35 mm slides converted to digital format

[JethroB]

For me, it wasn't just the cost of having someone else do the scanning.

Doing you own scanning there are multiple adjustments you can make so the scan looks the way you want it to. Here's just one screen from my scanning software:
View attachment 730484

When you send your slides off to be scanned they'll load them into a machine that will scan them pretty much the same way for each slide. No custom adjustments for each individual slide...unless you can afford to pay someone to do that for you!

So doing it yourself you can get better results.

Is it the scanner itself involved in the image adjustment or tweaking or is the software? If it’s the latter couldn’t most any photo app provide some level of image correction? My iPad has some basic tools.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Is it the scanner itself involved in the image adjustment or tweaking or is the software? If it’s the latter couldn’t most any photo app provide some level of image correction? My iPad has some basic tools.

In the case of the Plusteck, software controls both the scanner and the image. Additional software, like Photoshop, is required to make final adjustments.

 

[deserteagle71]

In the case of the Plusteck, software controls both the scanner and the image. Additional software, like Photoshop, is required to make final adjustments.

^ This.

 

[Dftodd]

I've hear horror stories of people that send in photos, movies, etc. to have them converted and having the originals get lost. I'd do it myself, or use a local company before I sent them anywhere.

Wife actually just did that with some old VHS tapes of the kiddos baseball games and daughters pagents.

They sent her links to download them, and the tapes arrived back at the house a couple days later.

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, I wouldn't be concerned if it was digital downloads, but how are you going to download VHS tapes?

 

[Dftodd]

Yeah, I wouldn't be concerned if it was digital downloads, but how are you going to download VHS tapes?

That was the point of her sending the tapes out.

 

[m7040]

A lot of experiences were shared. Thanks for that. Two methods are used for scanning 35 mm slides. One is the stand alone digitizer that many are using and the other is the flatbed scanners tied into the PC software. Not a lot of experience was covered on the flatbed scanners although they tend to produce as I understand better quality scans and can accept multiple slides in one pass. Epson and Cannon seem to be the leading brands. I was hoping for some experience feedback on using flatbed scanners for 35 mm slides as well.

 

[deserteagle71]

A lot of experiences were shared. Thanks for that. Two methods are used for scanning 35 mm slides. One is the stand alone digitizer that many are using and the other is the flatbed scanners tied into the PC software. Not a lot of experience was covered on the flatbed scanners although they tend to produce as I understand better quality scans and can accept multiple slides in one pass. Epson and Cannon seem to be the leading brands. I was hoping for some experience feedback on using flatbed scanners for 35 mm slides as well.

If you are talking about best quality scans of 35mm slides then a flatbed scanner IS NOT the best choice. A 35mm slides measures ~ 7/8" x 1-3/8" in size; a dedicated 35mm scanner engineered to scan just that size will produce a much higher quality scan.

Good article explaining some of this:

The best film scanners of 2023

Discover the best film scanners for getting photographic film onto a computer. Read this guide for the top 35mm film scanners!

www.popphoto.com

I had an expensive Microtek flatbed scanner and even scanning my medium format slides (2-1/4" x 2-3/4") the results were not good enough for my liking. I ended up rephotographing those big slides with my digital camera and a macro lens - gave me better results than the scanner.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

A lot of experiences were shared. Thanks for that. Two methods are used for scanning 35 mm slides. One is the stand alone digitizer that many are using and the other is the flatbed scanners tied into the PC software. Not a lot of experience was covered on the flatbed scanners although they tend to produce as I understand better quality scans and can accept multiple slides in one pass. Epson and Cannon seem to be the leading brands. I was hoping for some experience feedback on using flatbed scanners for 35 mm slides as well.

Scanned over 300 today.