[Arctic Fox]

I have a large number of 35mm slides which I should like to digitize.

Have you had any experience in doing so, either using a purpose-built device or by using a digital camera?

Thank you

[Midvale]

It partly will depend how fussy you are and what you plan o do with them.

I scanned in 4,000 or so using an Epson Perfection 2400 flatbed scanner with a transparency attatchment. I could put 4 slides at a time and it would scan them in about 8-10 minutes @ 1200dpi or so. I was just interested in being able to enjoy them on a computer screen or digital frame; they were snapshots not works of art. I'm satisfied with the results.

I'm sure new scanners are probably much faster now. They also sell dedicated film/slide scanners which may do a better job.

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by Midvale

I scanned in 4,000 or so using an Epson Perfection 2400 flatbed scanner

Thank you, Midvale

One advantage of some of the dedicated devices is that they can digitally clean up the slide, and I think mine may have lots of dust/mold/etc. on them, but, as you say, a flatbed scanner is quick and simple

I have also heard of people making a light box and just taking a digital photo of each slide

Maybe some experimentation is in order :-)

[Midvale]

Yes I had to adjust every one that I scanned in. Beware of any "auto enhance". A lot of them overdo it. I used the levels and curves controls in PhotoShop or Gimp. Sometimes a little sharpening.

I scanned some at the highest resolution but I saw no real improvement and it made the file size tremendous. Most of mine were taken with a Sears rangefinder 35mm. Some with a Kodak Instamatic.

[panamachica]

Sam's Club Photo Center will scan them for you and save them on CD.

[Snowbirdtobe]

I bought a Nikon LS-5000 slide scanner on Ebay and plan to sell it when I'm done.
The slide scanner will remove some scratches and is what many of the professional services use.
I'll know if it was a good idea when I sell the scanner and get my money back.

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by Snowbirdtobe

I bought a Nikon LS-5000 slide scanner on Ebay.

Thank you, Snowbirdtobe

That one looks a bit too professional for my needs, but thanks for directing me to ebay where there are plenty of options

now just a matter of choosing the right one

[vlm790]

I bought a slide and negative converter from Brookstone about a year ago and was able to convert about 300 slides in no time. The device was easy to use and saved the files right on my computer. I think it did 3 or 4 at a time and while one was going through we were loading up the next set.

[SIRE1]

I hate to admit how I digitized my slides, but it was cheap and fun to do. I set up my old slide projector to show the slide on a white smooth wall. I then set my digital camera on a tripod just above the projector and took a picture of the projected image. Since the projected image was large and smooth, the digital photo didn't have a pixel problem when enlarged.

Since some of the old slides had either started to fade or color shift, I then used one of the free photo editing programs to bring back the photo to an acceptable image. It took me several nights of sitting in a dark bedroom, but it was fun seeing all those slides again. And although the images aren't professional quality on my computer, they probably weren't professional quality when I took the slide either, I'm actually remembering the event when I took the photo and the memory looks really great.

And now I can connect the computer to the TV and bore some of my friends with my "slide show" of our long past vacations all over again.

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by SIRE1

I set up my old slide projector to show the slide on a white smooth wall. I then set my digital camera on a tripod just above the projector and took a picture of the projected image.

This may well be the route I take, although I shall probably buy a proper screen on which to project them as I have no suitable white wall.

[BadgerTracks]

We used a scanner with a transparency tray to scan slides.

Our scanner is a Canon model, now several years old, and the scanner continues to do a decent job of digitizing the slides. A bit slow but effective for our purposes.

Our oldest slides, those with greatest sentimentality, we sharpen as necessary with Photoshop.

[SIRE1]

I started off using the projector screen but found that it wasn't flat enough. I guess after all those years in storage, the screen just didn't hang right. So after that, I switched to a bedroom wall which was off white. I chose the bedroom because I could leave all the equipment set up for the several nights it took me to finish the project.

Let me know how it works out and whether you are happy with the results. I did, however, have to go to ebay and buy a projector bulb about half way thru the project. I was sure I would never find a bulb to fit since no one uses slide projectors anymore, but a friend suggested ebay and I was amazed at how easy it is to get obsolete stuff.

Good Luck.

[Jerry_M]

Plustek OpticFilm 8200i Ai Film Scanner 783064365338 B&H Photo

If you want a high quality digital print - projection will not do it. If you just want to capture the memories, then it will do a great job. Dust removal and quality cost money - I did 1500 high quality slides with the Plustek 8200i from B&H Photo (link above).

[Jerry_M]

I should add; that if you are not familiar with photographic equipment and film terms, then do not go with the Plustek I recommended. There are a number of set up terms with film types, exposure controls that should be known even for the Auto mode of the scanner.