The original post: /r/datahoarder by /u/Forward-Inflation-77 on 2025-03-09 02:02:30.
I am just starting the process of digitizing my family photo albums. I realize this will be a project that will probably take me months if not years. Not really sure how many photos I have to do, guessing easily in the thousands.
I have started out using scan speeder and doing 4, 5 or 6 pictures at a time and saving as a TIFF file using a Brother 2900 flatbed scanner but didn't realize could only do a few scans on the free edition. Don't mind spending the $30 for a 1 year license. But I realize it's possible this may not get done in a years time. Even doing multiple at a time, still time consuming. I know there are photo scanners specifically made for projects like this but they are several hundred dollars. Not sure if I want to invest that much just for a one time project. Need to look into a service that does this, for those that have used a service, what did it cost? Do places like walmart do stuff like this? Or will it take a specialized service? I have used auto splitter but I liked scan speeder better. Of course, would have to pay for auto splitter as well and that is a 2 year license vs the 1 year on scan speeder.
When buying a photo scanner, I have read that it is not good idea to use the ADF on regular printers to scan them, there is a chance it could damage pictures. Isn't that how the photo scanners scan pictures, being fed through machine? Or are the photo scanners more delicate than your typical AIO printer?
For the pictures that have writing on the back, how does one go about preserving that? I know I could scan both front and back but that would make 2 different photos. How do you keep track of which one goes with which picture? Would naming the picture with what it says on back a good way to go about that? One time consuming thing about this is most of the pictures are in sleeves instead of just boxes.