprints are almost impossible to remove from a negative. If you are going to be handling several negative strips, you may want to purchase a pair of negative handling cotton gloves.

Organizing Negatives

If you have hundreds of negatives that you will be scanning, organize them before you send them to the scanning service. Some companies can compile the images into a DVD format with captions and music, but this will make no sense if you have not first grouped them according to the event. Consider organizing them in a chronological order so that the CD or DVD is organized as well. This will make it easier to find the images you want when you have your digital copy.

Cleaning Negatives

Use a cotton, lint free cloth or your negative handling gloves to gently dust off your negatives. Do not rub them roughly, however, because this can add scratches. Your goal is to gently remove any dust without damaging the image. If you have ever stapled the negatives to something, remove the staple carefully. Some developers glue paper or plastic backing to negatives when they package the finished prints. If your negatives have this, remove it. Most scanning companies do not mind receiving negatives that are in a plastic sleeve, however, and this can protect them during shipment.

Packaging Negatives

Your particular scanning company should have guidelines for packaging your negatives. If they do not, consider wrapping them in a zip-top plastic bag. This will keep them secure during transport. Mail them in a bubble or cardboard mailer to avoid any damage from envelopes being bent during transport. Consider purchasing insurance on the package. While it will not replace the lost memories if a shipping problem arises, you will be reimbursed. You may also want to purchase a tracking service if it is available so that you can keep track of your negatives while they are on route to the negative scanning company.

The right preparation will help the process to go smoothly. When you convert negatives to a digital format, you are left with a photo CD that can be stored just about anywhere and is resistant to damage. You will also get your negatives back, so you will not lose your originals in the process. In this way, you can have the best of both worlds, both digital and film photography.

Prior to the advent of the digital camera, most amateur and semi-professional photographers shot pictures on 35mm film. Anyone who spent much time behind a camera had binders full of 35mm negatives, carefully preserved in archival sheeting. Those negatives, when preserved properly, last quite a while, but no matter how careful you are with them, they will eventually begin to deteriorate. Dust, scratches, and fading make them practically useless for reprints. Today, there is an alternative to storing your negatives in this way. By taking advantage of a usb slide scanner, you can create a high quality digital image from your negatives that will not fade or get scratched.

Why Scan Negatives?

Even if you have a paper print of your image, the negative is the best option to scan if it is available. This is because it is a “first generation” image, and, even though it is much smaller than the print, a negative has more detail and contrast than a print. This means you will get the highest quality digital image if you use the negative over the print.

Choosing a USB Slide Scanner

If you are interested in having your negatives scanned, the first step is to choose the right 35mm scanner. First, look for a company that offers a variety of resolutions. Negatives are scanned in a resolution measured as “dots per inch,” or dpi. The dpi you need varies depending on the intended use of the image. A 35mm negative scanned at 1500 dpi is a good choice if you wish to archive your images, view them on a screen, or print up to a 5 x 7 picture. In contrast, a scan of 4000 dpi gives you the ability to zoom in on a particular area of your picture and make prints up to a 13 x 19.

Besides choosing a usb slide scanner service with several dpi options, choose one that uses a quality negative-specific scanner. High-end professional scanners deliver quality images that make excellent prints.

Touch Up Services

Another option to look for when choosing a scanning service is photo enhancement service. Choose a company that has the ability to remove scratches, fix fading, or reduce red eye in your finished image. This will allow you to archive your oldest negatives, even if they have been damaged with time. Keep in mind that a poorly shot image will still look poorly shot, even with touch up services.

Kodak has developed a technology known ad Digital ICE that allows the imaging professional to isolate images of dirt and scratches on an image. The area is then filled in using information scanned from the color in the surrounding are of the image. Kodak also offers Digital GEM, a program that allows the imaging professional to remove film grain and the effects of poor lighting from a finished image. Programs like Digital ICE, Digital GEM, or something similar are one feature you want to look for when choosing a 35mm scanning service. This is especially true if you are working with older negatives that have faded with time.

The next time you move your old box of negatives from one shelf in the closet to another, ask yourself if there is a better way. The answer is yes, because you can store your negatives in a much more compact digital format by choosing 35mm scanning services.

A USB Slide Scanner is a great tool for converting images from prints, negatives, and slides into a digital form for the purposes of storage, editing, and sharing via the internet or to produce actual prints. The quality of the images from a scanner depends in large part upon resolution. Some scanners offer significantly higher resolution than others but most allow the user to adjust the resolution used for any given scan.

Because higher resolution means more detailed and higher quality images why would a user ever select to lower resolution? There are actually a couple of reasons why someone might decide to adjust the resolution downward when scanning.

One reason that the choice to use lower resolution would be considered is that higher resolution images contain more information. The downside of more information is that file sizes are much larger, requiring much more storage space. When storage space is limited, higher resolution images can be a drawback. Users must experiment to determine what level of quality they are willing to accept in order to preserve memory.

In addition to the increased storage needs, the larger file size of high resolution images creates a second drawback. Such images are slower to scan, manipulate, and download. A user may not wish to spend exorbitant amounts of time dealing with larger file sizes and those receiving or waiting for a web page to open that contains such files may become impatient with the process as well. Again, the user has to determine how much image quality they are willing to sacrifice to get smaller files that save time.

Determining what resolution to use when scanning can depend on a number of things: the type of material being scanned, the quality of the image, and how the resulting file will be used.

Slides and negatives require a higher resolution than a print. Because they start off quite small, they will likely be enlarged for viewing purposes. When any image is enlarged, greater resolution is needed to maintain acceptable image quality. The number of pixels or bits of image information needed for the enlarged image to be of reasonable quality may need to be 2,000 or more.

If an image being scanned is a text document less information will be needed to create a clear image and, indeed, a resolution of only 100 should be sufficient. If the image scanned is a picture that will be shared only via computer, then a resolution of 100 or so may still be quite acceptable as the resolution at which a computer screen is able to display is generally limited. However, if that same image will be printed, resolution will need to be greater; perhaps 300 to obtain an acceptable image. Just as explained when scanning slides however, if a user chooses to enlarge that same image, greater resolution will be required to maintain quality. For instance, if a 4×6 print will be scanned and enlarged to a 10×15 print, then a resolution of at least 600 would be wise.

Clearly, scanning images at the highest resolution can create optimum image quality but when speed of scanning and downloading are important or storage space is limited, users are wise to consider adjusting resolution downward in situations where acceptable image quality is possible with lower settings. Some experimentation will be required to find the level of image quality that is acceptable to an individual user.