What is your conversion strategy?

Question

Many of us have slides and negatives that we’d like to convert to digital form to print using our inkjet printers or share on web pages and the Internet.

Please tell me what kind of scanner. Can I use an HP all in one? They don't have to be professional. Just good enough to print or email or put on disc for family.

Answer 1

My goal was to save images as good as those from my digital camera. My strategy was to scan them in, then save at about 3000 x 2000 pixels (depending on shape). This is the largest anyone would be likely to ever print.

I use an Epson 4870 flatbed scanner with integrated backlighting and plastic film/slide holders. (Newer models 4990 and 4490 are similar.) The results have been very good.

A good backlight system is critical. The light has to come from above the film/slide, instead of below like for paper. Some all-in-ones do have backlighting capability for some film sizes.

Film and slide images are very small, so high resolution is necessary, probably 2400 ppi minimum (optical, not interpolated). I used 4800 ppi.

Dust is a big problem, because it will be magnified in the enlargement. So you need to clean well with soft brush and/or use dust removal software.

Film/slide holders make it very convenient to get the film flat, and all the images lined up and straight.

It takes time. When using dust removal software, mine took about 15 minutes per image.

Good Luck

Answer 2

In my photography class, we scan the negatives and then burn them onto disks.