Slides to CD to hand out a Christmas - help

[Guest]

For Christmas, I want to scan, all our old family slides and hand out copies
on CD to everyone. Therefore, what resolution, would you scan them at.
Would you keep the output at the original size of 24x36mm or change it to
like 4x6 inch or does it matter. I have about 400 slides it would be nice
to put them all on one CD but that may not be practical I have noticed that
the files on the Photo CD's you get from the photo labs are not very big
however?

I just purchased an Epson 4870 Photo Scanner yesterday I read somewhere
that Digital ICE does not work on Kodachome so I will not use it I guess.
All most all the slides I have are 50 to 30 years old Kodachome, I also have
some Ektachome and some Technicolor as well. In addition, the colors are
changing so I will need to do some color correction work as well. I am sure
that a Flat bed scanner is not as good as a true film scanner but as my
grandparents took these slides, they were Far from Professional quality
anyhow.

Also Some DVD players like my cheap one will read Kodak Picture CD's or
other JPG files so that will be nicer than getting out the projector. Or
take it to Wal-Mart and have them printed on the Fuji Frontier printer by
using the Fuji Kiosk.

Thanks in advance for you advice and help.
Mike

 

[CSM1]

For Christmas, I want to scan, all our old family slides and hand out copies
on CD to everyone. Therefore, what resolution, would you scan them at.
Would you keep the output at the original size of 24x36mm or change it to
like 4x6 inch or does it matter. I have about 400 slides it would be nice
to put them all on one CD but that may not be practical I have noticed that
the files on the Photo CD's you get from the photo labs are not very big
however?

I just purchased an Epson 4870 Photo Scanner yesterday I read somewhere
that Digital ICE does not work on Kodachome so I will not use it I guess.
All most all the slides I have are 50 to 30 years old Kodachome, I also have
some Ektachome and some Technicolor as well. In addition, the colors are
changing so I will need to do some color correction work as well. I am sure
that a Flat bed scanner is not as good as a true film scanner but as my
grandparents took these slides, they were Far from Professional quality
anyhow.

Also Some DVD players like my cheap one will read Kodak Picture CD's or
other JPG files so that will be nicer than getting out the projector. Or
take it to Wal-Mart and have them printed on the Fuji Frontier printer by
using the Fuji Kiosk.

Thanks in advance for you advice and help.
Mike

For computer screen or TV screen the only dimenstion that matters is the
Pixels.

To show the whole image without resizing which some DVD players can do.
For Computer a max size of about 1024 x 768 pixels. Depends on the user's
screen resolution.

A HD TV is max 1920 x 1080 pixels
A standard TV is around 640 x 480 pixels.

Of course burn a test CD or DVD and try it before sending out all of those
CDs that nobody can use.

It would be a good idea to take your DVD player with you when you visit.
That way you know that you can show the pictures.

By the Way, you should have started this project 6 months ago. It takes a
very long time to scan that many photos and slides.

 

[Owamanga]

For Christmas, I want to scan, all our old family slides and hand out copies
on CD to everyone. Therefore, what resolution, would you scan them at.
Would you keep the output at the original size of 24x36mm or change it to
like 4x6 inch or does it matter. I have about 400 slides it would be nice
to put them all on one CD but that may not be practical I have noticed that
the files on the Photo CD's you get from the photo labs are not very big
however?

First of all, you should have started this project last month.
Scanning slides is incredibly boring and takes time. (I know, I've
just done a similar task with about 350 slides) - my brain can only
handle a couple of hours a day before it seizes up.

Output DPI is not relevant for this task. Scan them at the highest
*NATIVE* resolution your scanner can do, because you will only want to
do this once. In your case, that's 4,800 x 9,600, but the software
will probably need to be at 9,600 x 9,600 with some interpolation in
one dimension (Note: Slide orientation will affect scan quality)

I just purchased an Epson 4870 Photo Scanner yesterday I read somewhere
that Digital ICE does not work on Kodachome so I will not use it I guess.

This is part of why it takes time, *some* kodachrome shots seem to be
okay with it, but zoom in to 100% and look for a blurring around
contrasty edges (the grain will not be visible because ICE thought it
was dust, and blurred it). Scanning with ICE on (I have a Nikon IV-ED)
takes much longer than with it off, but on over-exposed kodachromes it
can still work. Therefore some slides had to be scanned twice or more
before I saved the TIFF.

