The Portland Metro Photographic News

© 2008, Hub

Do you have shoe boxes full of negatives or slides that your family has collected over the years? There are good reasons for converting those carefully stored negatives to digital files.  High on the list are the security of our collections and the future accessibility to our families visual histories.  There are an equal number of reasons for avoiding the project altogether.  First, the process takes an incredible amount of organizational time and, secondly, the expense involved.

Of course the first obstacles to hurdle are 1) coming to grips with the realization that film and traditional photofinishing are going away, and 2) you're of the generation that's stuck with the job.  It's the reality. 

During the current period of transition from film to digital, every family will face this documentary and monumental task.  It's almost a certainty that as film passes into history, the ability to process pictures from those priceless negatives and slides will become more difficult and increasingly expensive due to the limited numbers of merchants willing or able to offer the service.

Now is the time to begin planning the conversion of your negatives and slides to their 21st century digital equivalent.  PMPN has reviewed over 20 online and local companies offering film-to-digital conversion services in order to assemble some helpful advice to offer our readers.  This is not a review or a recommendation for any company.  Instead, the information and guidelines presented here are intended to help readers as they contemplate creating digital image files and libraries from their collection of film-based family pictures.

As you might expect, many forward-thinking entrepreneurs saw the growing need to convert slides and negatives to digital files. They have invested in the equipment and staff to create specialized digitizing companies that cater to the amateur and advanced photographers' requirements.  Here are some common features of these services.

• Scanning negatives or slides is preferred over the actual finished pictures. This results in higher quality digital files.
  
• Film scans can be made from most all traditional film formats - 120/620, 127, 126, APS and 35mm.
• Both color and black and white negatives can be scanned.
  
• Scans are ususally offered in 2,000, 3,000 and 4,000 DPI resolutions -- the higher the resolution the more expensive the scan.
• An extra service fee is normally charged when negatives have been cut into SINGLE frames.  Keep them in strips!
  
• Scanners include software like Digital Ice to automatically eliminate a good deal of surface dust and scratches from negatives and slides.
• Prices are all over the place.  The price range from the companies PMPN reviewed is from $0.29 to $3.00+ per scanned image.  The final price is determined by the resolution being requested and any extra services requested.
• Files are usually returned as RGB files in compressed JPEG format to provide image file sizes of 5M to 8M.  Often TIFF format (uncompressed) files can be requested at an additional charge.
  
• The method of delivery is normally a CD or DVD.
• Discounts are often available for large quantities of scans.
• Delivery times are influenced by the size of the order.  But, allow 2 to 6 weeks as an average.
• Any touch up or restoration requested requires an additional fee (labor intensive)
  

Given all the variables involved in scanning, what should do you need to know to make an informed decision?

The Resolution Issue

The biggest contributor to the price of these services are your own resolution requirements.  Do you need a 2,000, 3,000 or 4,000 DPI/PPI scan?  Here are the facts and math for a 35mm film negative or slide:

• 35mm film frame measures .94 inches by 1.4 inches.
• Scanning this frame of film at 2,000 DPI produces an uncompressed file that's 15.1MB in size
• Scanning this frame of film at 3,000 DPI produces an uncompressed file that's 33.9MB in size
• At 4,000 DPI the uncompressed file size is 60.2M

So which DPI is best?  It depends on the final use of the scan.  But here's some advice based upon current digital printer guidelines.  Most printer manufacturers recommend 240 or 300 DPI/PPI as the resolution choices for maximizing the performance of their printers.  At the low end, try to stay at or above 150 DPI/PPI.  Yes, many will argue that they get great prints at 72 PPI.  Don't believe it.  There is a visual difference.

Ordering the cheapest scan -- 2,000 DPI/PPI -- allows you to print maximum sizes as follows:

• at 300 PPI = 14 inches by 9.4 inches (full frame)
• at 240 PPI = 17.5 inches by 11.75 inches (full frame)
• at 150 PPI = 28 inches by 18.8 inches

If your intent is to convert your film and slide collections to digital files that will print on a normal home printer in traditional sizes up to the "old stand by" 8 inch by 10 enlargement, then a 2,000 DPI/PPI scan is all you should ever need.  How about that?  For once, you can buy the cheapest solution.

The 3,000 and 4,000 DPI/PPI options provide even greater detail at larger sizes.  Unless you happen to own a large format printer or want to make allowances for purchasing extreme enlargements (like sizes greater than the traditional 11 inch by 14 inch print), having your images scanned at 3,000 or 4,000 DPI/PPI is an unnecessary expense.

JPEG or TIFF File Formats

There are image quality issues to ponder when selecting JPEG or TIFF file formats.  However, considering the proliferation of JPEG images being used for family photography to produce 4" x 6" to 8" x 10" prints and display on Internet picture sharing sites, the difference to many digital camera owners is a "non issue".  JPEG files, in these cases, are considered "good enough".

But, understand there is a quality difference.  Anytime a JPEG file is produced, some degree of image degradation MUST result.  On the other hand, a TIFF file retains the quality and all the digital information captured in the original scan resulting in a larger file.  Once again, if your purpose is to store digital files that will only be occasionally retrieved to produce prints in image sizes below 8 inch by 10 inch, JPEG is probably the best and least expensive solution.  However, if you envision making larger prints TIFF file format is a better quality decision -- but more expensive.

