Hi Gillian,
I contacted one of our experts on this topic and here is her reply:
There are two general ways of digitizing slides: using a scanner or using a camera and light source. The scanner option is a bit more straightforward, as issues like lighting and focus are taken care of by the hardware. It is considerably slower than the camera option. If you already have a camera (opt for a newer DSLR for higher quality, greater resolution), it might be worthwhile experimenting to see the results. Below are some of my recommendations on good scanners for this type of work, Silverfast and Vuescan are both great software options that allow the greatest degree of image quality control.
- Flatbed scanners - these allow greater flexibility in that they can digitize a wide variety of flat materials, not just slides; resulting digital image files may not be as sharp as those you'd get with a slide scanner
- Epson V800
- Up to 8.5x11 materials
- Will scan slides & film
- Comes with good software (Silverfast) that is fairly easy to use
- Epson Expression 1200XL
- Up to 12x17 inches
- Will scan slides & film
- Comes with good software (Silverfast) that is fairly easy to use
- Slide scanners - dedicated to this function only
In general, it's good to consider resolution, bit depth, and scan speeds when considering this type of hardware. For information about digitizing with a camera, see the following articles:
If there are too many slides for these solutions to be feasible, there are a number of vendors who will digitize slides, as well.
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Erin Kraus
Senior Conservator
State Historical Society of Missouri
Columbia MO
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-31-2019 13:59
From: Gillian Boal
Subject: Slide converter to digital
Hello everyone
I am often asked for advice on how to digitize slides. Could l tap your experiences. Could someone recommend a slide converter to digital equipment, assuming there will be a large quantity of slides. There are many types to chose from. What are the pros and cons to watch out for when purchasing and using the equipment.
What software to chose nikonscan, vuescan or true scan or other?
Thanks in advance for your help. Gillian Boal