We operate two photo scanning services, one of which is our free photo scanning offering. Whixh is right for you?
If you're scanning photos its hard to argue against free. Our service creates an online album for you and you can share this anyway you please. It is password protected, so no prying eyes. If friends and relatives want copies of any of the images they can order and pay for them. We know from experience how "Oh could I just have a couple of prints" soon adds up to a heavy personal bill and organisational headache.
However if you know you want a digital copy of a complete set of images, and you're happy to manage family distribution and access, paying upfront is going to be a better option. It is also the business format most people are used to and expect.
Although our two services are different as business models, what's the same is the way in which we scan, restore colour, save your images. Done by the same people, on the same equipment, at the same technical specification. So free or paid for - you really do have a choice.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Photo Security
As a photo scanning service we take security very seriously. Locally we back up all our files but we're finding clients are asking how they can backup their albums too. Here are two methods.
The first is an all singing all dancing online photo album service. You can use it to both backup and share your images, plus add a host of other goodies like getting your photos printed, put onto gifts such as T shirts and so on. Reasonably priced, in US dollars, check out Zenfolio.com - we think its great.
Second, an automatic backup service with a great unlimited storage capacity. Runs on Mac and PC, billed at a dirt cheap $5 per month, UK users supported too. Automatic software. Worth taking a look for the quality of the website if nothing else. Backblaze - snappy name too.
The first is an all singing all dancing online photo album service. You can use it to both backup and share your images, plus add a host of other goodies like getting your photos printed, put onto gifts such as T shirts and so on. Reasonably priced, in US dollars, check out Zenfolio.com - we think its great.
Second, an automatic backup service with a great unlimited storage capacity. Runs on Mac and PC, billed at a dirt cheap $5 per month, UK users supported too. Automatic software. Worth taking a look for the quality of the website if nothing else. Backblaze - snappy name too.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
35mm Slide Scanner Amnesty from 1Scan
We also operate a photo scanning service, and I'm tired of all the calls I get from people who have been persuaded to buy cheap 35mm scanners. On the face of it they're a great idea - take the guts from a digital camera, stick a slide or negative holder underneath, add a light source and wham, a whole new market opens up. Cheap, simple slide scanning.
Sure, some people are happy with these units. I suspect they're people who have no idea how good a scan can be (in part that's my problem). But I worry that some people will conclude that our scans will also be blotchy, poorly saturated, with bleached out highlights. Other people ing is, deeply disappointed with the results they're getting. What, they ask, can they do to make decent scans?
Well the short answer is there's nothing you can do. They simply aren't up to the task. You can't use any software or tweaking to put into an image file data that was never there because the scanner is too puny to capture it. Best to give up and try another tack.
That's where 1Scan comes in with our 35mm Slide Scanner Amnesty. Simply send your old horrid unit to us, we'll scan your 35mm slides, 35mm negatives or prints and credit you with the cost of your scanner against our services. You get proper, high quality scans at 4000 dpi, with Digital ICE to remove dust and scratches and you get some value back for a sorry purchase.
Sure, some people are happy with these units. I suspect they're people who have no idea how good a scan can be (in part that's my problem). But I worry that some people will conclude that our scans will also be blotchy, poorly saturated, with bleached out highlights. Other people ing is, deeply disappointed with the results they're getting. What, they ask, can they do to make decent scans?
Well the short answer is there's nothing you can do. They simply aren't up to the task. You can't use any software or tweaking to put into an image file data that was never there because the scanner is too puny to capture it. Best to give up and try another tack.
That's where 1Scan comes in with our 35mm Slide Scanner Amnesty. Simply send your old horrid unit to us, we'll scan your 35mm slides, 35mm negatives or prints and credit you with the cost of your scanner against our services. You get proper, high quality scans at 4000 dpi, with Digital ICE to remove dust and scratches and you get some value back for a sorry purchase.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Photo Scanning for Photobooks
Over the last couple of months our photo scanning service has taken a big step forward, we've added a facility to deliver photobooks. Not sure if that shouldn't be photo books, but you know what I mean.
We don't actually make the photo books ourselves, this is done by a great traditional book publisher - Blisset's - in West London. There's a link on our site that let's you download the software you need to create your books, then you simply upload the data file which is the key ingredients for your book. A few days later your book arrives through the post. It's simple and you'll love the results.
One or two people have jumped to the photobooks section and asked how they can go about getting their photos scanned. Simple - just send the photos to us at 1Scan and we'll take care of the details. the address is:-
1Scan
27 Brentwood Place
Brentwood
CM15 9DN
We don't actually make the photo books ourselves, this is done by a great traditional book publisher - Blisset's - in West London. There's a link on our site that let's you download the software you need to create your books, then you simply upload the data file which is the key ingredients for your book. A few days later your book arrives through the post. It's simple and you'll love the results.
One or two people have jumped to the photobooks section and asked how they can go about getting their photos scanned. Simple - just send the photos to us at 1Scan and we'll take care of the details. the address is:-
1Scan
27 Brentwood Place
Brentwood
CM15 9DN
Friday, May 7, 2010
Photo Albums? Photoalbums?
Checking with Google yesterday I was surprised that what I would call photoalbums they want to correct to photo albums. Either way, the topic of conversation was how do you make the whole task easier.
This was prompted by a call to the photo scanning service we operate. My "top tip" was to select first the photos you want to use and put them into a separate folder. Then you play with how those images are ordered and displayed, safe from having to think about seeking out other photos.
This was prompted by a call to the photo scanning service we operate. My "top tip" was to select first the photos you want to use and put them into a separate folder. Then you play with how those images are ordered and displayed, safe from having to think about seeking out other photos.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Free Photo Scanning - The Movie
Our new service is now up and running offering free photo scanning along with a free online photo album. We're pleased to say it is proving popular, but its hardly easy to persuade people to utilize a service that is free. "What's the catch?"
So to explain how we're able to offer scanning at no charge we've made a very amateur video showing our Kodak s1220 in operation. We want to get across to people that we have ample capacity to get their images out of the analogue straight jacket and into the wonderful world of digital.
So to explain how we're able to offer scanning at no charge we've made a very amateur video showing our Kodak s1220 in operation. We want to get across to people that we have ample capacity to get their images out of the analogue straight jacket and into the wonderful world of digital.
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