So, generally no ICE means you need a can-of-air to blow-clean the
slides before scanning. Keep the scanner bed + lid clean too.

All most all the slides I have are 50 to 30 years old Kodachome, I also have
some Ektachome and some Technicolor as well. In addition, the colors are
changing so I will need to do some color correction work as well. I am sure
that a Flat bed scanner is not as good as a true film scanner but as my
grandparents took these slides, they were Far from Professional quality
anyhow.

You can get photoshop plugins from Kodak that do Digital SHO (color
restoration) and Digital GEM (grain reduction)

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0310/03103102kodakdigitalsho.asp
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0407/04073001kodakdigitalgem.asp

Haven't tried these external plugins, as my scanner/software has it
built-in. I tended to do white-balance manually.

Also Some DVD players like my cheap one will read Kodak Picture CD's or
other JPG files so that will be nicer than getting out the projector. Or
take it to Wal-Mart and have them printed on the Fuji Frontier printer by
using the Fuji Kiosk.

Yep, once you have 300 TIFFS at 50Mb each (or whatever they are)
rename the files with a 3-digit serial, the year, where it was and
who's in the picture (avoid Mum, Dad etc. use their and your own first
names).

Check each TIFF for any further correction, rotation, cropping,
dust-removal or repairs and save them as TIFF again (overwrite if you
want, you decide). Now archive those images onto DVDs in their TIFF
format, keeping a copy on the PC for the time being. If you don't have
a DVD burner, get one they are cheap and the media is much better than
CD.

Run a photoshop batch job to generate JPEGs from TIFFs to be put onto
the JPEG-CDs for the family members.

I'm a little anal at this stage, so if the CD is for TV viewing, I
will reduce the JPEGs to NTSC/PAL dimensions and perform unsharp mask
to give optimum image quality when viewed on the TV (loosing the
ability to zoom in live, but nobody ever does this anyway). Do some
unsharp tests on CDRW first to get the settings right. This CD will
not however be suitable as a master for printing 6x4s, so you may want
to consider writing 2CDs - one for TV viewing and the other with much
larger JPEGs for PC viewing & Printing.

Also consider a 'memories to TV' style program that can make a DVD
slideshow in true DVD format that will allow you to pan across images,
zoom in & out, crossfade etc and add music and subtitles to each shot.
This can then be played on most DVD players.

One that apparently does very smooth pans is Canopus Imaginate:
http://www.canopus.us/US/products/Imaginate2/pm_imaginate2.asp

...but it's $199.

 

[PGG]

You won't have time to do high resolution scans. Just scan at a lower
resolution of 1800dpi or so. That will be more than enough for
TV/computer viewing. Just let your family members know that if they want
a 5x7 or 8x10 print made, that you can pick out the individual slide
to scan at a higher resolution.

 

[Alan Browne]

For Christmas, I want to scan, all our old family slides and hand out copies
on CD to everyone. Therefore, what resolution, would you scan them at.
Would you keep the output at the original size of 24x36mm or change it to
like 4x6 inch or does it matter. I have about 400 slides it would be nice
to put them all on one CD but that may not be practical I have noticed that
the files on the Photo CD's you get from the photo labs are not very big
however?

You scan for output. If the output is just the screen, then you scan at a
resolution that will give 800 to 1024 (ish) wide scans. If the output is 6x4 at
300 dpi then you scan to get 6 x 300 = 1800 pixel wide scans. Common practise
is to make one scan at the highest required res., save it, and then resize for
the various other output sizes. USM at each size.

The CD's can easilly hold hundreds of screen sized JPG's and some slide viewing
programs will put an executable slide viewer onto the CD.

 

[lostinspace]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Koperskinospam" <>
Newsgroups:
comp.periphs.scanners,rec.photo.digital,rec.photo.equipment.35mm,rec.photo.film+labs
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 2:03 AM
Subject: Slides to CD to hand out a Christmas - help

For Christmas, I want to scan, all our old family slides and hand out
copies
on CD to everyone. Therefore, what resolution, would you scan them at.
Would you keep the output at the original size of 24x36mm or change it to
like 4x6 inch or does it matter. I have about 400 slides it would be nice
to put them all on one CD but that may not be practical I have noticed
that
the files on the Photo CD's you get from the photo labs are not very big
however?

