Photo Scanning Questions
1.Why should I use PhotoScanMan?
PhotoScanMan is a non-profit institution of highly trained computer and photography experts. We focus on quality – not profit – to provide a safe, inexpensive, hassle-free photo scanning service. Our all inclusive pricing means there are no hidden charges and no gimmicks. We digitalize photos and slides and transfer tapes to DVD at our New Jersey facility. We never outsource your photos. Our equipment is state of the art using Kodak, Nikon and Sony scanning and visual enhancing technology which will save and enhance your pictures for professional level results. Our Online Order Status System allows you to know the exact status of your order from the time your photos leaves your home until the time your order arrives safely back in your home.
2.How does PhotoScanMan protect my photos?
PhotoScanMan allows you to choose the shipping method that best suits your needs. You can choose from UPS, Fed Ex, DHL or US Postal Service shipping. Your package is tracked during transit. Upon arrival at our facility at The College of New Jersey the contents of your package are photographed, logged into our computer tracking system and placed within their own waterproof container. PhotoScanMan will send you an email the day your package arrives in our New Jersey facility, and another email when the scanning of your pictures is complete. A final email containing the information needed to track your package will be sent to you the day that your original photos and new digital images are shipped back to you. A digital backup of your photos is kept in our backup storage computers for 30 days after we receive confirmation that your package has arrived to your home.
3.Can I arrange the order of my photos and slides?
You can arrange and number your collection and we will scan them in order. If you have other special requirements please make a note of it on the online order form or speak to our represenatives.
4.What if I need extra copies of the DVD or CD media?
If your computer has a CD or DVD burner, you can make as many copies as you want. Some drugstores and office supply stores like FedEx and The UPS Store can make copies for you for a fee. In addition, you can order additional copies directly from us within 30 days from the date you receive your package. We charge $6.00 for each additional copy.
5.What is the best way to pack and ship my photos and/or slides for scanning?
Photo prints: To protect your photos during shipping you can seal them in plastic bags. To prevent scratching or damaging of your photographs during transit, we do not recommend wrapping them in rubber bands or using clips. Insert your bags of photos in a sturdy envelope or box. Most shipping services like FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service have envelopes and shipping supplies to make packing your photos very easy. Tip: Shoe boxes make great photo shipping containers. Just place your bags of photos in the shoe box along with your order form and seal with tape. 35mm slides: We recommend removing your 35mm slides from the slide pages and slipping them into plastic bags. Insert your plastic bags of slides into a sturdy envelope or shipping box. Most shipping services like FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service have envelopes and shipping supplies to make packing your photos very easy. Tip: Shoe boxes make great slide shipping containers. Just place your bags of photos in the shoe box along with your order form and seal with tape. 35mm slide carousels: Optionally, you can pack and ship the entire carousel without removing your 35mm slides. We will remove each slide individually from the carousel for scanning. Please be aware that your slides and carousels will be returned to you separately. Please check the appropriate box on the order form to choose this service. *When shipping with the United States Postal Service request Delivery Confirmation. This will enable you to track your shipment to us while it is in the mail system. Your photo package should be sent to: PhotoScanMan Street address City, State ZIP Please print and include your ORDER CONFIRMATION with your shipment to us.
5.What is the best way to pack and ship my photos and/or slides for scanning?
Photo prints: To protect your photos during shipping you can seal them in plastic bags. To prevent scratching or damaging of your photographs during transit, we do not recommend wrapping them in rubber bands or using clips. Insert your bags of photos in a sturdy envelope or box. Most shipping services like FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service have envelopes and shipping supplies to make packing your photos very easy. Tip: Shoe boxes make great photo shipping containers. Just place your bags of photos in the shoe box along with your order form and seal with tape. 35mm slides: We recommend removing your 35mm slides from the slide pages and slipping them into plastic bags. Insert your plastic bags of slides into a sturdy envelope or shipping box. Most shipping services like FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service have envelopes and shipping supplies to make packing your photos very easy. Tip: Shoe boxes make great slide shipping containers. Just place your bags of photos in the shoe box along with your order form and seal with tape. 35mm slide carousels: Optionally, you can pack and ship the entire carousel without removing your 35mm slides. We will remove each slide individually from the carousel for scanning. Please be aware that your slides and carousels will be returned to you separately. Please check the appropriate box on the order form to choose this service. *When shipping with the United States Postal Service request Delivery Confirmation. This will enable you to track your shipment to us while it is in the mail system. Your photo package should be sent to: PhotoScanMan Street address City, State ZIP Please print and include your ORDER CONFIRMATION with your shipment to us.
