Slide, Negative Film, Photo Scanning: FREE Scanning Tips, Tricks, and Secrets

If you’re going to trust a scanning company with thousands of your slides, negatives, and photos, here’s four tips:

Tip 1:  Get Samples Scans As A Test-Run

It’s better to lose $10 than $1000.  So before you commit all your thousands of slides, negatives, and photos, send ten.  And ten of your worst ones.

Put the scanning company to the test.

What’s the quality like?  Is it worth paying 99 cents for a scan that is worse than the original?  Do they scan them as-is?  Or do they try to improve the quality?

Get a feel of how their process works.  Do they want payment upfront?  Do they care how they handle your slides or photos?  Do they return your slides in the same condition when they left your home?

Again, It’s better to test 10 slides, negatives, photos and lose $10 than send all of them, and find out you paid too much.

And hey, if they try their best with a such a small order, then they will do the same if you come back with thousands.

2.  Ask If Your Slides Are Scanned Overseas

There’s nothing wrong hiring a scanning company, where they ship your slides, say to India.  You’ll get the same quality scans, and prices far lower than they can charge in Canada.

But be sure you are aware of this fact!  Some scanning companies that charge as low as 25 cents per scan hide this fact.

Again, there’s nothing wrong with outsourcing your scans.  But make sure you’re ok with that fact.  And if you’re NOT ok with it, and you’re unsure, one red flag is the price.  If a scanning company advertises as low as 25 cents per scan, and they’re advertising highest quality scans, then they may be outsourcing your scans.

3.  Get A Quote And A 100% Scan Guarantee

The truth is, anybody can buy a scanner, put up a website, and offer slide scanning services.  That’s easy.  What’s not easy, is getting quality scans.

And if you’ve ever tried scanning yourself, you know exactly how much time and effort it takes to get scans that look at least as the original.

A quality scanning company will have no issues giving you a full 100% scan guarantee.  It’s the guys that buy a scanner, put a up a site, and offer cheap scanning that won’t back up their work.

4.  Ask Yourself: “Do I Want Convenient Scans Or Quality Scans”?

This last tip is probably the most important.

Say you’ve tried scanning, and it’s taking too much time.  If you rather have somebody else do this for you, and not not concerned about quality, then I suggest a “bulk” scanning company.

These scanning companies are ofter fast and cheap.  And if you rather save on price and pay in quality, then there’s nothing wrong hiring a “bulk” scanning company..

If you rather have quality scans then look for scanning companies that focus on quality not speed.  They often take longer and are more expensive.   But they will be glad to give you samples of your scans before you commit all of them; they’ll be happy to offer a full 100% scan guarantee; and they’ll treat your family’s originals as if they were their own.

Remember, these are the only copy of your originals.  And if you like to pass on quality scans to the next generation, then find a scanning company that focuses on quality, and not speed or bulk scans.

About The Author

Hey, my name is Konrad.  Thanks for reading.  I’m a digital designer, and I’ve been scanning since 2005.  I’ve also been using Photo shop since it came out.

So, if you like my team and I to scan your family’s slides, negatives, or photos, please visit: http://ScanCanada.ca

Digital ICE can’t give you consistent quality scans like you can in Photoshop.

Here’s a quick video of how I scan my client’s slides, negatives, and photos in Photoshop:

About ScanCanada.ca

We’re a small team of graphic designers, dedicated to slide, negative, photo scanning services. Located in three locations: Toronto, Calgary, and London.

Before you a scanning company, be sure you’re 100% comfortable with somebody else handle your only copy. At ScanCanada.ca, you’re invited to scan a small batch before you decide to commit all your scans.  This is a free service from ScanCanada.ca, and you’re under no obligation.

Please visit, ScanCanada.ca for more info.