Still Have Photos in a Shoebox?

Do you have a shoebox full of old family photos or 35mm slides just waiting for you to find the time to scan them? Did you know that a shoebox holds approximately 1,000 postcard-sized pictures?

Scanning old photos by hand on a home scanner can be done, but it's slow going. There a number of service bureaus around the country that will digitize your images in bulk by the boxful. You'll pay somewhere between 39 and 59 cents per image depending on the volume. You get back a CD or DVD with your images on them as well as your original photos.

But before you ship your family heirlooms off to be scanned, there are a few things you should think about:

• Most digital service bureaus do bulk scans. That is, they feed your photos through their scanner machines. Most have professional scanners that scan up to 4,000 DPI (an 8X11 photo), but they don't take the time to color correct each scan or optimize them. If a single photo is all that's important to you, take it somewhere to have it done by hand.
• Make sure the bureau supports the print size you have. No doubt some of your photos are 8X10, some 5X7, or 4x6; some of you may even have old Kodak Brownie camera photos or panoramas and other strange size formats. Find out which of your print sizes the bureau can accommodate and which you'll have to take elsewhere.
• US citizens should look for service bureaus that specify they do their scanning in the US. There are some bureaus that send your photos overseas, which may be cheaper, but it's just one more point where your photos might get lost.
• Make sure the bureau specifies the file type you'll be getting back. Most will offer you a choice of JPEG or TIFF. (TIFF is higher quality because it uses less compression, but occupies more space on the CD or DVD.)
• If you have more than 100 photos you can usually get discounted pricing, so look carefully. In addition, most bureaus have additional charges for setting up their scanner and for the CD or DVD they create. Make sure you understand all additional charges.
• Use a bureau that will let you look at and approve your order online and OK the order before they charge you.

When preparing your photos to mail to the bureaus you might want to consider:

• Removing all photos from albums. Many bureaus won't deal with photo albums at all; others will charge you an extra fee.
• Categorize your photos from small to large. It makes it easier for them to feed through the scanner.
• Face all photos the same way. It will maximize your chance getting them all scanned.
• Count the number of photos you're sending in before mailing them off.
• Some bureaus will separate your photos into digital folders for you, provided you separate the prints beforehand. Check on this feature before sending them off.

Below are four services that fit the bill. I've seen the results from one of them. Finally, remember that while it's probably OK, you are sending your irreplaceable photos through the mail, so there's always a risk.

• DigMyPics
• 30 Minute Photos
• Memories Renewed
• Image Preserves