Scanning pics of tractors (using slides)

Glenn9643 · Jan 27, 2004

Richard,

I have an Epson Perfection 1200U (USB) scanner that has done a great job for me. It's a flatbed that will accept "legal size" max sheets. Mine came with a separate cover for scanning negatives or slides. Not sure just how it works, but the negative/slide cover has a different light source. I've scanned many slides and negatives and they come out better than scanning photographs. I think I paid more, but it looks as if it's about 250.00 now. Hope this link works: http://reviews.cnet.com/Epson_Perfection_1200U/4505-3136_7-781596.html?tag=pdtl-list
Look at the details to be sure it has the negative thingy. I didn't think about that when I found the link. You can scan and save files to high enough resolution to provide excellent pictures. I've scanned and saved many old family pictures to CD and provided copies to other family members. As I have had this model for three or four years, there is probably a later better model available but I did a search for comparisons based on "highest recommendations) at CNET... I certainly recommend the Epson Perfection 1200U.

Bird · Jan 27, 2004

Jim, with a thousand of them, I don't know how long it would take. I went to Google and entered "slides to CD" and found a number of places that claim to do that kind of work. Apparently there is some variation in the quality; i.e., number of pixels? And just out of curiosity, I stopped by WalMart this afternoon and they said they'd do it for $.29 per slide. I didn't think to ask about the quality.

Richard · Jan 27, 2004

Just some idle commentary/update. I did more searching on internet, found some site that calls these $1,000 type scanners "intro", or something like that /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Upshot, evidently there are scanners out there that will scan 48 slides at a time /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I think I'll stick with the "entry" level or much less /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

I had no idea there were such beasts out there.

Richard

Richard · Jan 27, 2004

( I went to Google and entered "slides to CD" and found a number of places that claim to do that kind of work )

Something I suggested to her was cataloging the pics if/as she does this. If she were to have them scanned for her, my guess (?) is they'd simply slap them onto a disk in the same random order they exist in her box (???)

By doing it herself, she'll be forced to view each pic and she'll know what it is (moreso than someone else) and can create some sub-catagories that might make finding the pics easier later.

Don't know if above is worth the effort, but it's the way my brain is thinking.

Besides, though she hasn't flat out said/admitted it, I think she's kind of intrigued on doing this as a project (she's very arts/crafts oriented)

RobertN · Jan 27, 2004

A couple thoughts /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

We have an HP Scanjet 5370C flatbed scanner. It has a setup for scanning slides, which we use. It works fairly well, and cost was less than $200 I think... My Uncle had some boyscout pictures from the 60's and 70's that were terrible exposures. I was able to scan them and manipulate the color, shadows, ect from the scanner software. Took bad pictures, and was able to send him back reasonable, printable files. It can fit up to four slides on the tray at once, which is nice. And, it works well as a regular old scanner. It can also scan color or B/W negatives too, which is pretty nice.

They make a newer model of my scanner, which looks like it should be faster/simpler to use...

My photographer/photo-teacher friend uses a fancy Nikon film scanner for higher resolution work, but she also frequently makes larger prints.

For the best scans, you will want to pull the film out of the holder. Remember, that plastic or paper holder covers up part of the printable/scanable part of the film.

As others have noted, it can be time consuming...

jinman · Jan 27, 2004

( I stopped by WalMart this afternoon and they said they'd do it for $.29 per slide. I didn't think to ask about the quality. )

I'm not sure about their resolution, but I think they are acceptable for a 8x10 print. My scanner scans at 1200 dpi and autofeeds one slide at at time. It will also feed negative strips and prints up to 3x5. It was less than $400.

Many years ago (1995 actually) I started multimedia development at my company. We bought a scanner that could scan at 4800 dpi and we paid $2500 for it. You can certainly get a decent film scanner these days for less than $500, but if given the choice, I'd have them done by someone else and spend my time organizing the electronic albums. That's the fun part. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Bird · Jan 27, 2004

You guys are making me wonder about these scanners now. I have a HP G55 print/copy/scan (flat bed scanner) and I guess I'm going to have to get out some of those slides and try it. They're all color slides, but were made with a cheap camera (Kodak Instamatic, if I remember right). And at least I'd have one advantage over Richard's slides. Instead of being loose in a box, they're all in slide trays in chronological order. Of course I'm not sure what condition they're in because I don't think the boxes have even been opened in the last 20 years and they're in a storage building without climate control. Most of them are pictures I took of our kids when they were little (kids that are now 38 and 35 years old /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif), and a lot of pictures we made on a trip to Alaska in 1972 with a 25' travel trailer (over a thousand miles each way of dirt and gravel roads back then).

And I know there is one picture I made somewhere in Canada on that trip that's of an 8-wheeled articulated tractor. They're quite common in this area now, but at the time, that was the first one I'd ever seen.

jinman · Jan 28, 2004

Bird, with a flatbed scanner, you need a source of light behind the slide or you will not see much of an image (very, very dark). Many scanners come with special light attachments just for slides or transparencies. If you have one of these, your results should be good. Without one, it's an exercise in frustration. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

My HP scanjet 6200C came with this little attachment that is supposed to reflect the light from the scanners internal light so it transmits through the slide. I was never able to do anything with this attachment except waste a lot of time. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif I bought an HP PhotoSmart scanner (see attachment) and that has worked out well.

Bird · Jan 28, 2004

That need for a back light sounds logical, and not very encouraging. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Chuck52 · Jan 28, 2004

If you had a good, high resolution, digital camera, with a macro lens, could you use a light box and a rigged-up copy stand and photograph the slides with decent results? Brain burp, perhaps.

Chuck