<p>I have a lot of 35mm slides and would like to scan and convert them to digital images. I don’t want to send them out to someone else to scan. </p>
<p>I’ve seen a number of $90-$150 or so slide scanners advertised at various places. Do any of you have any experience scanning your 35mm slides with these or more expensive units? I’m a bit dubious of the quality of these since they’re so inexpensive. Do you have any recommendations in this area?</p>
<p>About 4 years ago I converted several hundred slides to digital. I opted to buy a flatbed scanner w/ a slide adapter (CanoScan 8400F under $200 at the time, I’m sure they’re better, faster, cheaper versions around now). My reasoning was that once the slides were done I’d no longer use the transparency feature, but can always use an all-purpose scanner – and I still use it all the time. The quality is better than the old scsi scanner I bought for over $1200 a decade or so ago. </p>
<p>The process was a bit tedious. I’d batch the slides but didn’t remove them from the frames. Ended up fussing with many of them in Photoshop, playing with colors and removing dust (they were stored in boxes but still seemed to accumulate dust over the years) but was pleasantly surprised on the image quality from an inexpensive scanner. I certainly payed for the scanner as opposed to the cost of sending them out.</p>
<p>I bought a box with a 45 mirror and a translucent screen. I didn’t get around to converting the Kodachromes and DW junked the box. I am glad that she did because at that time we had a 3.2mp camera. When I get around to this conversion project, I am using DS Canon 18mp camera.</p>
<p>I was also thinking about buying the one that Costco is advertising right now. Here is the link: </p>
<p>[Costco</a> - $89.99 after $40 OFF Wolverine F2D-200? 35mm Film to Digital Image Scanner](<a href=“http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11497817&cm_mmc=BCEmail_475-_-FOCUS-_-11-_-WolverineScanner]Costco”>http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11497817&cm_mmc=BCEmail_475-_-FOCUS-_-11-_-WolverineScanner)</p>
<p>I’d love to have our old slides and photos turned digital but wonder how good the quality would be and how tedious it would be to convert them.</p>
<p>Puzzled:
I saw the same ad and was wondering as well. It just seems too inexpensive but maybe it’s okay. I think you should hurry out and buy it and try it and report the results on CC. ;)</p>
<p>SoCalGal:
I’ve considered using a regular flatbed scanner and already have one in the ‘all in one’ printer I have and would have no need for an extra scanner. It just seemed like it might be less convenient than a dedicated unit and maybe compromise the conversion. If I only pay $150 (or $90) for the one time use I think it’s a worthwhile investment and then if I thought I was truly done with it I could always resell it or give it away to someone else.</p>
<p>I was thinking about the “video-cine converter” (ebay ~$15.00)</p>
<p>Put the carousel on auto or manual, digital camera on video mode so that I can add commentary and using cable/remote.</p>
<p>^^ That’s an idea that might be a good thing to do in addition but I’d still like to have them as reasonably good quality individual digital images.</p>