copying 35mm slides

[BobL]

I'd send my slides out <thanks for the offer BobL> but I really don't trust the mail! Honestly. About the time it is a "one of a kind" item, that's the one that gets damaged or lost. If I get really desperate, I'll go this route but for now, I'll still try to do a "home based" job.

Not a problem at all Skittebug, we all have to do what we need to do.
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that you come up with a viable solution.

[stuck]

Hi again Skitter,

So it sounds like you:
- have a modest number of slides to scan as a 'one off'
- want at least mid-range quality
- would like a bit of flexibility (i.e handle slides and negatives and possibly prints)
but you also anticipate if you did have the technology it wouldn't just be a one off.

Consider the range of Epson photo scanners, i.e. the bottom four on this page:
http://www.epson.co.uk/Scanners
the equivalent US page (here:) lists more models.

There is an earlier version of V500 here at work. It sits next to the Nikon but I've never used it (why have milk when you can have cream ?). That the photographers here thought it worthwhile buying such a toy suggested it was worth looking into, so I have followed reviews of these scanners over the years. So far I've never taken the plunge and parted with money because my home (Win 98) PC would not cope but now I have picked up a 'new' (~4year old, XP MCE) PC so all I need now is the cash.

Ken

[Doc Watson]

I have several slide trays stuffed with old slides that I'd like to convert to digital images. I had a scanner with an attachment that was supposed to do this as well as scan negatives but I was never satisfied with the results. Before getting much accomplished, the scanner gave up on me.... Total waste of IMHO
So now I'd like to get the job done before I lose my slides and negatives. Would anyone like to recommend some technology that would really work? Fairly simple to use? And doesn't cost a fortune? I would appreciate any info offered!

There is another option which I have found from The National Geographic store which has worked wonderfully called VuPoint Film Scanner. It is item # 1073545 http://www.ShopNG.org
I paid $99 for it but it is on sale for $59 and if you only have a couple of trays, it would be good if it fit the specs of your PC.
http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/ngs/ ... lm-scanner

We wandered around the backwoods of Paraguay and Brazil and have about 1000 slides that we used for presentations upon our return to the 'States. This has worked wonderfully and may be another option to consider.

Thanks for that Jude !! My late father was an avid underwater photographer and I have a box of probably 2,000-3,000 slides that I've been trying to find an inexpensive way to convert to digital and burn to CDs or DVDs to preserve. Since I don't know the contents of the slides (most were taken over 30 years ago), I don't want to have to view them all first on a slide projector, then make the selections and have them commercially converted. This little piece of hardware is just the tool at the right price ($70 US delivered).

I just ordered one last night and it should be here in a week to 10 days.

[Skitterbug]

Hi again Skitter,

So it sounds like you:
- have a modest number of slides to scan as a 'one off'
- want at least mid-range quality
- would like a bit of flexibility (i.e handle slides and negatives and possibly prints)
but you also anticipate if you did have the technology it wouldn't just be a one off.

Consider the range of Epson photo scanners, i.e. the bottom four on this page:
http://www.epson.co.uk/Scanners
the equivalent US page (here:) lists more models.

There is an earlier version of V500 here at work. It sits next to the Nikon but I've never used it (why have milk when you can have cream ?). That the photographers here thought it worthwhile buying such a toy suggested it was worth looking into, so I have followed reviews of these scanners over the years. So far I've never taken the plunge and parted with money because my home (Win 98) PC would not cope but now I have picked up a 'new' (~4year old, XP MCE) PC so all I need now is the cash.

Ken

Hi Ken

You have it in a nutshell with your assessment of what I wanted! I looked at the HP scanners Bob pointed to <Thank you Viking> but I am hesitant about them. I currently have an HP printer that doesn't agree with my MAC and HP didn't update the MAC driver for the printer model that I have. I understand why they might not want to but they did update it on the PC side…but anyway that's another issue.

My Epson printer/scanner/copier does work with both PC and MAC, no problem. I have been considering Epson but I haven't made a choice on the model. I'll read through the ones on the US site you pointed to. A fast look at the V500 does seem to offer nice features for not a horrible amount of "out-of-pocket" funds. If I am interpreting the pdf sheet, it seems that the software they offer is also for both O/S. This would be a benefit. If this works well, one person I can really help out is my sister who has a major amount of slides from her travels overseas. It would be very nice to save them for her!

Thanks for the info! I appreciate all of the ideas that's been suggested regarding a solution for my "problem".

[Skitterbug]

I have several slide trays stuffed with old slides that I'd like to convert to digital images. I had a scanner with an attachment that was supposed to do this as well as scan negatives but I was never satisfied with the results. Before getting much accomplished, the scanner gave up on me.... Total waste of IMHO
So now I'd like to get the job done before I lose my slides and negatives. Would anyone like to recommend some technology that would really work? Fairly simple to use? And doesn't cost a fortune? I would appreciate any info offered!