6.How is PhotoScanMan different from other photoscanning companies?
Skilled imaging specialists and advanced imaging technology ensure your photo scans will have the right colors, lighting and exposure. We produce error-free scans that do not leave dust particles or stray marks on your images. All of the work is done in the USA so you never have to worry about shipping your treasured memories to an overseas facility. We are a non-profit institution so we care about quality, not profit. We keep you informed of the progress of your order every step of the way and you can access your online digital photos directly from our secured website. There are no hidden fees.
7.What kind of scanners do you use to convert photos to digital formats?
We have invested in state-of-the-art professional image scanners using a combination of industry-standard hardware and advanced imaging software technology from Nikon, Kodak and Sony. Our Nikon Super Cool Scan 9000 with Digital Pro technology is one of the most advanced pieces of scanning equipment in the world. This gives us the capability of capturing a true image of your original photograph without any loss of detail. We have often been told that the scanned image looks better than the original. This is achieved by processing each photo individually to bring out the natural colors of each image. If you're photo is slightly underexposed or overexposed, our software will make the corrections to give you a perfect picture. Sometimes professional photographers do not want to have their images corrected and we can accommodate those special requests as well.
8.Will you be scanning my slides and/or photos to a CD or Flash drive?
You can choose either a CD or Flash drive or external hard drive. Our pricing includes a free CD of your digitized images. If you also want a Flash drive, either send your own Flash drive or we will supply a 4GB Flash drive for $7. You will receive the CD and/or Flash drive along with your return photos. You may receive multiple CD depending upon the number of scanned images. Each CD will normally hold approximately 400 scanned 4" x 6" images at 300dpi. A 4GB Flash drive will hold about 2,000-4,000 photos. For both a CD and a Flash drive, all the images will be in an industry standard JPEG format and will be viewable on computers, digital picture frames, TV, emails and websites.
8.Will you be scanning my slides and/or photos to a CD or Flash drive?
You can choose either a CD or Flash drive or external hard drive. Our pricing includes a free CD of your digitized images. If you also want a Flash drive, either send your own Flash drive or we will supply a 4GB Flash drive for $7. You will receive the CD and/or Flash drive along with your return photos. You may receive multiple CD depending upon the number of scanned images. Each CD will normally hold approximately 400 scanned 4" x 6" images at 300dpi. A 4GB Flash drive will hold about 2,000-4,000 photos. For both a CD and a Flash drive, all the images will be in an industry standard JPEG format and will be viewable on computers, digital picture frames, TV, emails and websites.
9.What type of photos and slides can I get scanned? Are there sizes and shape limitations?
PhotoScanMan can scan practicality any type of photo including Polaroids. Almost any type of slide is acceptable for our laboratory to convert 35mm slides to digital images. Round photos, odd shaped photos and cut-out photos are not a problem. We can accommodate your original prints that are printed on photographic paper without any backing or mounts. Our minimum size is 2" x 2-1/2" and our maximum size is 8-1/2" x 12".
10.Is there an additional charge for larger or odd shaped photos?
No. There are no additional charges.
11.What happens to the originals I send to you?
As soon as your collection has been converted to digital images we will return your original materials along with the digitized copies of your pictures.
12.Which photo scanning service package is right for me?
We offer two scanning packages: The Family Package and The High Resolution Package. Here is the best part: There is NO ADDITIONAL CHARGES for either package. With our Family Package photo scanning service we will scan your photos at 300dpi resolution. This is a good choice for most family photos and for small business, printing and desktop publishing purposes. With our High Resolution Package photo scanning service your photos will be scanned at 600dpi. This higher resolution will allow you to enlarge your photo up to three times its original size while still preserving the quality of the original image, but there is a tradeoff: The higher resolution images will also use up more memory on your CD, digital picture frame or computer. In summary, if you plan on enlarging your scanned images than order the 600 DPI High Resolution Package. Otherwise, the Family Package which scans at 300DPI is the industry standard as it produces a nice balance of a well preserved image without using up too much memory on your CD, digital picture frame or computer.
13.My photo print has information on the back, will this be scanned too?
We have can scan the reverse side of your photo prints and include it on the CD. Sjmply call our representatives and we will set this up.
14.Do you use industry standard file formats?
When we convert your slides and photos to digital formats we use the industry-standard JPEG image format. The JPEG format was developed by the Joint Photographic Experts Groupspecifically for digital photography. The purpose of this format is to maintain a high quality image while compressing the size of the file. This format has made it easy for professionals and novices alike to post on the web, display in Digital Picture frames, display on their computers and TV, transfer by email, and even to make prints from. Today, the majority of print shops use JPEG images rather than the old way of screening photos.
