Can anyone help me learn to scan old pictures?

[Disneycrazymom]

I have been trying to make books out of our vacation pictures. I have some from before digital that I want to upload to walgreens and make a book. But I don't know what I need to scan them. Is it a printer/copier/scanner? Or can I just buy a scanner? Or could my printer now be a scanner and if so how would I be able to tell. (I asked it but got no replay)

Obviously I am in need of some serious help here! So talk to me like I know nothing!

My goal is to try to finish our past vacations this summer. That is about 4 books, so doable, if I can figure out how to get the pictures from outside the computer to inside the computer!

Thanks and be kind please!

 

[sam_gordon]

Yes, you need a scanner. That can be a stand alone one or one that's part of a printer.

To find out if your current printer is one, simply google the manufacturer and model number. Or, look. If you can lift up the top of the printer and you see a glass sheet (that you can put paper on), it's probably a scanner. If you open up the top and all you can do is change the ink, it's probably not a scanner.

I'm also pretty sure you can go to Wal*Mart, Meijer, Walgreens, etc with your pictures and they'll scan them and put them on disc for you. You can then upload them to wherever you want.

 

[chris31997]

Or if you are very careful you and have a good camera, you can take a picture or your pictures and upload them that way. I have taken pictures of pictures still in the frames because we did not have access to a scanner and they came out great.

 

[mackeysmom]

I purchased this scanner from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Pandigital-Photolink-One-Touch-Scanner-Memory/dp/B002B3YDDE/ref=pd_cp_p_3

Very easy to use.

Hope this helps,
Laura

 

[scootch]

If you have the pictures already printed... I second the above Amazon one. SO, SO easy. I scanned several THOUSAND old pictures in the fraction of time it would have taken me to scan with my regular scanner/printer combo that I have. If they are pictures you are just taking with a digital camera, most computers have a spot where you just stick the memory card from the camera into the computer and download that way.

 

[formill]

I have found too that just using our digital camera works really well and take a picture of the picture..........so much faster than our scanner.

 

[aprilgail2]

Check your public library- ours has a scanner that you can use for free and its a really fast/good one!

 

[torinsmom]

I bought a printer/scanner/copier from Walmart. It was this one, but I bought mine in the store...

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Canon-PIXMA-MG2120-Inkjet-Photo-All-In-One-Printer-Copier-Scanner/20592882

Or just take your pics to Walmart, Target, CVS or anywhere that has the machines to print pics. You can scan then and save them to a USB drive or memory card.

 

[yoopermom]

Not to hijack your thread but I have been looking for a portable scanner similar to the one above but with better resolution so I can do some 8X10s. Any recommendations?
TIA!
Terri

 

[gilby]

I bought an Epsom perfection v500 photo to scan all my pics.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Thanks!!! It turns out the printer DS took to school will also scan so I am set with that. But I like the idea of taking a picture of the picture. I am going to try that too! These are pictures of the kids and vacations before we had a digital camera. I also am happy to know they can do it at Walgreens. I am going to try on my own first but if it is too slow I will take them up there a few at a time.

It is a lot of pictures! Like 10 years worth! But my goal is to get them out of the plastic tubs (they had to be packed up after the tornado) and into some kind of photo book. I have done photobooks for all our vacations that we used the digital camera so I am ready to start with these.

A bit of wisdom from someone who has been through a disaster - have double copies of pictures if you can. Like store them on line as well as in the house. Service Master did a great job of pulling out our pictures (from wet albums) and drying them. They won't be the same but they saved a lot! My digital ones were easy just find the disc or stick or my walgreens password and I have them back good as new! The ones I have now (in the tubs) have been though well, a tornado and a "flood" and so many are gone. So wet they could not be saved, others are looking ok. If I had them scanned somewhere they would still be perfect. Oh how I wish I had taken the time to do this before the tornado!

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I would love to get a scanner, I had (actually still have) one but it was junky...kinda 2000-ish, I figure they have made improvements since then. It took like a very long time to scan anything.