Slide Scanning - FotoBridge Review

Got the goods, but first I must remind you that I am not being paid, nor was I asked to do this review. I am just really happy with my customer experience with FotoBridge and wanted to tell you about them. I did receive a discount for my first order.

Tonight I popped the FotoBridge CD into my computer. Two folders were available:

As I suspected it contained the JPEG and web ready images. The JPEG folder was 1.8 GB and the Web Images folder was 88.7 MB. 

Plugging in the hard drive, I found the TIFF Images folder, which contained 9.06 GB of data:

FotoBridge scanned a group of five slides at the three different dpi options they offer; 2000, 3000 and 4000 so that I could compare them here on The Scrappy Genealogist.

2000 dpi

3000 dpi

4000 dpi

This picture of me is one that I don't remember seeing before now, but it is significantly even cosmically sentimental to me. I started to tell you the story about this tree on the first day of my blog, but now I have photographic evidence that I got a few of those details wrong. More on that another day.

Here are closeups of each photo, cropped with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, to make the comparison a bit easier:

2000 dpi

3000 dpi

4000 dpi

All three scans are crisp and clean with great color. I blew them all way up on my computer screen and you can even see my freckles. The only difference I can really find between them is that I think it would be possible to make larger prints from the larger files. That said, you can print a good 8 by 10 from the 2000 dpi file. As I mentioned here, I ordered the 3000 dpi version and I am satisfied with that, but next time I would probably go with the 2000 dpi. It looks sufficient to me and FotoBridge says as much on their website. What do you think?

These 500 new images are going to keep me busy for a while. I want to get them filed, show them to my kids and my husband, send some to my sister and cousins and share some of them with all of you too! Meanwhile, I am already thinking about which other slides I want to get scanned. Plus, I will be filing the slides that have come back in storage sleeves. I am just not ready to purge them yet. 

Hope this review was helpful.

Scrappy Gen

Let's Remember!

Tech Tuesday - Slide Scanning - Got the Goods

The package of scanned slides from FotoBridge is in my hands. They were quick! Just about three weeks. Here is what I sent them: 

Here is what they sent me:

All of my careful slide groupings came back intact. I did NOT expect an external hard drive. This must have the TIFF format images on it. Perhaps the CD has the JPG and web ready images. 

What? Scrappy Gen, you haven't looked at the slide scans yet? Yes and no. I have had a sneak peak online at SmugMug where FotoBridge uploaded lower resolution versions of the scans, but I have not looked at the CD or external hard drive they sent. While I trust FotoBridge, any new item you add to your computer could carry a virus. It is good to be cautious and make sure you have a recent backup in place prior to making any additions or changes.

Luckily today is the first of the month and I received a reminder that it is Data Backup Day, courtesy of Geneabloggers. Before I load the new images onto my computer, I am off to perform my backups and do a little computer housekeeping. 

Later today I will let you know whether or not I am satisfied with the quality of the images from the scanned slides. From what I have seen so far, it looks like my review will be positive.

Happy Tuesday!

Scrappy Gen

Let's Remember!

Tech Tuesday: Organizing and Packing Slides for Shipment - FotoBridge

This is an informative blogpost from FotoBridge about how to sort, label and pack your slides for shipping. If your slides are already organized or labeled, it would certainly make sense to send that labeling along with your order. FotoBridge will then label your digital files accordingly.

The slides I sent were in separate groups according to decade, but if I had known FotoBridge would provide this level of organization, I would have included a bit more description to each group. Read this blogpost for more detail and don't forget that FotoBridge is offering readers of The Scrappy Genealogist a ten percent discount. Just use the code "scrappy10" when you place your order.

Organizing and Packing Slides for Shipment FotoBridge Blog

Happy Tuesday!

Scrappy Gen

Let's Remember!

Slide Scanning - FotoBridge - Getting them ready!

Do you feel like you are swimming in 35mm slides? Depending on how many you have, it can feel like drowning. Or it may just be that you have no idea what to do with them. Here is what M.J. brought back for me the other night: 

Not too overwhelming. This is just a tiny fraction of Bubba's slides, so if you are dealing with boxes and boxes, I feel your pain. My sister and I spent a long weekend viewing and sorting most of roughly 10,000 slides. These are the slides that were sorted into the 'pictures of Scrappy Gen' pile. There is also a baggie labeled 'Garden', which includes slides of Bubba and Grandma's magical, mystical backyard. Today I am packing all of these up to send to FotoBridge for scanning.

Packaging slides is a relatively easy process. The most difficult part was the counting. :) For each group of slides I counted them, counted them again and secured them in stacks with elastic bands. Fifty was the max I felt comfortable putting in one stack. Here are some of my stacks ready to be put in baggies and boxed: 

Because the slides were already sorted by year, I chose to package each year individually. FotoBridge will send them back in their original groupings if you indicate that you would like this done in the notes section of your order. 

Once your slides are packed, it's time to place your order. Be sure to take a look at the packages before you start choosing and packing your slides. Packages range from 250 to 10,000 slides.

My first order has 500 slides. I am upgrading to the 'Gold' package, slides scanned at 3000dpi instead of 2000, and am adding the TIFF files. Even with the TIFF option added, the service is still reasonable when you consider how much time I will save by not having to tinker with each slide. My package will then arrive with three formats; jpg, tiff and web ready, perfect for uploading to The Scrappy Genealogist. :) 

Time to go to the post office and send these babies off. 

Happy Sunny Thursday! 


Scrappy Gen
Let's Remember!