Digitising old family photos?

[LeadFarmer]

What's the best method of digitising old family photos?

We have lots of old family photos of ancestors which I'd like to preserve, by that I mean have them scanned and reprinted on good photo paper, which I'll then mount and frame, but i'm not sure how to go about scanning them. Im guessing it needs a really good quality scanner, and good quality photo paper?

We have a typical office printer/scanner at home, but would this be up to the job? If not, where would be the best place to get this done? Would the High Street holiday photo printing shops be able to provide this service, or would i need a more specialist/professional company?

Edited by LeadFarmer on Sunday 20th October 13:02

[Turn7]

It can get very expensive to have prints done.

I think I would look to digitise and then get a decent digi frame with a memory stick.

Im also pretty sure I wouldnt use a shop either. Look online for someone that does it, or buy a cheap tripod/camera and literally take shots of them.

Ive done that with a fair few of mine, and once you get in the swing of it, its quite fast to do.

[Simpo Two]

Prints or slides?

Quickest way, but it will need some setting up, would be to re-photograph, check the results are accurate for exposure and colour, then upload to Photobox or similar.

If you want to scan prints any standard home printer/scanner/copier will be fine. If they're slides, you'll need one with a backlight.

[LeadFarmer]

They are prints.

My wife works from home and her employers provide her with a printer/scanner, if I scanned them onto m computer whats the best way of getting them printed onto photo paper?

[LordHaveMurci]

LeadFarmer said:

They are prints.

My wife works from home and her employers provide her with a printer/scanner, if I scanned them onto m computer whats the best way of getting them printed onto photo paper?

You want to digitise them so you can print them?

[LeadFarmer]

LordHaveMurci said:

You want to digitise them so you can print them?

Yes, they mostly belong to my mother so I want to digitise them to keep a safe copy, and print them to I can frame them and have some of them on display in my house, with my mother keeping the originals

[Simpo Two]

LeadFarmer said:

They are prints.

My wife works from home and her employers provide her with a printer/scanner, if I scanned them onto m computer whats the best way of getting them printed onto photo paper?

As said, upload the files to Photobox or similar and choose what size you want. Bingo, prints arrive in your letterbox

[LeadFarmer]

I wasn't sure if a basic office scanner would produce good enough quality scans to replicate the originals.

[singlecoil]

What you need is a moderate modern digital camera and a tripod, and a couple of months subscription to Photoshop (something like £10 a month). Load the digital image into it, and run it through the Camera Raw filter on Auto setting and you'll most likely end up with a digital image that is better than the original print.

[sgtBerbatov]

LeadFarmer said:

They are prints.

My wife works from home and her employers provide her with a printer/scanner, if I scanned them onto m computer whats the best way of getting them printed onto photo paper?

First issue here is the scanner. The DPI of most printer/scanner combo's aren't as good as dedicated photo scanners. I think (from memory with my own OfficeJet) the scanner was about 600dpi. I bought an Epson V550 who's DPI is in to the thousands as I scan negatives I develop. This is the first bit to work out, as the best quality you can get at this step will mean the print outs will be better.

As for the print out, if they're on a USB in PNG or JPG format just go to your local Boot's and scan them at those kiosks.

[Simpo Two]

Leadfarmer, if you plan to print the photos out the same size then the usual 300dpi is more than enough. Try it and see. You're scanning prints, not negative or slides.

You do not need to go out and buy a new camera, a tripod, and a subscription to Photoshop which with respect will just confuse you. Horses for courses

Try the easy way first.

[LeadFarmer]

sgtBerbatov said:

First issue here is the scanner. The DPI of most printer/scanner combo's aren't as good as dedicated photo scanners. I think (from memory with my own OfficeJet) the scanner was about 600dpi. I bought an Epson V550 who's DPI is in to the thousands as I scan negatives I develop. This is the first bit to work out, as the best quality you can get at this step will mean the print outs will be better.

Simpo Two said:

Leadfarmer, if you plan to print the photos out the same size then the usual 300dpi is more than enough.

Thanks, the printer is a HP Envy 4527
Optical Resolution 1200 x2400 dpi
Interpolated Resolution 2400dpi

I'm not sure what those figures mean in relation to its photo scanning capabilities?

Edited by LeadFarmer on Monday 21st October 16:06

[Simpo Two]

LeadFarmer said:

Simpo Two said:

Leadfarmer, if you plan to print the photos out the same size then the usual 300dpi is more than enough.

Thanks, the printer is a HP Envy 4527
Optical Resolution 1200 x2400 dpi
Interpolated Resolution 2400dpi

I'm not sure what those figures mean in relation to its photo scanning capabilities?

Optical resolution is what it can actually resolve in terms of pixels. Interpolated is when it makes up in-between pixels to make a 'bigger' image, but it doesn't contain any extra information.

All of those numbers are bigger than 300, so crack on.

[LeadFarmer]

Simpo Two said:

Optical resolution is what it can actually resolve in terms of pixels. Interpolated is when it makes up in-between pixels to make a 'bigger' image, but it doesn't contain any extra information.

All of those numbers are bigger than 300, so crack on.

Many thanks