Scanning photos and slides

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SATTV

1649 posts

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#318286 4-Jan-2025 10:07

Hi All,

I have about 3000 photos that needs to be scanned.

There are also 500 - 1000 slides that have not been viewed in 45 years or so.

I came across this https://www.epson.co.nz/products/scanner/FF-680W.asp

The reviews are quote positive as the scanner holds the photos in a feeder and scans them one at a time with little intervention.

One sale at the moment for $798 at HN ( looking at pricespy it is not really a sale )

I have been to a couple of camera shops to ask their advice and they both recommend https://www.epson.co.nz/products/scanner/perfectionv850pro.asp?groupid=97

Other than being a flatbed scanner, it has a couple of jigs for negatives and slides.

Both have said that it is slower then the FF-680 but the results are better.

I have have a Brother MFC-J480DW here, scanning photos takes a long time and I am not sure about the quality.

I dont want to scan them and have look like rubbish but to be honest I dont think I will look at the pictures very often but need to be done for family.

I really dont know what to do, there has been a lot of research and procrastination going on.

Can anyone give me feedback on the above devices or any alternate products, I am not interested in taking pictures with my phone which other forums have suggested.

Thanks

John

I know enough to be dangerous

dazzanz

214 posts

Master Geek

#3327400 4-Jan-2025 10:17

I recently got the 680W from Amazon for about $680. I’m using it to scan my parents photos from the 70s-2000s. I’d say a flat bed would provide better results but the 680W is good enough for our purpose and much faster.

I’ve taught my mum how to use it and left it with her. Once we are done I will sell it.

bmoff

158 posts

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Trusted

#3327420 4-Jan-2025 12:32

I've got an Epson Film Scan 200 you can have if you want it.

https://www.epson.com.au/products/scanner/filmscan200.asp

Only problem is it's SCSI so you need some means of driving it.

SATTV

1649 posts

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#3327421 4-Jan-2025 13:04

bmoff:

I've got an Epson Film Scan 200 you can have if you want it.

https://www.epson.com.au/products/scanner/filmscan200.asp

Only problem is it's SCSI so you need some means of driving it.

Tempting offer. I will have a look in the office on Monday to see if we have an old computer with a SCSI board in it.

I quick look and USB to SCSI does not appear to be a thing.

John

I know enough to be dangerous

kiwifidget

"Cookie"
3426 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#3327446 4-Jan-2025 15:40

Sort of between scanning and taking pics on your phone is the Hovercam.

www.mentis.co.nz

I have used one to copy documents, but it would do photos as well, probably not slides though.

Delete cookies?! Are you insane?!

bmoff

158 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#3327451 4-Jan-2025 16:24

SATTV:

bmoff:

I've got an Epson Film Scan 200 you can have if you want it.

https://www.epson.com.au/products/scanner/filmscan200.asp

Only problem is it's SCSI so you need some means of driving it.

Tempting offer. I will have a look in the office on Monday to see if we have an old computer with a SCSI board in it.

I quick look and USB to SCSI does not appear to be a thing.

John

Comes with a PCI card and cable.

jonherries

1396 posts

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#3327551 4-Jan-2025 20:56

FWIW I found it much, much faster scanning to a sd card in the mfp, rather than to a computer via usb or ethernet.

Jon

elpenguino

3427 posts

Uber Geek

#3328251 6-Jan-2025 12:40

I wouldn't get too obsessed over theoretical specs and a chase for ultimate quality scans - if your source is typical home photography from the 70s, there won't be too much quality to start with.

This can be a very time consuming task so a faster workflow would be very tempting.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

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Sienna

17 posts

Geek

#3328308 6-Jan-2025 13:36

I have just finished scanning a few thousand photos. I did most of them using an Epson flatbed scanner and did the last couple of hundred using the Epson FF-680W which wins hands down in my opinion. It was a very slow and laborious process using the flatbed scanner as you can only do a handful of photos at a time whereas the 680W flew through them in a matter of minutes.

I did do a comparison test to see which scanner gave the better results and the 680W won in my opinion. I also compared results using the 680W's normal mode and enhanced mode and preferred the enhanced mode for all but night and darker shots. I ended up only getting it to generate the enhanced images so that I didn't end up with duplicate images (the normal ones plus the enhanced ones).

I developed a workflow in which the images all ended up being named using the same format (date-event-people-place). I am not sure I would bother with this again and instead would just store them in appropriately named folders. I also added all the info from the back of the photo to the IPTC data. This latter step is not really necessary as the 680W can also scan the back of the photos. Personally, I don't like having the images of the back of photos interspersed with the actual images. However, I might think differently about this if I was starting the project again only using the 680W.

I did send some slides away to be scanned before I bought my flatbed scanner. Technically a flatbed scanner can do them but it is time-consuming.

I am something of a perfectionist. However, I realised early on in this process that good enough is indeed good enough. The other thing I realised is that I almost never looked at the physical photos and whilst I thought I might look at them more frequently if they were digital, I don't think this will be the case.

I suspect the 680W will have a very high resale value so I doubt you would go wrong with it.

Good luck.

larknz

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#3328351 6-Jan-2025 17:40

Can the FF-680 scan slides? The OP says that he wants to scan slides. I would think that that would require a flat bed scanner.

SATTV

1649 posts

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#3328356 6-Jan-2025 18:01

Sienna:

I have just finished scanning a few thousand photos. I did most of them using an Epson flatbed scanner and did the last couple of hundred using the Epson FF-680W which wins hands down in my opinion. It was a very slow and laborious process using the flatbed scanner as you can only do a handful of photos at a time whereas the 680W flew through them in a matter of minutes.

I did do a comparison test to see which scanner gave the better results and the 680W won in my opinion. I also compared results using the 680W's normal mode and enhanced mode and preferred the enhanced mode for all but night and darker shots. I ended up only getting it to generate the enhanced images so that I didn't end up with duplicate images (the normal ones plus the enhanced ones).

I developed a workflow in which the images all ended up being named using the same format (date-event-people-place). I am not sure I would bother with this again and instead would just store them in appropriately named folders. I also added all the info from the back of the photo to the IPTC data. This latter step is not really necessary as the 680W can also scan the back of the photos. Personally, I don't like having the images of the back of photos interspersed with the actual images. However, I might think differently about this if I was starting the project again only using the 680W.

I did send some slides away to be scanned before I bought my flatbed scanner. Technically a flatbed scanner can do them but it is time-consuming.

I am something of a perfectionist. However, I realised early on in this process that good enough is indeed good enough. The other thing I realised is that I almost never looked at the physical photos and whilst I thought I might look at them more frequently if they were digital, I don't think this will be the case.

I suspect the 680W will have a very high resale value so I doubt you would go wrong with it.

Good luck.

Awesome, thanks for the feedback it was exactly what I am after.

John

I know enough to be dangerous

SATTV

1649 posts

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#3328357 6-Jan-2025 18:03

larknz:

Can the FF-680 scan slides? The OP says that he wants to scan slides. I would think that that would require a flat bed scanner.

I have been offered a slide and film scanner, so I will have two devices to do the job I really dont want to do.

John

I know enough to be dangerous

SATTV

1649 posts

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#3328358 6-Jan-2025 18:04

Thanks for the replies everyone, I am going to get the FF-680W and I have been gifted a slide and film scanner so I will be all sorted.

John.

I know enough to be dangerous