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If you have boxes of photo slides in your house or recently inherited these memories from a loved one, you might not be sure what to do with them. Photo slides are nearly impossible to look at without a projector or a magnifying glass. This means you could have hundreds of memories trapped in boxes that you are unable to see or share.
Don’t worry, it’s possible to learn how to digitize these old photo slides so you can easily review, preserve, and share them with your family members. Learn more about the process Memory Fortress uses when converting slides to digital images and how you can start this project today.
What are photo slides?
Before you can learn how to digitize old slides, it helps to better understand this technology and the era where they came from.
In the early 20th century (1900s), photography was still considered a luxury. People would seek out photographers for family portraits or hire them to attend important events, but most people didn’t own cameras. This changed in 1935 when Kodak released 35 mm KODACHROME Film. Camera developers started making smaller models, which made them more affordable – not unlike the process of computers shrinking from bulky processors to hyper-powerful smartphones that we use today.
The 1950s and 1960s ushered in the era of slide film. People would take photos and publish them on slides, which everyone came together to look at. If you took a vacation, you might invite your family and friends over to click through the slides on a projector over drinks and snacks. It became an event.
By the 1970s, the need for more efficient film production became clear. This led to the development of film rolls that are still used today (and are even making a comeback). People could make photo prints and share them with others without needing to make an entire presentation.
If you have boxes of slides in your house, they could serve as a time capsule for your family. You might be able to see photos of your parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents from the past. If the slides are still in good condition, now is the time to digitize them.
Send Your Slides to Memory Fortress
While it is possible to scan printed photos with an app instead of sending them to a professional service like Memory Fortress, it is hard to learn how to digitize old slides on your own at home. Our team is able to handle a variety of slides that have been stored in different ways. Feel free to ship your slides to our team if they are stored as loose items, tucked into carousels, or are placed in long trays and boxes. Regardless of how you send them to us, they are the same price.
What Does it Cost to Convert Slides to Digital Files?
How much does it cost to convert slides to digital? At Memory Fortress, we developed a sliding scale model for scanning files. This means the more slides you need us to scan, the less your project will cost on a per-slide basis. We aren’t afraid to take on large projects and can work quickly to digitize your files. Here is what you can expect for slide scanning pricing:
- 1-500 slides – 54 cents each
- 501-1,000 slides – 53 cents each
- 1,001-2,000 slides – 52 cents each
- 2,001-3,000 slides – 51 cents each
- 3,001-5,000 slides – 50 cents each
- over 5,000 slides – 49 cents each
Slides that come in metal brackets will also come with a 20-cent removal fee per slide. This is because it takes longer for our team members to remove the brackets in order to scan them safely.
You also don’t need to know exactly how many slides you have before sending them to use. Simply give us an estimate so we can allocate our resources appropriately. If your order is less than 4,000 slides, it should be completed within a week.
How will I get my slides back?
Once you ship your slides to Memory Fortress, we will do everything in our power to protect them. We even weigh our shipments when they arrive and before we return them to make sure every single slide is accounted for. Your original slides will be returned to you (free of charge) once the scanning is complete. You can hold on to these memories or dispose of them as you wish.
As for the digital scans, you can decide how you receive them. Around 30% of our customers ask for their digital files to be delivered through the cloud. This comes with a $10 flat charge and we will email you an active link to your images that lasts 14 days. You can download the digital photos as soon as you pay for your order.
You also have the option to save your photos on USB drives, DVDs, and even external hard drives. Around 90% of our customers request that their photos be placed on USB drives. (There is an overlap between people who want USB and Cloud delivery.) The cost of the USB drive depends on the number of slides you have, but a standard 16GB USB drive costs around $20.
Choose which delivery model works best for you. You want to convert slides to digital files and store them in a way they won’t get lost.
Can I add other forms of media to my order?
Our team at Memory Fortress is able to digitize a variety of files, photos, prints, scrapbooks, and videos. You should not limit your order to your old slides. You do not need to create a separate order for each media file that you have. In fact, combining all of your old media into one project and a single order can help you save money on shipping and your digital delivery costs.
Use our guides to discover other forms of older media that could be hidden throughout your house so no videotape, film roll, or photo is forgotten.
Contact Memory Fortress Today
Photos fade over time and it’s surprising that slides from past decades have lasted this long. If you are ready to modernize your slides and preserve them for future generations, contact our team at Memory Fortress. We regularly convert slides to digital files and return them to our customers in good condition. Start your order today.
We digitize everything right here at our facility in metro Atlanta, processed by US citizens.