SLIDES
Digitizing Your Slides
Slides and photographs capture a moment in your past “as it happened” seen through the eyes of those who witnessed it. It is likely that you or a close relative have a shoebox full of photographic slides full of these captured moments. Those moments can’t be enjoyed or shared when they are sitting in a box collecting dust on the top shelf of a closet.
Slides and photographs capture a moment in your past “as it happened” seen through the eyes of those who witnessed it. It is likely that you or a close relative have a shoebox full of photographic slides full of these captured moments. Those moments can’t be enjoyed or shared when they are sitting in a box collecting dust on the top shelf of a closet.
Slides Offer Quality Digitization
Slides show exactly what was captured on film without losing any detail that might be lost in printing the photo. They differ from photo negatives in that they do not need to have the polarity “swapped” after digitization. If you hold the slide to the light, you will see the image in full color, and in crisp, although very small, detail.
Because of this, slides provide accurate color translation when digitizing, and in general, slide film produces much more vibrant colors than negative film. Slide film, also known as “color reversal” film offers lively colors, contrast, sharpness, and really fine grain. Once digitized, you can explore the captured moments in your "My History Archive", create prints, post on social media, or share with friends and family.
Believe it or not, you can even create a digital show from your slides...after all, there is a good reason they call it a slideshow.
What Kind Of Slides Do You Have?
Digitizing Your 35mm Slides
Starting at only $0.40 per slide
The most common film format for photo negatives is 35mm. 35mm cameras were the first mass-produced cameras, made affordable enough to be purchased by nearly anyone, making photography accessible to the masses. The frame of the camera was large enough to capture an incredible amount of detail, yet compact enough to be easily carried on a strap, unlike it’s larger, bulkier cousins that utilized medium or large format film.
We scan a wide range of slide formats, but chances are that the slides in that shoebox are 35mm slides, as they were the “standard” format between 1960 and the late 70s. The small pieces of film were housed in either a plastic or cardboard frame and measure approximately 2” X 2”. There are also “half-frame” 35mm film, 126 films, 127 films, 127 “super slides", and 110 film slides that have the same 2” X 2” slides, however the image sizes housed within the frame vary in size.
Choose The Right Resolution
Between 600 - 1200 DPI
Only $0.40 per slide
Digitizing your slides at a resolution between 600 and 1200 DPI is often more than sufficient for most people’s needs. It is a budget-friendly solution resulting in digital files that are perfect for social media and viewing on phones, tablets, and computers. Since the quality of the slide, and depending on if the slide is in color or black and white are often unknown, we will evaluate them when they arrive at our facility to determine the best scanning resolution between 600 DPI and 1200 DPI.
Between 1200 - 2400 DPI
Only $0.75 Per Slide
We recommend digitizing your slides between 1200 and 2400 DPI as it represents the best balance of quality, file size, and flexibility. When scanned at a resolution of up to 2400 DPI, you are able to create high-quality prints up to 6”x9”. Since the quality of the slide could vary, and depending on if the slide is in color or black and white, we will evaluate them when they arrive at our facility to determine the best scanning resolution between 1200 and 2400 DPI.
Between 2400 - 4000 DPI
Only $1.25 Per Slide
If you require a high-resolution scan for archival purposes, we recommend scanning the images at a resolution of 4000 DPI, which provides the maximum detail needed for enlarging, editing, and printing. Due to the large file sizes, and slower loading times when viewed, digital images with larger resolutions will be downsampled to 1200 DPI to view within your “My History Archive”. However, we will send you the original higher quality image that has been scanned, as well as back up the full resolution image on our servers.
Digitizing Your Less Common Slide Formats
We also can digitize any of the less common slides you may have, including large and medium format slides, as well as fragile glass slides.
Digitizing Your Medium Format Slides
Only $2.50 per slide
Widely used in the first half of the 20th century, medium format cameras produced slides that are nearly 4X the size of a standard 35mm slide. The larger size allows for more detail and when digitized, offers superior quality. They can be enlarged and printed with little worry of losing quality.
Digitizing Your Glass Case Slides
Only $1.50 per frame
Some medium format slides are encased in a double layer of glass to protect the film from contaminants, scratches, and mildew. The glass slides may or may not have a protective metal rim. Since the film sandwiched between the glass can vary, we will evaluate them when they arrive at our facility, and they will be scanned at the resolution best suited to the quality and dimensions of the slides.
To avoid scratching or breaking the protective glass, extra care is given to the handling of the slides, including only handling them with glove hands, gently cleaning the surface, and carefully scanning them individually on specialized equipment.
Digitizing Large Format Slides
Only $3.75 Per Slide
Medium and large format slides & film look very much the same but for the size. Much like medium format slides, large format slides capture a great amount of detail, making for quality reprints and enlargements when digitized. At 4” X 5”, these slides are also known as “sheet film”
We also have the equipment and experience to digitize almost every slide, both common and uncommon, you might have in your collection.
