Old School to Digital ... Slides

[R. Wethereyet]

I was talking to my Father in law this weekend and we got onto the subject of what to do with the boxes and boxes of slides that we both have (I inherited my 2000+ images). He wants to digitize and put them on CD's or DVD's and give to his children like scrapbooks.

 

So after that intro - my question to the group is:

 

Do you have a recommended/cost-efficient method of scanning large numbers of slides (obviously this not just a weekend project)? Do you have favorite hardware or tips for improved results?

 

Any hints or recommendations would be beneficial.

 

Thanks

Dave

[PopPop3]

I, too, have a lot of slides that are begging to be digitized. Only my collection is 20,000 plus, as slide film was all I shot on vacations and trips.

 

I've looked into getting a Nikon Super Coolscan, but can't really justify the expense at this time, nor have the free time that would be required to individually scan such a large number of slides.

 

I'm currently looking into slide scanning services that are popping up in the marketplace. I just Googled "slide scanning services" (duh) and came up with dozens of hits.

 

Going this route is not terribly cheap for thousands of slides, but it's an alternative to consider.

 

Hope this helps.

[R. Wethereyet]

PopPop3,

Thanks for your input. I've looked into the slide scanning services too and it looks like they are on the expensive side. A while back I saw a "multiple slide" scanner kit from "Sears" in one of their mailouts. I was scepticle of the quality so I didn't order it but it looked pretty slick. I think you could load about 20 at a time - like a sheet feeder on a photo-copier (no pun intended :rolleyes: )

 

From what I've read it seems that some scanners have issues with things like proximity to the monitor, which direction or side the slide is being scanned from. Looks like there is lots to learn to get this process correct with suitable results.

 

Thanks again!

:)

[rgreen79]

I have a Canon scanner which allows scanning 4 slides at a time. It's not a fast project but the scans turn out very well. Now I would think that 20,000 slides could end up being a lifetime project!

I manage to scan about 40 slides an hour. I have my collection of about 6000 numbered and dated, so I name them sequentially with the original number and include the date in the name. Then, the Photoshop adjustments begin to freshen up the colour, etc. A labour of love, I guess. After a couple of winters, I've got about 1200 done.

[gsrunyan]

I, too, have a lot of slides that are begging to be digitized. Only my collection is 20,000 plus, as slide film was all I shot on vacations and trips.

 

I've looked into getting a Nikon Super Coolscan, but can't really justify the expense at this time, nor have the free time that would be required to individually scan such a large number of slides.

 

I'm currently looking into slide scanning services that are popping up in the marketplace. I just Googled "slide scanning services" (duh) and came up with dozens of hits.

 

Going this route is not terribly cheap for thousands of slides, but it's an alternative to consider.

 

Hope this helps.

20,000 slides at 50 cents a slide is a lot of money. You can purchase a Nikon 5000 with an optional slide feeder (50 slides at a time) for about $1500. Moreover, once you are finished, slide scanners hold their price fairly well in the aftermarket and I would expect to recover 75-80% of the cost in the first 5 years. I have used a lesser model that doesn't have the optional slide feeder to digitize over 1000 slides and 500 negatives. Quality is excellent.

 

Glenn

http://www.pbase.com/gsrunyan

[websailor]

This doesn't produce the greatest quality, and I forget where I saw this (other than I know I used Google), but here is an idea to give a try. In brief:

 

Project your slides on a good background, set up you digital camera on a tripod and take a picture of each slide.

 

I know there were a lot more details about how to make this work best, but that should be enough to find it.

 

Here's a link to something similar -http://www.photosig.com/articles/1586/article

[Aplmac]

This doesn't produce the greatest quality, but here is an idea to give a try. In brief:

 

Project your slides on a good background, set up you digital camera on a tripod and take a picture of each slide.

 

Here's a link to something similar -http://www.photosig.com/articles/1586/article

Man..that is making me think

especially since I have all that stuff,already!

 

.

[R. Wethereyet]

Someone came up with a gadget that mounts on your camera ... :)

 

Nikon ES-E28 Slide Copy Adapter

 

Turn your digital camera into a slide scanner. By attaching this adapter to the camera, you can make a digital copy of processed 35mm (135) format positive/negative film, film with a mount or film sleeve. $99 CAD

 

Compatible With:

CoolPix 5000 (via Step Down Ring Lens Adapter UR-E6);

CoolPix 995; CoolPix 990; CoolPix 950; CoolPix 900;

CoolPix 885 (via Step Down Ring Lens Adapter UR-E4);

CoolPix 880 (via Step Down Ring Lens Adapter UR-E2)

 

http://www.vistek.ca/store/Scanners/168376/nikon-ese28-slide-copy-adapter.aspx

 

Not sure if it works on any other type of camera?

[Suzieb]

I started using a Epson flatbed film scanner on my many slides and negitives until a purple line through the photos started happening. After looking around, and yes I was looking at the Nikon Scanners, but the cost was a touch much. So I found the Plustek Scanner. I opted for the OpticFilm 7500i. I scans one slide at a time, but is still faster the the flat bed scanner, and I'm scanning at 2600dpi. While I am not at 40 slides an hour since I double scan it and then use the Infrared option to help correct scratches and dirt. Since I know this project is going to take time I switch back and forth from scanning and then I rip my albums for a while.

 

Good Luck

[DIST-THDR]

Suzieb, I am also looking into the 7500i and was wondering what the quality is like. Dave (Pierces) recommended the Plustek as well, so I'm looking into that one. Phil

[piper28]

20,000 slides at 50 cents a slide is a lot of money. You can purchase a Nikon 5000 with an optional slide feeder (50 slides at a time) for about $1500. Moreover, once you are finished, slide scanners hold their price fairly well in the aftermarket and I would expect to recover 75-80% of the cost in the first 5 years. I have used a lesser model that doesn't have the optional slide feeder to digitize over 1000 slides and 500 negatives. Quality is excellent.

