Photo/Slide/Negative Digitizer ??

[jds holler]

I'm looking to buy one of these devices. I've got a ton of old 35mm slides, as well as negatives that I'd like to get in usable form, as well as photos that I'd like to scan and keep.

They are not hard to find, looks like around $50-$350 bucks, but I thought I'd inquire of the vast pool of expertise that is present on this forum as to any particulars to watch for. Particularly actual knowledge of good ones, bad ones, specific features to look for or avoid.---- I realize this is not gun related, but a lot of my photos are. Thanks guys. jd

 

[jmm03]

I don't know if I qualify to be in the vast knowledge category but I have had an Epson model V600 for a number of years and it copies slides and photos very well and the instructions for use and the software that comes with it are straightforward. It probably has been superseded by now by later models. This where I bought it and other equipment over the years: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/ Jim

 

[jepp2]

but I thought I'd inquire of the vast pool of expertise that is present on this forum as to any particulars to watch for.

I am on my second one. Had to move on from the first as a newer version of windows didn't have the drivers. They create large files unless you reduce the quality level (which kind of defeats the purpose of shooting in 35mm to begin with).

Make sure the used one you purchase has the software with it (or can still be downloaded) and works with your computer operating system.
It should come with a holder for the slides or negatives, ask to make sure, you will need this.
Just know where you intend to store the files and there is enough space.

If you are buying new and not used, most of the above is irrelevant. For new I would read some reviews to see what seemed to be the sweet spot in cost/features/quality.

 

[jds holler]

I don't know if I qualify to be in the vast knowledge category but I have had an Epson model V600 for a number of years and it copies slides and photos very well and the instructions for use and the software that comes with it are straightforward. It probably has been superseded by now by later models. This where I bought it and other equipment over the years: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/ Jim

That Epson is in fact one of the ones I'm looking at. There is a ton of used ones on EBay -- almost made me wonder if they are crap,-- but maybe just very popular. I definitely need software that is cave-man friendly.
I'm a Mac/Apple user. Is it possible to simply transfer/share the new image into my existing Photo Library?

You guys are giving me exactly the info I'm looking for. jd

 

[hoz53]

That Epson is in fact one of the ones I'm looking at. There is a ton of used ones on EBay -- almost made me wonder if they are crap,-- but maybe just very popular. I definitely need software that is cave-man friendly.
I'm a Mac/Apple user. Is it possible to simply transfer/share the new image into my existing Photo Library?

You guys are giving me exactly the info I'm looking for. jd

our family needed to convert some slides to pictures on short notice for my mom and dads funerals. not enough time to send them somewhere or get one of these devices. we took pics of the slides with an iphone and my computer literate nephew edited them right on the phone. they came out good and you cant tell they arent a regular pic. not what you want for general use i know but it can be done. i have a bunch of slides i need to digitize so i need one of these to. the one i would/will get will transfer the digitized pics to your photo library.

 

[Fast14riot]

V600 is the remington 700 of the film scanning world. Its good, software is far more stable on mac than windows, but home scanning can be time intensive, depending on the resolution you choose. ~3 minutes per frame for 35mm. It does have a full auto mode if you're looking to just digitize your archives.

hoz53 has touched on another method. A cheap light box (<$15 on Amazon) and a duplication stand or table top tripod works very well with even a cheap dslr and can be dumped into your PC and developing software can apply adjustments globally to batches.

 

[hoz53]

V600 is the remington 700 of the film scanning world. Its good, software is far more stable on mac than windows, but home scanning can be time intensive, depending on the resolution you choose. ~3 minutes per frame for 35mm. It does have a full auto mode if you're looking to just digitize your archives.

hoz53 has touched on another method. A cheap light box (<$15 on Amazon) and a duplication stand or table top tripod works very well with even a cheap dslr and can be dumped into your PC and developing software can apply adjustments globally to batches.

i riggedup some sort of stand to do that i know. dont quite remember how i did it.
AND now ——-wars the Cartoons? lol

 

[jds holler]

I've been doing it the cheap&dirty way for awhile, and if you've seen any of my "good ol days" pics on here they were done that way. The slides and negatives are another thing though, and I simply want to go mobetta.

My plan for "weed out factor" is gonna be pretty ruthless, with probably 100 originals pared down to 10 or 20 keepers.

I think Imma bout to go drop the hammer on one of these Epsons, and I appreciate the advice. jd

 

[fx77]

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[Straightshooter1]

I'm looking to buy one of these devices. I've got a ton of old 35mm slides, as well as negatives that I'd like to get in usable form, as well as photos that I'd like to scan and keep.