This includes 35mm and 35mm half-frame slides, 110mm format slides, 120 medium format slides, 126 “Instamatic” slides, 127 slides and 127 “Super slides,” 1” x 1” slides, 110 slides, common 2” x 2” framed slides, 110 slides, large format slide transparencies, Airequipt slides, Advantix film, glass slides, and even old “3D” or “Stereo” slides
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is There A Way To “Guess” At The Number Of Slides I Have?
A good way to “guesstimate” the number of slides you might have is to measure how many inches of the slides there are. One inch of photos equates to roughly 20 slides.
If counting the exact number of photos seems like a daunting task, you can estimate the volume. If you underestimate the quantity, we will contact you to discuss options to complete the project, or find a logical stopping point.
If you overestimate the quantity, we will provide you with a credit for the difference that can be applied to a future order, allowing you to add more material to your archive, or it can be applied to your "My History Archive" subscription.
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My Slides Are Stored In The Carousels Used On My Slide Projector, Do I Need To Remove Them?
No, you do not. You can ship your slides in carousels or slide displays
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I Have Both Photos And Slides, Which Will Produce The Best Image?
When choosing a format digitize from, always select the earliest generation of the material available. In the case of photographic materials, if the negatives are available they will not only provide a higher quality image, but they are easier to organize, and often less expensive to scan.
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What Slide Formats Can I Digitize?
- 35mm (135 slides)
- 35mm half-frame slides
- 110mm format slides
- 120 medium format slides
- 126 “Instamatic” slides
- 127 slides
- 127 “super slides”
- 1” x 1” 110 slides
- 2” x 2” 110 slides
- Old “3D” or “Stereo” slides
- Large format slide transparencies
- Airequipt slides
- Advantix film
- Glass slides
- Almost any additional format you can think of!
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Do I Have To Label Each Slide Individually?
It is completely up to you. The archive can be as detailed or as simple as you would like to make it. If you would like us to scan batches of items with the same title or description, we make that simple too. Just add the identifier label to the grouping photos and add a single title to your spreadsheet.
Any item in that grouping will share the same title and associated data but scanned in sequential order. The files will be appended with a page, photo, or video number.
For instance: A group of photos from a family trip to Florida may be labeled as “Our Trip To Orlando, June 1977, Photo 1”, “Our Trip To Orlando, June 1977, Photo 2”, etc.
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How Can I Access My Digital Slides?
You can access your digital archive from anywhere you can connect to the internet via your own "My History Archive". You will be able to explore the past on Apple devices like the iPhone or iPad, Android-based phones and tablets, Kindle Fires, computers running Windows, Macs, Chromebooks, and streaming devices for your TV.
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How Many Slides Is A "My History Archive" limited to?
As many as you want to add! There is no limit to the amount of history you can add or the size of your collection.
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What Type Of File Will You Send Me?
You can request either a JPEG or TIFF, and additional image formats will be created and used for viewing online
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Do I Own My Digital Images?
Yes, this is your history, and you retain all ownership rights. We will not sell, use, or feature your digital files without your expressed written consent.
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Can I Edit My Photos From My DVD, USB, or Hard drive?
Of course. These are your images to do with them as you see fit. They are not copy protected and can be edited with whatever software you have available.
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Can I Share My History With Others?
Yes. We have created tools that allow you to share your digital files, or clip portions of articles or photos for use in social media posts, blogs, or to email or share over a text. You also have the ability to create a Discoveries gallery that will allow you to create collections that you can send a link to the files you have curated through tagging.
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Is There A Backup Of My Archive?
As part of your "My History Archive" subscription, we will maintain backups of your digital collections on our secure servers. You may request a copy of your archive be sent to you in the event your DVD, HDD, or flash drive has been lost or damaged. You will only be charged for the replacement media.
Is Your Past Fading?
By creating a digital copy of the recorded accounts of your history, you capture the past in a format that is not susceptible to the same risk factors as your analog collection. If you don’t digitize the documents and recordings, you risk losing everything to the passage of time.
When you digitize your collection, not only will it help you preserve the original materials when you make them available online it will also allow you to share your collection, and connect others to your history as well. After all, your History Is Everything
The Past Into The Present
Old books, letters, journals, yearbooks, and family history research documents contain bits and pieces of your past. When viewed collectively, they tell a story of who you are and where you came from. Without a doubt, you have a stash of family photos or albums taking up space on a bookshelf or hidden away in a hope chest. Somewhere, someone in your family has a box of old photos, negatives, or slides collecting dust in a closet.
There might be a storage box tucked away in your basement that holds a scrapbook of newspaper clippings of your high school athletic achievements, and maybe a yearbook or two.
You might possibly have a small shoebox of grandma’s index cards with her recipes written out in her own handwriting. Letters, military records, family genealogy records, old concert tickets, a showbill from your first play, home movies...all excerpts of your history, recorded in countless formats, stored out of sight in the nooks and crannies of your home.
Each piece of this personal history provides a clue as to what makes you, you. Each piece offers insight into the people, places, and events that shaped your life, your family, and your community.