There is another option which I have found from The National Geographic store which has worked wonderfully called VuPoint Film Scanner. It is item # 1073545 http://www.ShopNG.org
I paid $99 for it but it is on sale for $59 and if you only have a couple of trays, it would be good if it fit the specs of your PC.
http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/ngs/ ... lm-scanner

We wandered around the backwoods of Paraguay and Brazil and have about 1000 slides that we used for presentations upon our return to the 'States. This has worked wonderfully and may be another option to consider.

Thanks for that Jude !! My late father was an avid underwater photographer and I have a box of probably 2,000-3,000 slides that I've been trying to find an inexpensive way to convert to digital and burn to CDs or DVDs to preserve. Since I don't know the contents of the slides (most were taken over 30 years ago), I don't want to have to view them all first on a slide projector, then make the selections and have them commercially converted. This little piece of hardware is just the tool at the right price ($70 US delivered).

I just ordered one last night and it should be here in a week to 10 days.

Doc Watson
Once you get to try this device, would you give us an update on what you think about it?

[Doc Watson]

It would be my pleasure Skitter.

[Hey Jude]

Thanks for that Jude !! My late father was an avid underwater photographer and I have a box of probably 2,000-3,000 slides that I've been trying to find an inexpensive way to convert to digital and burn to CDs or DVDs to preserve. Since I don't know the contents of the slides (most were taken over 30 years ago), I don't want to have to view them all first on a slide projector, then make the selections and have them commercially converted. This little piece of hardware is just the tool at the right price ($70 US delivered).

I just ordered one last night and it should be here in a week to 10 days.

It really is a neat little gizmo. I have been very pleased with it and am also happy that slides taken from 30+ years ago are preserved digitally. We had a Nikon 35mm SLR that took very beautiful photographs. We were down there when the
Itaipu Dam
was in the early stages of construction on the Parana River and we had a front-row seat with fabulous photos--all in slide form. There was a little building which was the original power plant for all of Paraguay. Now Itaipu is the largest power plant in the world. We were there when it was making history!! It made us very happy to be able to convert them to digital without sending them out which as Skitterbug pointed out--carries a risk of loss etc. If you've ever heard of Iguazu Falls on the border of Argentina/Brazil/Paraguay we have tons of slides of that as well. Course when we were there in '79/80 we took still shots but this video is breathtaking. Here is the result of the Google search, and I just found so many cool pictures that I put the entire link here Google Results for Iguazu Falls

Sounds like you will have a good time with this project. I learned about this from a friend by Cleveland OH who is in IT and creates AVI lessons which he markets. He frequents a forum I am a member of and wrote about this in great detail but wouldn't recommend it until he had tried it and researched it by converting his slides to digital images. I am glad you ordered it and hope you enjoy it as I have. I would get one for my kids, but they have digital photographic equipment that I drool over. It is enough that I get photographs of the grandsons from them Thanks for posting "Doc"

[Doc Watson]

Iguazu is breathtaking. I have a couple shots that I use as wallpaper from time to time. But, I'll investigate your Google link later for more. It must have been a great trip/adventure. And seeing the dam under construction can be more interesting than the finished structure. After all, it's just a big concrete wall when it's finished.

I'm sure I will like the slide scanner and I've found that going through old photos can be full of surprises and excellent memories.

If your kids are anything like mine, and mine are only 23 & 17, you cannot possibly have better or more up-to-date technology, on any level, than they do. That's written down somewhere, I think.

[Hey Jude]

Iguazu is breathtaking. I have a couple shots that I use as wallpaper from time to time. But, I'll investigate your Google link later for more. It must have been a great trip/adventure. And seeing the dam under construction can be more interesting than the finished structure. After all, it's just a big concrete wall when it's finished.

you cannot possibly have better or more up-to-date technology, on any level, than they do. That's written down somewhere, I think.

Ya think? I was mistakenly under the impression that my kids (34, 35) wrote those rules They know they are inheriting the Sony reel-to-reel recorder/player, 8-track tape player, rotary phone, Brownie 8 mm film projector with an entire collection of 3 minute cartoons, and other vintage museum quality pieces. I've taken the liberty to describe how each item was used during their early childhood development years and gone the extra mile to remind them that as cool as they think we are (who am I kidding????) they will be even less cool in their kids eyes haha~! Isn't life grand?

[Doc Watson]

Iguazu is breathtaking. I have a couple shots that I use as wallpaper from time to time. But, I'll investigate your Google link later for more. It must have been a great trip/adventure. And seeing the dam under construction can be more interesting than the finished structure. After all, it's just a big concrete wall when it's finished.

you cannot possibly have better or more up-to-date technology, on any level, than they do. That's written down somewhere, I think.

