Scanning old pictures

[devalsam]

I have a ton of photographs in albums and boxes, etc. of my daughters (pre-digital age) that I would like to have scanned and put on CDs. My oldest DD passed away many years ago and I would like to do something with some of her baby pictures as well as pictures of my other DDs prior to age 4 (when I got my first digital camera). I do have a scanner at home but that would take me such a long time to do myself. Same with taking them in to a Walgreen's or Kinko's type of place. I've done some research and found that there are sites where you send your pics in and they scan them all and send them back along with the CDs. What do you think of this? I keep coming back to dig my pics. Has anyone done anything like this? Any ideas or suggestions?? TIA!

 

[glitterkittyy]

You can have Kinkos scan them for you. You just place the order like you would a big print job. I'd be more apt to do that then send them off somewhere. I'd be afraid they'd get lost or damaged. At least with Kinkos, they'd be local so you could do some butt kickin if they hurt or lose them. lol

 

[Barb D]

My sister has scanned a bunch of our old pics and uploaded them to facebook. You could upload them to photobucket or a site like that, too. That might actually be safer than having them on CDs.

As far as there being so many of them, maybe you could do a dozen a day or something. I bet it would go faster than you think. Or recruit some family members to help out.

I think I would be afraid to send originals somewhere.

 

[gate_pourri]

I just sent in my first ever order to scanmyphotos.com. I heard they were pretty good. When I get my order back, I can update on them

 

[browneyes106]

I'm in the process of scanning all old family photos for my parents. We have some on CDs. But I agree it is good to have them uploaded and stores on accounts like photobucket, flickr or picturetrail

 

[ahutton]

Do you have the negatives for these pictures? Are they 35mm? If yes, I got the coolest thing for Christmas... It is a USB device that I plugged into my computer, downloaded a quick/easy piece of software and now I can scan all of my negatives into digital pictures, in 5 megapixal quality. That should be high enough resolution that I can do an 8x10 print at photo quality.

I got it because Disney Photo "lost" our wedding photo order and rather than print anything for us, they mailed us the negatives. Since it was 1996 it was done in "medium format" which I have found is almost impossible to get printed, and those who would consider it were going to charge me $6 each picture for a proof. I spent a couple hours on Christmas morning carefully removing those negatives from the holders and I FINALLY have wedding photos. Our 12th anniversary was earlier this month, and that is the last family occassion where we were all together before my uncle and grandpa passed away.

Anyhow, it was very easy to do, I didn't even have to ask my techie DH for help!!

ETA: He got it at Bed Bath and Beyond - I saw it in a circular. It was about $100, but you can use the 20% off coupon they send out, or ask for a coupon at the store.

 

[devalsam]

I don't have a scanner at home so that's out. I called Kinko's and they said that they don't do bullk photo scanning. They have a machine similar to the one you would find in Walgreen's or CVS where you stand there and scan them in yourself. I have a feeling that would take me FOREVER! I'm sure I could just do a few at a time but I don't really want to be in and out of Walgreen's scanning photos every week. Thanks for your suggestions though.

 

[devalsam]

I just sent in my first ever order to scanmyphotos.com. I heard they were pretty good. When I get my order back, I can update on them

Please let me know how your pictures turn out when you receive them back!