Scan multiple photos at once!?!

[Happy Hour]

The Canon MP970 doesn't have automatic feed. You can scan mutiple photos on the glass at the same time and it can automatically detect the edges of each photo and save the images as individual files. Sorry for any confusion.
...Terry

Alot of scanners do that I have 2 that do that it is still a pain in the ass and doesn't seem to speed up the process of multiple pics. I've been scanning 4 pics at a time for months and still can't put a dent in my pile !

 

[Overkill-F1]

does it straighten them? so say u dont put them in perfectly straight.. does it make them straight automatically?

Nope.
...Terry

 

[Battou]

The Canon MP970 doesn't have automatic feed. You can scan mutiple photos on the glass at the same time and it can automatically detect the edges of each photo and save the images as individual files. Sorry for any confusion.
...Terry

You want to be careful with that, especially where white edges come into play, Some scanners will loose the edge and guess, for lack of a better phrase.

 

[RacePhoto]

Plus you say you want to have them done, so you don't have to edit each one. Sorry, but you will still need to do color correction and fine tuning on just about every photo, if you want them to be good. So you might as well do three at a time and crop each one out and save them.

Even if you had some automated scanner that had a sheet feed, and every photo is identical, which they are not, you are going to want to make them the best you can, which means editing each individual photo.

By the time you get done scanning photos for hours and hours, you are going to have to edit each one. That means you buy the scanner, take at least six hours to just scan the photos, that's three at a time, then figure at least another six hours to crop and edit them all.

You might re-consider dropping them off at some shop and having it done on professional equipment, which whatever you or I can afford will not be as good as what the pro equipment will do.

If you have some photos that you are worried about other people seeing, take them in and scan them yourself, then have the rest done by some place that does this for a business. You'll be much happier with the results.

I think you are looking for an inexpensive, fast and easy answer, and there is none if you want to do it right.

 

[dynasty06]

Racephoto... that is really the best advice i have heard from anyone. and i have posted on several forums. thanks.

Now on another topic... thats really amazing that there is not a reliable scanner for the house to do this. what if we invent one. all we would need is couple a reliable feeder and a simple scanner. Then just create software that displays each picture for person to modify one by one. like a "Approve, edit, or delete" option for each picture. we need to find the reliable feeder. anyone have any ideas?

 

[Jon, The Elder]

My same exact opinion and experience as Racephoto. I had to do about 300 print scans for my sister-in-law, it just takes time and patience (lots of both).

 

[Alpha]

The Nikon Super CoolScan series has batch attachments.

 

[Luxowell]

Do you own Photoshop CS1 or higher?
There is a break-apart and straighten tool in it. You can put as many photos as you can fit on the scanner, scan it, then have photoshop automatically break it into individual files and straighten them.

 

[_SnapShot_]

Batch scanners and batch feeds have problems with being complex, expensive and there is little demand. Pictures are all different sizes, unlike negatives or slides. That's why you can't find a sheet feed scanner for your old photos. Nikon CoolScan with a slide stacker is just fine for a few grand for slides. You are going to have to feed negative by hand.

I want a car that will do 200 mph and gets 40 miles per gallon and costs under $30,000

That is what you are asking for with your scanner. You either get speed or quality, or economy, but you aren't going to get all of them in one box, for one low price.

You are going to get the best quality for the price by sending them out to someone with very expensive pro equipment. If you want to do them at home you are going to pay for your own scanner and it's going to take a long time.

 

[jet59or]

I am thinking of purchasing the
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F6NUX8/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top"]Epson Scanner Perfection 4490 Office Scanner[/ame]

for home and small business photo scanning. It has pretty good reviews, especially about the ADF, which would suffice for stacks of same size photos. Not a huge investment either.

 

[KD5NRH]

I am thinking of purchasing the
Epson Scanner Perfection 4490 Office Scanner

for home and small business photo scanning. It has pretty good reviews, especially about the ADF, which would suffice for stacks of same size photos. Not a huge investment either.

I can't speak for the ADF, since I have the 4490 Photo, (with the transparency adapter instead of the ADF) but the scan quality is great for the price. Speaking of which, I can't find the ADF available separately on Epson's site, but they have the Photo model as a refurb for $109 shipped, and an instant rebate and free shipping on a new (non-refurb) Office model that puts it at $264.99 shipped.

EDIT: found the ADF, and it's $200, so you can't save by getting the refurb Photo and adding an ADF.

Don't forget your settings and try to scan an 8x10 at 4800dpi, though: the rest of your stack will rot in the time it takes to finish that one :mrgreen:

 

[Bifurcator]

The flatbed scanner on my $250 printer allows me to place 4 or 6 photos on the bed and press one button for which it will scan, cut, and save the individual images at whatever resolution I had it set for. Not as good as a sheet feeder but I think all flat bed scanners have this functionality now.

Mine has a sheet feeder too but it seems mostly to be for facsimile scans.

On my device the Pixma MX850, the ADF scanner is a different scanner than the flatbed. Two scanners.

 

[chrisburke]

taking them to a lab to have them scan them is VERY expensive... usually works out to like $1 per picture, which is crazy...

 

[djacobox372]

I looked... however i probably have like a thousand or more.

With a flatbed scanner... and 3 pictures per scan... that is 333 scans! plus then editing to cut them apart.

That will take literally hours.

I want one that can feed pictures automatically like 25 at a time.

I know there are a couple options out there... but has anyone used any of the succesfully?

If you have the negatives, the v700 will scan 24 35mm negatives at once and also use digital ice to restore them--removing scratches, dust, and enhancing color.

If you just have the photos.... then the "quickest" way to scan them is just to use a high quality digital camera with a close focusing lens on a tripod and rig up something to hold the photos and take pictures of them one by one--you should be able to breeze through a couple hundred photos in a few hours. I did this with all my old photos using my d200 and it was really quick once everything was setup. You'll lose some quality, but not much more then you would if you scanned them with a flatbed scanner--the only trick is to control the lighting.

 

[SpeedTrap]

You could also see if you can find an HP Scanjet 5500C. (Discontinued)
It has a 4X6 auto feed on it.
I have one and it works well, the only downfall is you have to scan 5X7 or larger by had. But if you have a ton of 4X6 or smaller it does a good job.