ThomasS Loc: Colorado

I have about 5000 35mm slides, most taken with a Canon A-1 and a Besler Topcon and several hundred taken with a Kodak Instamatic (Don't be mean, it's all I could afford at the time). Is there a batch scanner out there that won't cost me thousands of dollars. A flat bed won't work, because it will take me forever and the quality is usually not good enough. I expect to have to do some post processing after scanning, at least on many of the slides.

Anyone with actual experience doing this? It is only a matter of time before I start losing those images, even though they are safely stored.

photocat Loc: Atlanta, Ga

Not really, you need to find a service that will do it for you. They are out there and the cost is about .20 per slide depending on how many your have made.

I will have to go back to my files to get a specific site.

rhbender

I prefer the Epson flatbed scanners because the results are outstanding. Yes, it's slow but I've already scanned more than 3,000 slides (a portion of my collection) and plan to continue using this system. I do 20 or more each night without fail (that's 7,200 per year as long as you keep the schedule).

Don't expect to get great results from a combo scanner, printer, fax machine. Buy a separate scanner.

gizzy.whicker Loc: Cumberland Co., Illinois

I have an HP 4050 Flatbed scanner that will do up to 24 slides at one time, in a supplied frame designed for that purpose. I think this scanner is still available. This scanner does a very good job of pre-enlarging the slides to whatever end-size you specify. I use Adobe PhotoShop Elements v8 to import the scanned slides, which allows me to quickly make adjustments as desired. So many of the slides i do are old and darkened with age and spotted with mildew, and in need serious digital repair. So I ask the customer to be selective as to what slides they really feel are important to restore, because repair-time adds to the cost.

billybob40

I'm in the some boat. I found this two days ago it may help hope so.
http://secure.serverlab.net/shop/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=F2D300&Category_Code=Specials&Store_Code=T00107

billybob40

Gizzy, Heres a trick from an old man. Mildew and beach. Do this as a test take the slide out of the card board. Take two soup bowls one beach one clear water. put the film in the beach then in the water, than wash with running water. Try one to see if it will work, let us know. Beach kills mildew.

ddbow Loc: West Roxbury, Ma

I also use the HP G4050 Scanner for both prints and slides and after processing thousands of pictures and slides, I too can recommend it as a fine scanner that will give you outstanding and efficient results.

MCHUGH Loc: Jacksonville, Texas

I use a Plustec Opti Film 7200 to copy slides and film strips. I have had very good results with this scanner. It is not too expensive but does take some time to scan and you have option for the quality of scan you want.

gizzy.whicker Loc: Cumberland Co., Illinois

I'll most certainly try the bleach & water for mildew on the slides. What concentration bleach do you use? How long do you leave the slide film in the bleach? Thanks much for the tip.

<<Gizzy, Heres a trick from an old man. Mildew and beach. Do this as a test take the slide out of the card board. Take two soup bowls one beach one clear water. put the film in the beach then in the water, than wash with running water. Try one to see if it will work, let us know. Beach kills mildew.>>

billybob40

Gizzy, Put the film in and out. Play around with it. Its just something I would try. We have photos that can't be replaced so we all try something to bring them back. Try a bad junk photo first. Good Luck

JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

http://www.scancafe.com

They fix your photos by hand, at a good price, and are very highly regarded.

I'd send them out to a pro rather than attempt it myself, if it was me.

gessman Loc: Colorado

Nikon has put out several models of slide scanners and they have a auto-feeder that can take up to 50 slides per load. Mine is a LS-2000, the second generation and it does an excellent job unattended most of the time with a occasional jam up if I put slides in with different holders/frames which I try to avoid. My scanner also does negs but with no auto feed. It'll do strips and rolls which require attachments that are extra. The next generation is the 5000 I think and there are several on ebay now. There is one 2000 on ebay but it doesn't have anything except a single feeder slide attachment. However, there are auto loaders on there too that'll fit either the 2000 or 5000. The 5000s range in price up to around $2k but often go for much less. The slide feeders can be bought for under $300 on a good day.

The predominant method people are using now is is to buy one, do your slides and then sell it to the next guy who's hanging onto a wad of slides. I've been scanning mine in for some lengthy period now and still have ton to go. I use a HP flatbed for my medium and large format negs and slides. I mentioned the other day that I have 4 computers hooked up to a switching harness and the scanners are spread out between the 4 machines so I keep 'em juggling any time I'm sitting here not processing video.

It isn't difficult and you can set the software to adjust pics on the way in so you don't have to manually adjust each one but still you'll have to work on some anyway. Today, having used the scanners for some time, if I had it to do over I'd have to think long and hard about letting someone do it if it was within my budget range. It's not easy to turn loose of and if you have the ability to just drop 'em on somebody and pick 'em up later, that might be the way to go. 5000 slides x $ .20 = isn't too hard to figure out. Then, you've got the thing with ebay - is someone gonna "do" ya and there's no way to tell. Sure there's ebay and paypal's guarantee but the time involved...

jbert Loc: Texas

Check this out. Great scanner


http://www.imaging-resource.com/SCAN/DSEIII/DSEIIIA.HTM

photocat Loc: Atlanta, Ga

This review is almost 10 years old.

They can be found used and very cheap, but the more recent version may give you better result but at a higher cost. That would be the Konica Minolta Dimage Dual IV

gessman Loc: Colorado

I didn't overlook those but, like our original poster about this, ThomasS said, he wants one that can handle a stack loader and work without being hand fed one at a time and unless I missed it somewhere, the Dimage is a single feeder - not what was asked for. I don't know about all other scanners but I did answer his question with what knowledge I do have.