Converting slides to CD/DVD

C
Posted By
Carl
Jan 8, 2008
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448
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5
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Does anyone have the time to offer any advice on this subject? Lessons learned?

I spent today going through about 1,500 slides, whittling them down to about 400, taken from 1958 to 1978.

I ruthlessly tossed any "calendar art" type photos, and believe me I had a lot, covering trips to Nepal, Rio, Africa, etc., focusing instead on keeping only those with people in them. I am down to those slides that I’d like to digitalize so I could print some to share with family and friends and to pass all along to my daughter.

So…a few questions.

Do folks find it necessary to clean their slides before scanning and if you did, what method did you use to clean them?

What kind of scanner do folks recommend? Any special attachments required? I am retired and was an amateur photographer at best and do not want to spend over $500 for a scanner. I can justify spending that much only because I would like to use the scanner to reduce several drawers full of paper files to CDs/DVDs then shred the files.

While on the subject of scanners, is there a certain dpi level below which I should not go? Any attachments I need?

How long would it take, on average, to scan a slide which was in good shape and needed no seriously tinkering?

How long would it take, worst case, to work on any one slide that was faded, scratched, etc.?

What kind of software might be required/did you use? (I have Adobe Photoshop Elements 4 for Macintosh).

Many thanks to anyone taking the time to respond,
Carl
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JV
John Varela
Jan 9, 2008
I just completed scanning some hundreds of slides and negatives.

On Mon, 7 Jan 2008 22:06:08 -0500, Carl wrote
(in article ):

Do folks find it necessary to clean their slides before scanning and if you did, what method did you use to clean them?

Yes. I use canned air. I also have one of those brushes with the anti-static radioactive Polonium in it. That still won’t get rid of all the little dust motes.

What kind of scanner do folks recommend? Any special attachments required? I am retired and was an amateur photographer at best and do not want to spend over $500 for a scanner. I can justify spending that much only

because I would like to use the scanner to reduce several drawers full of paper files to CDs/DVDs then shred the files.

I bought a used professional scanner on eBay for $240 plus shipping. It’s faster than a flatbed and makes better scans. (Now I’d like to sell it. Wanna buy it? It cost $7500 new.
pro.sony.com.hk/product/spec/brochure/MK7496V2.pdf)

While on the subject of scanners, is there a certain dpi level below which

I should not go? Any attachments I need?

I would shoot for at least 1500 x 1200 pixels before cropping. I forget what that is in dpi.

If you get a flatbed scanner, make sure it’s one that has a light in the lid. An older flatbed I had came with a mirror gadget to backlight slides; it sort of worked but was nowhere near as good as my newer flatbed with the lighted lid. Any flatbed that comes with a lighted lid will also come with appropriate holders for your slides.

How long would it take, on average, to scan a slide which was in good shape and needed no seriously tinkering?

I don’t recall how long it takes to scan one slide. A minute for the actual scanning of one slide?

You’re not going to have many slides that don’t need tinkering, and it’s the tinkering that takes time. Many of my old slides, like yours, date from the late 50s, and many of them, especially the Ektachromes and the no-names, are faded. And the scans will have spots on them from the dust and crap from the cardboard frames.

How long would it take, worst case, to work on any one slide that was faded, scratched, etc.?

Some slides, especially Kodachromes, might take only 10 or 15 minutes. Some badly faded Ektachromes might take hours before you’re happy with the colors and clean-up. A lot depends on your standards. When the slides are projected they have all that dust on them and you don’t notice it. But put the scan on a monitor and look at it up close and I for one can’t stand the spots all over.

If you’re using Photoshop Elements you’ll also find yourself doing things like wiping unwanted strangers out of the background of your photos.

What kind of software might be required/did you use? (I have Adobe Photoshop Elements 4 for Macintosh).

I always start in iPhoto. It has a couple of features, such as changing the exposure, that Photoshop Elements lacks. Then I go to Photoshop. Sometimes I go back and forth between the two.

Many thanks to anyone taking the time to respond,

You’re welcome. By the way, I have a scanner I’ll sell you. Unfortunately, it won’t work with your Mac because it only has a SCSI interface. What the heck, for a few extra bucks I’ll toss in a WinMe box with a SCSI card.

—
John Varela
Trade NEW lamps for OLD for email.
JV
John Varela
Jan 9, 2008
On Tue, 8 Jan 2008 23:51:02 -0500, John Varela wrote
(in article ):

I would shoot for at least 1500 x 1200 pixels before cropping. I forget what

that is in dpi.

That should be 1600 x 1200.

—
John Varela
Trade NEW lamps for OLD for email.
C
Cozmo
Jan 10, 2008
Hi John… what accessories (if any) do you have with your scanner? Please reply to (without the ‘padding’)

In article , John
Varela wrote:

On Tue, 8 Jan 2008 23:51:02 -0500, John Varela wrote
(in article ):

I would shoot for at least 1500 x 1200 pixels before cropping. I forget what

that is in dpi.

That should be 1600 x 1200.
C
Carl
Jan 10, 2008
In article ,
John Varela wrote:

Many thanks to anyone taking the time to respond,

You’re welcome. By the way, I have a scanner I’ll sell you. Unfortunately, it won’t work with your Mac because it only has a SCSI interface. What the heck, for a few extra bucks I’ll toss in a WinMe box with a SCSI card.

John –

Thanks for that detailed response.

Since posting my question here, I found this very useful and comprehensive source of info at…

< http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/scanners/topic4229.h tml>

….confirming much of what you noted in your answer to me.

I’ll take a pass on the scanner for the time being.

Carl
C
Carl
Jan 10, 2008
Many thanks to all who chimed in with useful guidance on this subject.

Much appreciated.

Car.

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