I just purchased an Epson 4870 Photo Scanner yesterday I read somewhere
that Digital ICE does not work on Kodachome so I will not use it I guess.
All most all the slides I have are 50 to 30 years old Kodachome, I also
have
some Ektachome and some Technicolor as well. In addition, the colors are
changing so I will need to do some color correction work as well. I am
sure
that a Flat bed scanner is not as good as a true film scanner but as my
grandparents took these slides, they were Far from Professional quality
anyhow.

Also Some DVD players like my cheap one will read Kodak Picture CD's or
other JPG files so that will be nicer than getting out the projector. Or
take it to Wal-Mart and have them printed on the Fuji Frontier printer by
using the Fuji Kiosk.

Thanks in advance for you advice and help.
Mike

Mike,
First as others have advised, you should have started this
project weeks ago. Unless, perhaps you have 2-3 more people with the same
hardware-software procedures your using helping.

Before three years ago, I had never seen one of the Kodak CD's which come
with getting pictures developed in the US.
Myself and some others had made some inquiries as to what the file formats
were and the store help could not provide and answer.

BTW, I use a cheap bottom end flat bed scanner. Canon D-1250.

I borrowed a Kodak CD from a relative. Kodak uses a software to show the
photo's as slides. The images are 1536 X 1024 JPG's sized at 72DPI.
These images are sized for the instore Kodak machines and offer prints up
to 8 X 10 (when the original photo images are used.)

I began scanning some 450 old family (some from the 1920's, while the
majority were from the 50's 60's and 70's) images of varying quality [ all
images, no negatives]. Some were in terrible condition (deteriorated) while
others were very small or hazy from older/cheaper camera formats.)
The DPI at which I scanned these photo's varied, as it was my desire to
obtain the largest and best display (and print) as possible.

Not sure how many of these I have dispersed to family members.

1) You either use the Kodak software or another that creates a slide show.
2) I'm not sure if the in-store Kodak machines will view the images using
another software.
3) Use of CD's on these in-store machines were intended for a single roll of
film or 20-40images. It's a nightmare to flip through one CD I have with 461
images on it. In fact the NON-Kodak machines used by Meier's (I believe
Mitibishi) won't even load the 461 images, rather the machine just locks.
The Kodak machines will however view and print/
4) The best success I've had is in using the alternative machines that
Wal-Mart's has (Fuji,) these machines feed in to the stores photo shop
system and offer the least expensive prices on prints. An 8 x 10 for $2.86.

5) DVD Player slide shows.
a) my 461 image CD will max out the memory on most DVD players.
b) I've learned to limit the CD image quantities to around 175. Although
I believe on one machine using the 461 image CD, the machine still
functioned at 200 images however viewing was erratic.

6) Viewing of the images on a DVD player and television is of lower quality
than a computer screen and some of the smaller and/or bad quality images
become blotchy.
I'm not sure if scanning from negatives and ending up with a higher pixel
image (1536X1024) would result in the images viewing better on a DVD player.
It may just be a limitation of the DVD-television combination.

7) I scan and store all master images as TIF's and create the JPG's from
those saved masters.
8) For flatbed scanner users, keeping the glass both free of dust and haze
by regular cleaning is essential for highest quality scans.
9) Using my flatbed I'm able to do about 60-80 images in a very long day.
That procedure included previews, cropping and resizing and then creation of
the second file as JPG as well. I've done a batch of 8 X 10's (around 350)
and the scans went much faster as there was a consistency of not mixing
sizes.

 

[azscrewdriver]

I scanned in all my fathers slides and made a SVCD for him. It took about 3
weeks for 800 slides in my spare time. About 4 minuets per slide. I used a
Nikon coolscan III with Ice. I color corrected every slide with the Nikon
software, as most were from the 50's and 60's. I did NOT have any problem
with Kodochrome and ice. I used the highest dpi and archived the masters,
but a SVCD only needs about 640/480 dpi. So you could use a much lower scan
setting to save time. As said, its a lot of work.

