Do you have old photos printed on photo paper and want to make them digital? You can convert them and in this article we will look at 3 ways to do it.
If you have white hair on your head, then you probably have old photos printed on photographic paper in your drawer. The ones you used to get from your neighborhood photographer after you first handed him the film with the negatives. These natural photos are now over 15 years old and are slowly losing the original brilliance of their colors.
Today, photographic paper and negative cameras tend to be available only to a select few, and their prices are particularly steep compared to digital cameras. Everyone now owns a digital camera, whether it's a handheld device or built into a mobile phone, and they can share digital photos with each other via social media.
But you don't want to, and shouldn't, let your old photos die a slow death. Fortunately, there are some fairly simple, if not necessarily cheap, ways to digitize old photos. So, if you've found a box of old forgotten photos, here's what you can do.
Old photographs were delivered by photo studios in two forms: paper prints of the photographs on special photographic paper, which were simply called photographs for short, and negatives. Paper prints are easier and cheaper to digitize, but you will get better results if you digitize using the negatives. If you have both, the solution is up to you.
If you have the photos
If you have the photos then things are really simple. You can take a picture of them with your phone, but if you want better quality then read below for some better options.
Use your scanner
Most modern printers come with a built-in scanner and are capable of scanning photos. Yours may also have a dedicated photo scanning feature. You should scan at the highest resolution your scanner can handle. And the higher the resolution your machine has, the more faithful your photo will be when digitized. You may need to make some minor color adjustments or change the scan limits, but it's an easy, reliable, if not necessarily the fastest option.
If you proceed with this solution, you will also need a photo editing program to make any color corrections that may be needed.
Use Google Photoscan
The Google Photoscan app, available for iOS and Android , is one of Google's lesser-known apps. It uses your smartphone's camera to scan and digitize your photos, taking a series of images of the same photo, which it then combines into one final photo, trying to avoid glare and light reflections.
Photoscan is a smart app that removes glare and is quite quick to use. It works best with old photos because it doesn't really enhance skin tones. You may need to play around with the ambient lighting in the room to get the best results. However, if you just want to scan a few photos to upload to social media, where they don't require the perfect image, this is the easiest way to do it.
Go to the pros
The above two techniques are quite time-consuming especially if you have a large stack of photos that you want to digitize. So, if you have a lot of images to scan and you want to make sure it's done right, the best thing to do is go to a professional. There are many available both online and in every city center, and prices vary depending on the number of images you want scanned, the quality you need, and whether or not you want the colors corrected.
Before you go online, however, we would recommend checking first to see if your local photo store offers photo scanning. Stores are usually staffed by experts who are almost always happy to help and give advice. They will be able to recommend exactly what your photos need, even if it costs more.
If you have the negatives
With negative films, things aren't as simple as they are with paper. But if you digitize them, the resulting images will likely be higher quality than if you scanned the original photos.
Buy a Scanner
If you have a lot of negatives to scan, the most cost-effective solution would be to buy a film scanner. While the color may not be the best, prices start at $50. You could also consider buying a high-quality document and photo scanner that can also scan negatives and transparencies, such as the Epson Perfection V600 ($190).
Go to the pros
As with paper photos, the best option if you have a huge collection that you want digitized is probably to go to a professional. The cost here also varies depending on the format of the photos, the quality you need, and how many negatives you have. As always, we recommend checking with your local photo store before going with an online service. The staff there will be able to advise you on the best method.
Remember, however, that photos only deteriorate over time. If you have a large collection of old photos, the sooner you digitize them, the better the result you will get and the less risk of them being damaged by time or mistreatment.