They are not hard to find, looks like around $50-$350 bucks, but I thought I'd inquire of the vast pool of expertise that is present on this forum as to any particulars to watch for. Particularly actual knowledge of good ones, bad ones, specific features to look for or avoid.---- I realize this is not gun related, but a lot of my photos are. Thanks guys. jd

I used to have tons of slide covering decades of photos, having been quite a shutterbug. It's been a long time ago now since I scanned all my slides, negative's and photo's. A good flatbed scanner works well for scanning photo's and negatives, but for slides and just feel one needs a dedicated slide scanner to get good results.

And, I might add, good scanning software can make a huge difference too. Like I was able to restore faded Kodachrome and Ektachrome slides to their original color and quality. Best scanning software I found for this was from Hamrick Software (www.hamrick.com) called VueScan. It'll work with every type of scanner you can think of. I highly recommend it for anyone doing a lot of scanning. I use it on a regular basis for scanning documents I want to save digitally.

What I used for my slides was the Nikon CoolScan 5000. It's been around for years and I don't think they actually make it any more. It not only did a great job on my slide but also my 35mm negatives. Yes, it was a pricy peace of equipment, but well worth it to me to the ease, speed and quality I got from it. Obviously, these days I have no need for it and my machine sits stored away. Here's what it looks like:

 

[LVLAaron]

It’s a long and tedious process - there are services that you can send a shoebox full of slides and stuff to and they’ll scan them all and process them for you.

 

[Mikey_P]

I use this Magnasonic unit : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086DX4253?tag=track-ect-usa-808297-20&linkCode=osi&th=1 . As already mentioned by other members, it can be slow process. Fortunately, I don't have a ton of slides to convert, so it works out pretty good for my purposes.

Mike

 

[Rick in Oregon]

I had the same question a few years ago. I ended up with the Epson 4990 bed scanner for prints and slides, even converts 35mm negatives. It does a great job, takes a few minutes for 12 slides at a time but produces digital images that appear to have been taken last week.

Caveat: The software is now outdated and not supported. I had a tech geek lead me to VueScan as mentioned above so my scanner did not end up in the recycle bin. It allows older scanners to function once again, but requires a monthly or year-long subscription. Now I plan ahead, gather all the slides I want scanned and spend a few days dedicated to the task for a one month subscription.

Here's an example.....taken in 1966 in Vietnam, scanned on the Epson:



It's my wish that some outfit offers a good quality slide scanner that has software that stays supported through the life span of the damn machine! Doesn't seem like too much to ask.

 

[jds holler]

I had the same question a few years ago. I ended up with the Epson 4990 bed scanner for prints and slides, even converts 35mm negatives. It does a great job, takes a few minutes for 12 slides at a time but produces digital images that appear to have been taken last week.

Caveat: The software is now outdated and not supported. I had a tech geek lead me to VueScan as mentioned above so my scanner did not end up in the recycle bin. It allows older scanners to function once again, but requires a monthly or year-long subscription. Now I plan ahead, gather all the slides I want scanned and spend a few days dedicated to the task for a one month subscription.

Here's an example.....taken in 1966 in Vietnam, scanned on the Epson:



It's my wish that some outfit offers a good quality slide scanner that has software that stays supported through the life span of the damn machine! Doesn't seem like too much to ask.

That's a tough lookin teenager right there.

It's' lookin like I'm gonna get the latest Epson, primarily because it's capable of 8.5x11.5 documents as well as photos. And its software apparently does well with Mac.

I'm gonna take a trip to town to see if I can just pick one up -- if not I'll order. I appreciate everybody's advice. jd

 

[Rick in Oregon]

JD, once you get the new toy home and have a chance to have an opinion, I'd be interested in hearing what you ended up with and what you think of it. Having to pay someone to use my own machine pisses me off.

Oh, and after 59 years, that teenager is now into geezerhood, and not so tough now. I'm just glad I survived the place. Life is good.

 

[jds holler]

JD, once you get the new toy home and have a chance to have an opinion, I'd be interested in hearing what you ended up with and what you think of it. Having to pay someone to use my own machine pisses me off.

Oh, and after 59 years, that teenager is now into geezerhood, and not so tough now. I'm just glad I survived the place. Life is good.

I will let ya know -- and if I can handle it. My wife is a genuine pro when it comes to computer stuff, and if I whine enough, she'll even help me.

I'm glad you made it back from that mess, and happy that your life is good. I became draftable about the time they quit it, and I can't say I'm sorry.

I'm south of you a ways, down here in Klamath County, and our squirrels are popping up now. I've thought about getting up that direction to broaden my horizons with a little safari. I know the country pretty well south of of highway 20. jd