Preparation

When sending film or slides for scanning, preparation and organization is the greatest time consumer.  Anything worth doing, generally has its downside.  Getting used to viewing and sorting negatives is a huge challenge if you haven't done it for a living.

• If possible, use a light box to make the job easier.
  
• Handle film by the edges to avoid scratching and leaving skin oils on the negatives or slides.  Better yet, purchase some white cotton gloves from your local camera shop.
  
• View the film with the shiny side up (emulsion down) for proper orientation (the numbers and words on the edge of the film will read correctly when the film is in an emulsion down orientation).
• Make a list of the negative numbers of the frames that need scanning (sometimes it's just easier to say, "scan the whole strip."
• Gently clean the strips of negatives with a "lintless" cloth to remove surface dust as they are placed back in the negative preservers.
  
• Remember to create large batches of negative when a discount is offered.
• Securely package negatives and slides (surrounded by cardboard, styrofoam peanuts, etc.) for shipping.

When the scans are returned

This is the time to become a hero with the future generations of your family.  ORGANIZE and KEYWORD the digital files!  Regardless of your budget, there is a digital image file organizing program available to you.  Using this software, you are able to organize your images by whatever scheme you devise.  In addition, adding KEYWORDS will make future searches of your entire collection a snap.  Your great, great grandchildren will be able to enter, "Grandma Sally's 60th birthday party" in a search field and find all the images of that memorable event.  Imagine the possibilities.

Yes, all of this takes time.  But, it's only done once, and it's forever.  The process makes a great family project.  Gather around the dining room table and enjoy hours of memories while you're doing the preparation.  And, then get everyone together again when the scans arrive at the computer to determine just the right KEYWORDS that future generations will use to find those priceless images.

Now that all your originals are scanned you can take advantage of all the options that digital imaging provides.  Creating digital slide shows, family history books and sharing online are a few of today's most popular activities.

What about doing the job yourself?

You can purchase the scanner to do this work at home and on your own timetable.  Scanners with the necessary resolution and physical capability to digitize negatives and slides range in price from about $130 to over $1,000.  Many of these scanners include automatic dust and scratch removal software to enhance the quality of the scan.  The biggest expense is the dollar value you place on your own time.  Not only will you have to organize the originals, you will also have to:

• Learn how to use the scanner to produce acceptable digital files.
• Establish a file naming convention that will organize hundreds of scans.
• Dedicate a large amount of hard drive storage space to save the scan files.  Copy them later to CDs or DVDs.
  
• Clean every slide and negative before it is scanned.

Epson Perfection 4490 Scanner

Do-it-yourself scanning includes two types of scanners.  Many tradtional flatbed scanners, like the Epson Perfection 4490 shown above, include the capability and attachments to scan 35mm, 2 1/4 and 4x5 negatives or transparencies. These scanners are usually the most economical option for home use.  (The Epson 4490 scanner sells for $149.99.) And they provide the additional ability to scan photographs and documents.  Recent advancements in flatbed scanners have greatly improved the quality of digital files created from negatives and transparencies.  Keeping the glass surfaces on the scanner and the negatives/slides clean can be challenging.

Nikon Coolscan 5000 Film Scanner

Dedicated film and slide scanners, like the Nikon Coolscan 5000 shown above, excel in scan quality but are considerably more expensive that flatbed scanners.  The precision optics, light sources, optimized software and faster scanning times are among the features that make these higher quality scanners compelling.  Considering the larger investment required -- the Nikon 5000 price is nearly $1,200 -- these dedicated scanners are only financially justified for large collections or an on-going need to digitize negatives and slides.

It's not rocket science, but the process does require organization, concentration and many hours of effort.  Doing your own scanning can also be a rewarding experience.  If you have hundreds or thousands of negatives or slides to convert, you could save a considerable amount of money.  Depending on the number of originals, doing it yourself could more than repay the scanner investment. And you will have the satisfaction of having preserved your family's memories.

If you are considering scanning your film as a personal or family DIY project, do the math to determine the cost difference.

What happens to the negatives and slides once they have been scanned and digitally stored?

You could throw them out.  Or, you could box them up again and wrap the boxes in plastic to keep air and moisture out.  Both are done.  It's your choice.  But, it's hard for most people to trash the originals.  There's always that chance they will be needed again.

Saving the originals is normally the choice of professionals.  When the 20+ million negatives and slides in the Time-Life collection of 20th century photo journalistic images were scanned, the originals were then sent to the "salt mines" for permanent, archival storage.  There have been times when the originals have been retrieved from permanent storage to produce a new scan or print.  You just never know.

How to preserve the digital files

Well, that is the topic of an upcoming PMPN article.  However, be aware that those CD and DVD that contain your scanned image files have a FINITE life.  In many cases, this life expectancy is shorter than the original negative or slide.  Understand that scanning your negatives and slides is NOT the end of the process.  It's the beginning of a brand new photographic topic -- archivally preserving your digital files.  For now and until our article on "Preserving Your Digital Files" is published, label each CD or DVD, and put them in a shoe box.