Discovering a box of forgotten slides, full of family memories, can be a magical moment. However, if these are slides you have acquired or that you simply haven’t watched in a very long time, you may be wondering what to do with them. The chances are that you no longer have the right equipment to view them and the slides may need a little TLC before they can be played.
Before you start hunting down a slide projector, you might want to consider a service that can convert slides to digital. Not only will you be able to watch your slides at the touch of a button on any device, but you will also be able to share them with friends and family and protect your originals.
If that all sounds a little daunting, don’t worry. By entrusting your cherished memories to a professional conversion company, you’ll soon be able to enjoy those special moments in digital format for many years to come.
What Does the Conversion Process Look Like?
There are a number of ways to convert slides to digital and the best results will always be achieved with professional equipment and expert knowledge. Whether you own Ektachrome, Fujichrome, or Kodachrome slides, it is possible to scan each slide and convert it to a high-definition, versatile format that can be viewed and shared over and over without any degradation in quality.
Before the scanning process takes place, it is important to remove any surface dust that has accumulated over time. Even the smallest dust particle can appear very large when an image is scanned and spoil the overall effect, so it is important to ensure a pristine surface before scanning begins. This is achieved by using a bulb blower or compressed air blower to gently blow away any loose dust that is present. The slide will be thoroughly inspected to ensure it is ready for the scanning process.
The scanning process involves placing the slides onto a special scanner that captures the image and converts it to a digital format in high definition. You can choose for your slides to be converted to digital files on a USB stick, copied to CD or DVD, or a combination of these formats. It is also possible to request batches of slides to be sorted into named folders of your choosing, which is perfect for when you need to access an image fast or organize a large and diverse collection.
The Benefits of Converting to Digital
By converting your 35mm slides to a digital format, you free your hidden memories from their dark and dusty box and make them easily accessible and shareable. From family photos and vacations to special birthdays and candid moments, there are many benefits to converting your slides to digital format.
Accessibility and sharing: Let’s say you want to view your slide images on a range of devices, including your mobile phone, your computer, and your tablet. You also want to be able to share these digital images with others. By converting to a digital format you can do all of these things easily, at a touch of a button and whenever the mood takes you. Being able to relive those precious memories over and over and without dragging out cumbersome equipment is a great feeling.
Obsolete equipment: While it is still possible to lay your hands on slide projection equipment, there will be a time when these items become harder and harder to find. By converting your slides to digital format now, you can ensure they are accessible to future generations on a wide range of modern devices.
Convert your way: You can also choose to convert your slides into CDs or DVDs. These formats take up much less space than boxes of 35mm slides and are much more durable. These formats also make great ways to gift a collection of slides.
Using a Professional Conversion Service
When you consider how precious your slide memories are, it makes sense to ensure they are preserved to the highest standard and without any risk to the original copies.
A professional conversion service will give you complete peace of mind that not only your digital copies will be presented in the best possible quality, but that the original slides will be returned to you in the condition in which they were received.
Choosing a local company as opposed to a big-box service offers much more than convenience. With a smaller company, you can receive status updates and speak directly with the technician handling your slides.
Whether you have a handful of slides or boxes of slides that require conversion, a professional service will ensure they are transferred to the format of your choice quickly and to the very highest standard.
Relive Those Special Memories Today
Thanks to modern technology, it is now possible to enjoy the images from the past on the devices of the present. When you convert slides to digital, you revive those memories and make them accessible to everybody regardless of their location or viewing preferences.
Don’t let those memories gather dust when they could be liberated with digital conversion. The process is fast, safe and effective and will ensure your special moments from the past are preserved for you, your family and future generations to enjoy.