Ya think? I was mistakenly under the impression that my kids (34, 35) wrote those rules They know they are inheriting the Sony reel-to-reel recorder/player, 8-track tape player, rotary phone, Brownie 8 mm film projector with an entire collection of 3 minute cartoons, and other vintage museum quality pieces. I've taken the liberty to describe how each item was used during their early childhood development years and gone the extra mile to remind them that as cool as they think we are (who am I kidding????) they will be even less cool in their kids eyes haha~! Isn't life grand?

[GeoffW]

I've been quite disappointed with the quality of my small basic slide scanner. Colour depth is poor, details in dark areas do not come out, details in light areas are often washed out.

[stuck]

I've been quite disappointed with the quality of my small basic slide scanner. Colour depth is poor, details in dark areas do not come out, details in light areas are often washed out.

Care to name the product, as a note of caution to others?

Ken

[Skitterbug]

I finally decided to go for the Epson brand scanner and just gave it a go. I believe I have a lot to learn about scanning slides! Here's a beginner's try attached to this post. I believe I am going to be happy once I've learned enough to be comfortable with my work and satisfied with my results! Thanks for all the help with this decision!

[Bigaldoc]

That's a good start! I've forgotten his name (blush) but it looks like father-like son from the looks of the hair on both!

Remember, once you've got 'em scanned you can always make adjustments with your fave graphics program. I remember that MANY of my slide scans were a tiny bit too dark and it was easy to fix with PSP.

PS Is son-in-law a "southpaw?" I notice watches when they're on the right arm since I am a lefty!

[Skitterbug]

That's a good start! I've forgotten his name (blush) but it looks like father-like son from the looks of the hair on both!

Remember, once you've got 'em scanned you can always make adjustments with your fave graphics program. I remember that MANY of my slide scans were a tiny bit too dark and it was easy to fix with PSP.

PS Is son-in-law a "southpaw?" I notice watches when they're on the right arm since I am a lefty!

Hi Al

Dad's name is Dennis! It's been awhile since we've seen you so I wouldn't expect you to remember his name!
Guess what - the "son" is a daughter! Remember we were farmers so our choice of clothing was simple, not frilly! Your remark about the watch tipped me off to the fact that I had loaded the slides in reverse. Fortunately, I can rotate them to "set them right" again. So no, he isn't southpaw! He's right handed and does wear his watch on his left arm! I appreciate the post! Everything helps a newbie! And yes, I uploaded the correct orientation of the pic in question in my previous post.

[stuck]

[...] once I've learned enough to be comfortable with my work and satisfied with my results!

I can't claim to be much further ahead of you on the slide scanning learning curve but my gut feeling is that you should be aiming to get a 'master' scan that, above all, is a sharp as possible at as high a resolution as possible. Why?, because even though you will need to apply some sharpening in software ('tis the nature of a scan to introduce some softening of the image), focus and base resolution are the two things you can't do much to improve in software. On other words, rubbish in, rubbish out!

Have fun!

Ken

[DaveA]

I have scanned a few slides but lot of the older real small negatives. I have found that I need to scan them at a very high res to get any reasonable size. I have scanned, 35 mm, real small "instamatic" (I think that is what they are called).

I pays to "play" with the different res's and print them out at full size if possible. (I have a 11 inch color printer)
And if you plan of doing any cropping from a group picture, then the res needs to higher yet to get a reasonable print.

[ErikJan]

Here's my two cents & a question...

I'm using the Coolscan V film-scanner. Purchased that years back but didn't have the time to really start with it. Trying again now and have just scanned my first 38 slides. It's a sloooow process as was indicated earlier. I'm a perfectionist and know I have to pay the price for that: so I'm scanning and saving my slides in max resolution and max color-depth. For my scanner that is 4000 dpi and 48-bit (!) which leads to 100+Mb per slide.
In the past, I trialed with NikonScan but found it difficult to use (my new Win7 64 doesn't even support it, but there are workarounds posted on the web). I am now a happy user of VueScan. Allows Win7 64 to see my scanner and use it's advanced features. I think I'm happy.

Here's my question: before I found out that Vuescan can also mirror my slides (I scanned some upside down), I had already scanned most. I'm now looking for a program that reads and saves these 48bit TIF files and allows me to at least mirror the image. Anyone with a suggestion?

[HansV]

easyHDR can read and write 48-bit TIF files and rotate, mirror and crop them. It's not free (but not expensive either).
Another one is Sagelight 48-bit Image Editor 3.0.

[BobH]

Is this akin to the Scanjet 4890?

[HP ScanJet G4050]

Does it approach the same specifications? Seems a reasonable price to preserve one's history.