 

The Nikon 5000 is definitely a nice scanner. I broke down and bought one myself, and bought a new one, because quite frankly, the used ones indeed do go for almost as much. So personally, I do tend to think this is one of the better options.

 

Couple caveats. Depending on how you save the output, you can easily end up with 50M to 150M output files from one of these scanners. So think about how you plan to store that.

 

Second, I just flat out have not been able to get decent results with Kodachrome film. Heck, I went through a couple units, and sent one back to Nikon, and all had the same issues, so if your film is Kodachrome, don't bother with this. Other slide films and negative films I've had pretty good results, although it took some experimenting to find the best scanning settings. Thankfully, I have a whopping 3 rolls of kodachrome, so I'll probably try to find some other way to deal with those.

 

Oh, and it's definitely not a fast process. 20k slides would be a pretty daunting task.

[Liz]

I have no idea if they work, but I saw a scanner at Brookstone over the weekend. It's made by iconvert and there is information available on the Brookstobe website.

 

Liz

[Suzieb]

Like what Piper28 said some scanners have a hard time with Kodachrome film and you can not use the IR dirt and scratch but the Plustek scanners use SilverFast software and they have process that can use the IR part and it seems to work pretty good. I thought I would post two pictures that I have scanned to show the work the scanner does, rememeber I have not figured it out totally yet. They are a touch blue but that can be corrected later, I just wanted to show what it does. I have learned a touch since these were scanned but the pictures I am scanning are not the best pictures to view. But see what you think

 

Cherry Bossoms in Japan in 1976

 

 

Inside the Lincon Memorial around 1982

 

 

I've been happy with what I've seen, and these are slides only, I have not gotten to the negitives yet, and I think both are Kodachrome slide

 

Enjoy

[piper28]

I was surprised at the amount of trouble I was having with the Kodachrome slides, because the Nikon Coolscan 5000 is supposed to be able to do them well. Wouldn't surprise me if the problem is operator error, so I'll probably try them again in the future, but the vast majority of what I had were negatives anyways, so I spent more time concentrating on getting those working. Of course, I've slacked off working on them, so now I'll probably have problems remember the settings I was using to get good results with those now too :).

[gsrunyan]

I was surprised at the amount of trouble I was having with the Kodachrome slides, because the Nikon Coolscan 5000 is supposed to be able to do them well. Wouldn't surprise me if the problem is operator error, so I'll probably try them again in the future, but the vast majority of what I had were negatives anyways, so I spent more time concentrating on getting those working. Of course, I've slacked off working on them, so now I'll probably have problems remember the settings I was using to get good results with those now too :).

 

Be sure you have the scanner software set for Kodachrome: In the upper left corner of Nikon scanner software v. 4.02 is a choice box for positives, color negatives, black and white negatives and Kodachrome. Be sure this choice is selected.

 

When you have setting you like for negatives or positives, you can save those settings with a name that will remind you of what that setting is for.

 

Glenn:D

www.pbase.com/gsrunyan:cool:

[piper28]

Be sure you have the scanner software set for Kodachrome: In the upper left corner of Nikon scanner software v. 4.02 is a choice box for positives, color negatives, black and white negatives and Kodachrome. Be sure this choice is selected.

 

When you have setting you like for negatives or positives, you can save those settings with a name that will remind you of what that setting is for.

 

Glenn:D

www.pbase.com/gsrunyan:cool:

 

Oh yeah, the Kodachrome setting was selected. I also tried various orientations of the slides. Looks like this thread talks about the same problem I was having: http://photo.net/digital-darkroom-forum/00CTcF

 

Conclusion there seems to be cheap glass in front of the ccd. I went through two new units, and sent one in to Nikon, and never had any luck. But like i said, i only have 3 rolls of Kodachrome, so I can live without that. Everything else scans perfectly fine, so basically as long as you don't need kodachrome, it's a great scanner. If someone's sitting on a large box of kodachrome slides to scan, I'd look elsewhere.

 

As for saving the settings, the computer that I was doing that all on died :). I don't predict a huge problem getting back to where I was though, doing it the first time was one thing, but recreating it should be a lot easier.

[des_from_oz]

I did 400+ slides for Grandpa - using his projector, screen and my old SOny 3 MP digital camera.

 

Trick was to turn off the flash, set it on a tripod, and set the focus manually (all becasue, once rthe lights are off in the room, and the slide is projected on the screen, the camera's aut focus and flash have difficulty.

 

I now have edited all those pics in editing software to crop, zoom a little, brighten etc if nec.

 

They are fabulous - and now all on one CD that has been copied and given to all the kids (if you can still call us kids at 50 years of age).

[Suzieb]

Oh yeah, the Kodachrome setting was selected. I also tried various orientations of the slides. Looks like this thread talks about the same problem I was having: http://photo.net/digital-darkroom-forum/00CTcF

 

Conclusion there seems to be cheap glass in front of the ccd. I went through two new units, and sent one in to Nikon, and never had any luck. But like i said, i only have 3 rolls of Kodachrome, so I can live without that. Everything else scans perfectly fine, so basically as long as you don't need kodachrome, it's a great scanner. If someone's sitting on a large box of kodachrome slides to scan, I'd look elsewhere.

 

As for saving the settings, the computer that I was doing that all on died :). I don't predict a huge problem getting back to where I was though, doing it the first time was one thing, but recreating it should be a lot easier.

 

One thing to check since you are saying everything else is coming out good, check and see if the infrared setting is turned on. If it is turn it off and try again. Not familiar with the Nikon software so i can't help you turn it off.