[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Digital Focus: Scanning Old Photos here

[nvnusman]

Regarding how you set the resolution for scanning, shouldn't you choose a resolution that matches your printer? For instance, Epson printers typeically multiples of 360 dpi: 360, 720, 1440, etc.

[tallerski]

Dave, You should try Scanmyphotos.com. I have used them to scan my entire photo library,
nearly 12,000 pictures.

It cost about $400 and they mailed it back the same day. Ordered online. Very simple and they have a round-the-clock live support that actually is staffed.

But note, not sure if Scanmyphotos still has the buy 2 get 3rd prepaid box special. Each box held about 1900 pictures.

[jessicam8]

I too found a scanning company to do all my photos and slides. I had like 15 boxes from my childhood and my mom's childhood. (And Dave, you are right, they decay fast! I was worried about them.) Anyway, it was too overwhelming to imagine scanning them myself one by one.

I did a bunch of research of online companies and found www.gophoto.com. I love them! They were super nice and did a great job. I was scared to send them everything, so I did just 1 box at first, then sent them all of them. They were really cheap compared to other companies. (I noticed some of these other companies require you send in a certain # of photos for their low prices.) FYi! Hope it helps!

[fyaeger2]

Help!! I dont understand how to calculate the "scanning resolution" when the scanner makes me specify the INITIAL image res. I tried calculating the example given - for a 1.5-inch-wide 35mm slide. The article says take the target print size (8" by 10") which would be 80 sq in and divide that (80) by the size of the original (1.5 in by 35mm which is 2.067 sq in). 80/2.067 gives 38.7, then multiply that 38.7 by 300, which gives 11,611 (dpi), which is a LOT bigger than the 3,000 dpi stated in the example. What am I doing wrong in my calculation?