For Christmas, I want to scan, all our old family slides and hand out
copies
on CD to everyone. Therefore, what resolution, would you scan them at.
Would you keep the output at the original size of 24x36mm or change it to
like 4x6 inch or does it matter. I have about 400 slides it would be
nice
to put them all on one CD but that may not be practical I have noticed
that
the files on the Photo CD's you get from the photo labs are not very big
however?

You scan for output. If the output is just the screen, then you scan at a
resolution that will give 800 to 1024 (ish) wide scans. If the output is
6x4 at 300 dpi then you scan to get 6 x 300 = 1800 pixel wide scans.
Common practise is to make one scan at the highest required res., save it,
and then resize for the various other output sizes. USM at each size.

The CD's can easilly hold hundreds of screen sized JPG's and some slide
viewing programs will put an executable slide viewer onto the CD.

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.

 

[Bob Williams]

For Christmas, I want to scan, all our old family slides and hand out copies
on CD to everyone. Therefore, what resolution, would you scan them at.
Would you keep the output at the original size of 24x36mm or change it to
like 4x6 inch or does it matter. I have about 400 slides it would be nice
to put them all on one CD but that may not be practical I have noticed that
the files on the Photo CD's you get from the photo labs are not very big
however?

I just purchased an Epson 4870 Photo Scanner yesterday I read somewhere
that Digital ICE does not work on Kodachome so I will not use it I guess.
All most all the slides I have are 50 to 30 years old Kodachome, I also have
some Ektachome and some Technicolor as well. In addition, the colors are
changing so I will need to do some color correction work as well. I am sure
that a Flat bed scanner is not as good as a true film scanner but as my
grandparents took these slides, they were Far from Professional quality
anyhow.

Also Some DVD players like my cheap one will read Kodak Picture CD's or
other JPG files so that will be nicer than getting out the projector. Or
take it to Wal-Mart and have them printed on the Fuji Frontier printer by
using the Fuji Kiosk.

Thanks in advance for you advice and help.
Mike

Scanning 400 slides before Christmas will drive you nuts.
Trust me on that one.
Let someone do it who is set up to scan automatically
Check out : http://www.slideplus.com/slidecd/index.htm
They are quite inexpensive.
Also, you might consider doing some heavy duty culling to maybe 100-150
images. If the slides are not all that well photographed, you will lose
your audience in 30 minutes.

 

[chemliftbake]

They opened up a new CVS just down the road. I was in there last
week, and saw this sign in their photo department. It said thier
technicians were trained and certified by Kodak, and their names were
listed on this board. I have some negatives at home that I need
scanned at high resolution, so I went over to the lady behind the
counter and asked her what resolution she could scan at. Well, she had
no idea what I was talking about. I tried a few times to explain what
I meant, but to no avail.

 

[Michael Weinstein]

They opened up a new CVS just down the road. I was in there last
week, and saw this sign in their photo department. It said thier
technicians were trained and certified by Kodak, and their names were
listed on this board. I have some negatives at home that I need
scanned at high resolution, so I went over to the lady behind the
counter and asked her what resolution she could scan at. Well, she had
no idea what I was talking about. I tried a few times to explain what
I meant, but to no avail.

Probably means they were trained and certified by Kodak to mindlessly
run the minilab.

 

[Jeremy]

"Michael Weinstein" >

Probably means they were trained and certified by Kodak to mindlessly
run the minilab.
--

Precisely! I used a CVS last week to make a couple of digital prints. It
was my first experience with prints other than from OFOTO. I was pleased
with the results.

I did not see any facility to scan negs. There was a Kodak self-service
flatbed scanner, apparently to scan prints.

I presume that the CVS (Kodak) minilab was set up to process 35mm and APS
film, and that the machine scanned the negs automatically as part of the
development process, but that function would have been automated--not
scanned by hand by the technician.

There appeared to be no way for a tech to video analyze the individual
images. Apparently the minilab was almost completely automatic. Actually
it might not have been a bad thing to keep the techs from being able to
botch up the final prints. All they do is replace the consumables, load the
film into the slot, and put the finished negs and prints into the customer's
envelope.