photo scanning

[zmook.livejournal.com]

I've just gone through a couple of shoeboxes of old pictures, and now I have about a hundred photos (mostly 3x5s and 4x6s) that I want to get scanned so I can mail them around.  Can anyone suggest a good local place that'll do that for me?  I don't want to have to scan them all myself, and I don't want to mail them away (I want to be sure of getting the original prints back, not least because usually the notes written on the back of these pictures are the only way I have of dating them).

Comments

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

I trust Zeff photo in Belmont (its a 2 minute drive off rt 60). Not sure on costs but they are good people. Newtonville Camera would actually be my first choice, but they are a little farther out there.

Hunt's might have something, but i've never really been impressed by them. Same goes for that other camera shop in Harvard Square whose name I always space on.

Photo scanning

[fefie.livejournal.com]

You might give Dorian Color Lab in Arlington a call. I've used them for scanning slides and printing enlargements and their quality is very good. High resolution scanning is not cheap (sigh).

Dorian Color Lab
24 Mill St. (Off Mass Ave just north of Arlington Center)
Arlington, MA (781) 648 8040

Cameras Inc. in Davis Sq. advertises that they do scanning; I have not used their scanning service however. They send, or at least used to send, some kinds of jobs to Dorian Lab, maybe scanning is one of them.

[mattdm.livejournal.com]

Ritz? Yeah, I certainly wouldn't give them anything important to me.

I'm thinking about doing this too, and I think I'm actually going to pick a web-based/mail service after doing some research. I'll ship with tracking and choose somewhere that does that for their returns as well.

Re: Photo scanning

[mattdm.livejournal.com]

I'm not encouraged by the way the "Digital Services" link on Dorian Color Lab's web site (http://www.dorianlab.com/) is a 404 error.

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

no, its a local shop - faranvi? something like that - can't remember

I can't think of any good mall order houses off the top of my head - I think whcc.com does the best prints on the internet - but they are also a pro shop (which just means - well I don't know what that means but they are amazingly awesome) and they may do scans - not sure.

I vaguely remember checking prices with newtonville when I wanted to scan a few hundred 35mm slides and I came to the conclusion that a nikon film scanner with a auto loading slot (so 50 at a shot) would have been cheaper - and that's the big issue with scanning - cost per scan if the negatives are cut.

In fact if you don't go to a local shop that does it in house (I'm 99% sure the two I mentioned do) than you really are better off going mail order as all the other shops will just mail it off as well.

[fefie.livejournal.com]

Ugh, that's not the only broken link. Their web site in general is sadly lacking. At least they mention scanning etc. on the home page. The site sure doesn't give a good initial impression, which is too bad as they do very good photo work.

Re: Photo scanning

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

I've also not been impressed with Camera Inc - Dorian did have a great rep - I haven't done much with them so they still may have the great rep - just a sucky website

[mattdm.livejournal.com]

Ferranti-Dege. They closed up last year. They were kind of an icon, so many people were sad (http://theonlinephotographer.blogspot.com/2006/10/ferranti-dege-rip_19.html), but they were always obnoxious and rude to me whenever I went in there, so I'm not terribly surprised they were having trouble keeping their customer base.