Scan multiple photos at once!?!

[twiy]

Hey,

I have decided to tackle a project which I have been meaning to do forever. I want to scan hundreds of photos and get rid of all my photo albums.

After searching the web I am surprised about the lack of products to do this! The only scanner that has an automatic photo feed I have found with decent reviews is the Epson Perfection 2480 and the Auto Feeder attachment.

That product was made in 2004 and is now discontinued.

I do not want to send my pictures to one of those services. Personally I do not want my pictures in the hands of some strangers who will edit and see each one. I would love to just do it myself at home over several nights.

Some of you people MUST have done this. Has anyone figured out how to reliably and efficiently scan hundreds of old photos?

Thanks

 

[dug777]

If you're not in any hurry, just buy a decent manual scanner and do it over several weeks. Call it a labour of love

I'd also caution against throwing the albums out when you're done, prints on decent paper will last an incredibly long time, the albums take up a negligible amount of space in a box in a cupboard, and hard drives aren't exactly a reliable storage medium. CDs and DVDs are much better, but I'd keep the photos anyway.

My 2c

EDIT: It's also incredible how fast digital storage mediums have sprung up and then effectively become extinct, and while CDs and DVDs have incredible market penetration now, in 20 or 30 years time it might be extremely hard to find a drive that reads them to extract your precious photos.

We've got data at work from considerably more recently than that which we can no longer access.

 

[ElFenix]

i dunno if i'd use a document feeder for photos.


depending on how many you have, it might be best to get a dedicated slide scanner off ebay. it'll scan a 6-photo negative strip at one time, then you just load the next strip and hit scan. when you're done with all your scanning you just put it back up on ebay.

but lay off my canoscan FS-4000US!

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
i dunno if i'd use a document feeder for photos.


depending on how many you have, it might be best to get a dedicated slide scanner off ebay. it'll scan a 6-photo negative strip at one time, then you just load the next strip and hit scan. when you're done with all your scanning you just put it back up on ebay.

but lay off my canoscan FS-4000US!

I don't think the OP said he has the original negs, so that might not be helpful. I know we don't, or else my Scan Dual would bet a workout.. and I'd probably have to find another, heh.

And to the original question, people just use the service, it's fastest. At best on the home front, my all in one can separate all the photos on the scanner and create individual files from them. My cousin started scanning stuff in. But she gave up.

I want to pick up the slack, but I don't want to have to tag them all....

 

[twiy]

I do not have negatives.

oh god it will be impossible to do it manually on a flatbed. I will never get through it.

I probably have like 2,000. That is atleast 600 individual scans plus then u need to cut them up.

It is amazing that there is no reliable manual alternative. I think its creepy that all the services i look at they say "we will look through ur photos and do manual corrections to each!"

i just keep being reminded of that robyn williams movie lol. (its thats the only option i guess i will do it)

I am used to the auto process in cvs where they dont care and you can check the "dont edit" option.

Everyone on these forums must have this problem. There has to be a good solution.

 

[corkyg]

It is a big job - been there and done that. Set yourself a goal - do 20-25 pictures a day. In a few months you'll have it all done. It also brings to mind editing - you may decide that all 2,000 are not worth digitizing.

The only way to do large quantities of photos is by use of a drum scanner - that's what the pros use who provide the service. Problem is, they are very expensive - think 5 figures.

Epson's best for this is the 4490, and it has an auto doc feeder. But - that can be hazardous for photos, especially old prints.

 

[twiy]

has anyone used the 4490 with any success?