15.What is DPI anyway? Should I order 300 DPI or 600 DPI?
Photo scanning is the process of converting the information on photographic images into digital images. We measure the amount of information as DPI – Dots Per Inch.( Today's machines actually scan in pixels per inch, but the concept is the same and the phrases are used interchangeably.) A photo scanned at 600 DPI will have more information per inch on the resulting image. So does that mean that 600 DPI is better than 300 DPI for scanning your photos? No!!!! Remember the same information contained on your photo is captured by either 300 or 600 DPI. The main difference is that 600 DPI will allow you to enlarge the photo with less distortion. Many people feel that since most old prints were printed at less than 300 DPI, scanning at 600 DPI will decrease the quality of the image. Also, scanning at 600 DPI may make the grain of the film and other defects more visible. Another disadvantage of images scanned at 600 DPI is that the images will use more storage space on a computer or CD. In summary, scanning at 600DPI will allow you to enlarge your photo up to two times its original size while still preserving the quality of the original image, but it will also use up more memory on your CD, digital picture frame or computer. So if you plan on enlarging your scanned images than order 600 DPI. Otherwise, scanning at 300 DPI is the industry standard as it produces a nice balance of a well preserved image without using up too much memory on your CD, digital picture frame or computer. For further reading on this topic we recommend the following: http://www.rideau-info.com/photos/mythdpi.html http://www.scantips.com/resolut.html
16.What does it cost to have you scan my photos, slides and tapes?
PhotoScanMan charges one set fee for each of its services. No Gimmicks. No hidden charges. Photo Scanning at 300 DPI (Family Package) costs 22¢ per photo. Photo Scanning at 600 DPI (High Resolution Package) costs 22¢ per photo. Converting slides to digital images at 2000 DPI (Family Package) costs photos 35¢ per slide. Converting slides to digital images at 4000 DPI (High ResolutionPackage) costs photos 35¢ per slide. Transferring tapes to DVD costs photos $15. The order form shown below makes it easy for you to figure out the cost of our photo scanning services. Our pricing includes professional scanning, correcting the color, optimizing the contrast levels of each image and converting it to an industry standard JPEG format . We guarantee that you will receive a true image with every scan. Our low cost per image pricing model makes it easy for you determine the final cost of your order. Click here to view our order form and calculate your price
17.How do you handle color corrections?
Our Nikon and Kodak image correction software technology is an advanced solution that looks at the original image and based on the patterns in the image it automatically corrects the colors, lighting, hues and contrast. The end result is a beautiful image that really pops. In addition, we visually inspect each image to ensure optimum accuracy and make any further adjustments if necessary. We can assure that you will receive a true image with every scan.
18.What do I get from PhotoScanMan's Photo, Slide and Tape Scanning Services?
Here is what you get from PhotoScanMan's Photo Scanning Service: All-inclusive pricing – no hidden fees! No gimmicks! No charge for images that you do not like. Skilled technicians process your photo scans. We make any necessary color corrections and exposure adjustments. We reduce and/or eliminate noise such as dust and scratches from your original photos. You get instant access to your digital photos on our secure website. You can print digital photos from our website. We carefully pack and ship your original photographs back to you. We scan your photos onto your choice of CD, Flashdrive or External Hard Drive . We scan your photos in a JPEG format so you can view your photos on computers or digital picture frames and send your photos via email. You send us fragile old photos and we return you a solid state digitized image that will be preserved for a lifetime. We keep a backup of your photos for 30 days. You enjoy your treasured memories that will be preserved for a lifetime.
19.Are there photoscanning companies less expensive than PhotoScanMan?
There are few, but watch out, there are reasons they are so inexpensive. Dig deep into their websites and look for where they are performing the scanning. For example the company BritePix sends your pictures to be scanned in Costa Rica (see the Wall Street Journal (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117271170760122793.html) The company ScanCafe sends your pictures to India. (see ScanCafe website section "About Us" about three pages after the home page: http://www.scancafe.com/our-story) Some other scanning services are inexpensive because they use old, outdated scanning equipment. One tipoff is that they use a Nikon 5000 slide scanner instead of the state of the art Nikon 9000 that PhotoScanMan uses. Companies such as iMemories use the older Nikon 5000.
20.Will PhotoScanMan remove photos from my album or slides from a carousel?
You've spent a lot of time storing your photos in albums and slides in carousels. If you do not want to go through the trouble of removing them, we will do it for you for $10 per album and $5 for a carousel of slides. Ship us your photo album or slide carousels and we will do the rest. See our Online Order Form for more details