Shipping & Packing Tips
You can ship us your loose slides in sandwich bags, albums, trays, or even projector carousels. Your slides will be scanned in the manner best suited to provide an image quality that allows for access and accurate reproduction of the photograph’s tonality.
We will send you sturdy boxes and prepaid return shipping labels once you place your order online. You will also receive a copy of your order, identifying labels, and instructions on matching your identifier labels to the identifier worksheet.
Why Should We Be Entrusted With Your History?
History Is Everything is a division of Advantage Archives, a trusted partner of libraries, museums, educational institutions, government agencies, non-profit organizations, historical societies, and genealogical organizations across the United States, providing free access to historical content, including 110M newspaper pages and documents, dating as far back as 17th century.
We make these valuable collections free to access by the community through an online digital archive platform: The Community History Archives. historical documents that were previously limited in their availability.
This is YOUR History
Preserve It!
The history documented in the pictures, papers, slides, negatives, and recordings you have accumulated over the years represents your personal history. You may not realize it, but that history is fading away a little bit each day. Your photos, home movies, documents, and slides are losing their color, beginning to become brittle, and losing the battle in the war against time. By creating a digital copy of the recorded accounts of your history, you capture the past in a format that is not susceptible to the same risk factors as your analog collection.
Archive It!
The "My History Archive" is an online hosting, search platform, and access tools that power your archive, transforming your collection of files into an archive that can be explored for new discoveries, or for reliving old memories. You can share what you discover with others, and connect with your past in a way you could not with a box of old photos, a scrapbook of clippings, or a DVD of pictures. As more people create open "My History Archive"s a network of free genealogical tools will emerge, allowing for “crowdsourcing” of your family history research.
Share It!
Family history does not need to be locked behind a paywall or exclusively available via a prohibitively expensive subscription service. This is YOUR history, and you can share it with anyone you choose, at any time, and on any device. You can also explore, clip, and share information you find on any "My History Archive" that an owner has made available to use as a free resource for others, or leverage the hundreds of free Community History Archives created by libraries, genealogical societies, heritage centers, and other institutions across the country.
Protecting Your Past
As part of your subscription to your "My History Archive", we will maintain backups of your digital collections on our secure servers. You may request a copy of your archive be sent to you in the event your DVD, HDD, the flash drive has been lost or damaged. You will only be charged for the replacement media. You can also make as many duplicates as you would like of the DVD or flash drive, so you can make extra backups or create a copy to share with family and friends.
Your History, Your Way
At no charge, we will provide your choice of either a set of DVDs or an 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB USB flash drive containing your complete archive, allowing you to view the images or videos on your DVD player, or upload them to your favorite photo management cloud service. We also offer an optional 500GB or 1TB USB hard drives that can be purchased for larger collections.
Contact Us
Do you have any questions? We’re here to help. Our Customer Advocates are standing by to answer any questions you may have. We’re looking forward to connecting with you!
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Grow Your Archive
Your personal history isn’t doesn’t begin or end with a single document, book, or the research that was put into developing a family tree. Your history has been recorded in countless formats over the years, from letters, photos, and video, to old family recipes, journals, and newspaper clippings. Not only is it impractical to organize and access your physical original materials, handling them too often leads to damage and eventually, loss. Photos can tear, fade, or discolor. Videos and film can become brittle and crack or break, it is easy to scratch, and plastic cassettes are not as durable as you might think. Paper is fragile, making it vulnerable, and at risk of being lost to the ravages of time.
The originals should be stored properly for safekeeping and handled as little as possible. Fortunately, preserving the original materials does not mean you can’t have access to them. On the contrary, you have the option of making them more accessible than ever before. By digitizing your past, and creating a "My History Archive", you will be able to explore, view, and share your collection from anywhere in the world, at any time, using an Apple iPad, iPhone, Android phone or tablet, computer, Mac, Chromebook, or even a smart TV.
We can archive:
Printed Photos, Slides, Photo Negatives, Scrapbooks, Family History Books, Yearbooks, Journals, Diaries, Family Trees, Genealogical Research, Annuals, Census Records, Local History Books, Programs, Cookbooks, Newsletters, Record Books, Ledgers, Meeting Minutes, Directories, Manuscripts, Visitor Books, Muster Rolls, Documents, Marriage Certificates, Birth Announcements, Obituaries, Death Notices, Children’s Artwork, Postcards, Church Records, Correspondence, Handouts, Recipe Cards, Newspapers, Clippings, Memorabilia, Military Records, Drawings, Awards, Index Cards, Maps, Meeting Minutes, Heritage Collections, Property Records, Abstracts, Schedules, Bulletins, Immigration Records, Public Announcements, Transcripts, Oral Histories, Greeting Cards, Home Movies, Microfilm, Digital Photos...
...and almost anything else you can think of!
Additionally, you can leverage the hundreds of free Community History Archives created by libraries, genealogical societies, heritage centers, and other institutions across the country. We have made it simple to clip articles or other sections of documents and add them to your "My History Archive" with just a few clicks. You can also explore, clip, and share information you find on any "My History Archive" that an owner has made available to use as a free resource for others.