We don’t feed your photos through a machine. Every print, slide, and negative is scanned on a professional flatbed, carefully, one at a time. It takes longer. It costs a little more. It’s also the only way to scan delicate old prints without risking damage — and the only way to get consistent, high-quality results across a collection that spans 60 years of photo technology.
Most mail-in photo services ("shoebox scanning") use high-speed feed scanners that pull photos through a roller mechanism, one after another. It\u2019s fast, it\u2019s cheap, and for flat modern prints on good paper stock, it\u2019s acceptable. For anything older or fragile, it\u2019s a gamble. Here\u2019s the actual tradeoff.
If your collection is entirely modern prints (post-2000), on standard 4×6 paper, in perfect condition, and you’re scanning several thousand photos on a tight budget, a feed-based service (Legacybox, ScanMyPhotos, ScanCafe) can be a reasonable choice. The quality will be lower, but nothing is likely to break. The moment your collection includes anything older, irregular, or delicate, flatbed becomes the only responsible option.
Two tiers across all formats: Standard (1200 DPI, auto color and dust, JPEG) and Preservation (2400 DPI, manual color correction, manual dust and scratch repair, TIFF + JPEG with metadata). Slides and negatives carry a small per-unit surcharge for the additional film holder workflow.
The everyday tier. Color prints, black-and-white prints, polaroids, instant prints — anything up to 8×10. 1200 DPI flatbed scan with automated color correction, automated dust removal, and JPEG delivery. Good for digitizing a collection you want to view, share, and back up.
Double the resolution, manual per-image color correction, manual dust and scratch repair, manual crease repair where possible. TIFF + JPEG delivery with embedded metadata. The right tier for irreplaceable family photos, faded or damaged prints, or anything you may want to print again at original size.
Kodachrome, Ektachrome, Fujichrome, generic 35mm slides, and 35mm negative strips. Each unit is removed from its mount or strip if needed, cleaned, and scanned with a dedicated film holder. Per-unit surcharge above the photo rate covers the additional film handling workflow.
Same Preservation processing as photos, with the slide/negative film holder workflow. Manual per-image color correction (especially valuable for faded slides or color-shifted Kodachrome), manual dust and scratch repair, color negative inversion handled correctly. TIFF + JPEG with metadata.
For bound albums where photos are attached to pages. We can either scan the pages flat (if photos are loose or behind clear sleeves) or carefully remove, scan, and replace each photo. Priced at the per-photo Standard or Preservation rate of your tier choice; album assessment included.
Larger prints (wedding portraits, school photos, certificates, framed pieces removed from frames) require flatbed large-format scanning or segmented capture with digital stitching. Each project is quoted individually based on size, count, and condition.
We also handle medium format negatives (120 film), 4×5 sheet film, 110 pocket film, Kodak disc film, and unusual print sizes. If you have something that doesn’t fit the standard categories above, describe it in your inquiry and we’ll quote it individually.
Photo scanning isn't as dramatic as film scanning, but the care matters. Here's what happens between shipping your photos in and getting the files back.
Every package is counted and photographed at intake. If your photos arrived in albums, envelopes, or boxes in a specific order, we preserve and document that order. Nothing is rearranged without asking.
Compressed-air dust removal. Fragile prints set aside for extra care. Albums evaluated for the best scanning approach (flat scanning vs careful removal). You’re notified if we find anything concerning.
Flatbed scanning at specified resolution. Each batch is preview-reviewed before the actual scan pass. Color-corrected in batches based on film stock and era.
Files named sequentially within each album/envelope/group. Delivered via Vault. Originals packed in the same order and returned by tracked shipping.
Both tiers scan on the same flatbed scanner. The difference is the output resolution, color profile, and file format. For most family collections, Standard is enough. Preservation matters if you're planning to reprint, restore, or submit to an archive.
$0.85/photo · $1.15/slide or negative
$1.25/photo · $1.55/slide or negative
1200 DPI captures roughly 4800×7200 pixels from a 4×6 print — enough detail for any digital use, sharing, digital photo frames, basic reprinting up to original size. 2400 DPI captures 9600×14400 pixels from the same print — enough detail to crop, enlarge 2 — 3× for reprinting, or restore damaged areas pixel by pixel. For slides and negatives, we scan at 2000 — 4000 DPI because the source is much smaller.
Two tiers across all photo formats, with a small per-unit surcharge for slides and negatives (covers the additional film holder workflow). No bulk discount on photos — per-unit pricing already reflects efficient scaling. Orders of 2,000+ units use a custom workflow with project-specific pricing.
| Service | Standard | Preservation | Includes at Preservation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photos (up to 8×10) | $0.85/photo | $1.25/photo | 2400 DPI, manual per-image color correction, manual dust & scratch repair, TIFF + JPEG with embedded metadata |
| 35mm slides | $1.15/slide | $1.55/slide | Same Preservation processing as photos, with film holder workflow. Manual color especially valuable for faded Kodachrome/Ektachrome. |
| 35mm negatives | $1.15/frame | $1.55/frame | Color negative inversion handled correctly, manual color and dust repair. Preservation tier is the right call for negatives — the inversion math benefits from manual review. |
| Photo albums | Per-photo rate | Priced at the per-photo Standard or Preservation rate of your tier choice. Album assessment included; we can scan flat or carefully remove and replace. | |
| Large format / oversize (11×14+) | Quoted | Flatbed large-format or stitched capture. Each project quoted individually based on size, count, and condition. | |
| Bulk orders (2,000+ units) | Quoted | Large collections use a custom workflow with project-specific pricing. Use the inquiry form for an accurate quote. | |
Order minimum (photos): $85 (scanning + H&P, before output media and shipping). Below the minimum, we offer a tier upgrade to Preservation first; if declined, we top up to $85 with an honest line item.
Photo handling & prep: $30 base + $5 per 100 units (rounded up). Covers intake, condition assessment, cleaning, organization, and QC. A 100-photo order pays $35; a 300-photo order pays $45; a 1,000-photo order pays $80.
Shipping: at-cost both ways on FedEx/UPS commercial account, with insurance bundled at the greater of order value or $2,500. Photos are light — typical 200-photo order ships for ~$16–24 each direction.
Mixed orders: each service line (film, tapes, photos) has its own H&P fee — the work really is separate. But everything ships together as one shipment with one Vault subscription.
Every order includes organized digital files in your Vault (free for the first year), return of your originals, and the option to add USB or SSD backup at delivery.
Stream and download from any device, share with family. Sequentially named files grouped by album, envelope, or batch — preserved in the order you sent them.
USB 128 GB ($65), 512 GB ($129), or 1 TB ($189). SSD 2 TB at market + $75. BYO drive option at $45 loading fee. Most photo-only orders fit on the smallest USB.
EXIF metadata embedded (scan date, scanner model, color profile, resolution). Optional captions/dates/locations you provide get tagged into the files.
The questions that come up most often about flatbed photo scanning.
Whether you have 50 photos in an envelope or a thousand prints in boxes, we’ll scan them the right way — one at a time, on a flatbed, with a human paying attention.