Handing over a box of family photographs takes trust. The pictures cannot be replaced, and the quality of the scans decides what you can do with them for decades. Services differ a great deal, and the cheapest quote is rarely the best one. These ten questions help you compare them fairly.
1. What exactly happens to my originals?
Ask who handles them, where they are kept and how they are returned. You want to hear that originals are handled by hand, stay in a safe place and come back to you in the order you sent them. Be careful with any service that sends originals through an automatic feeder, which can bend, scratch or jam fragile prints.
2. What resolution do you scan at, and can I choose?
A good service explains the options and recommends a setting based on your originals, not one fixed number for everything. The guide to choosing a scanning resolution shows what the numbers mean. For film and slides, expect a much higher figure than for prints.
3. What files do I receive?
Ask for the format, the size and the naming. A master file in TIFF and a smaller JPEG copy is a sensible pair. Ask whether the files are named and numbered in a way you can use, and whether they come in the same order as the originals.
4. Do you clean and correct the scans?
Some services deliver the raw scan. Others remove dust, correct faded colour and straighten the picture. Both are valid, but you should know which you are buying. If your photographs are faded or damaged, a scan that is corrected, or that is made with restoration in mind, is a better starting point. See photo restoration.
5. How do you handle fragile or stuck photographs?
A careful service asks about prints in albums, photos stuck to glass and brittle film before it quotes. If a service never asks about condition, it is probably treating everything the same way.
6. How is the price calculated?
Look for a clear unit: per print, per frame, per slide or per project. Ask whether the price includes cleaning, colour correction and file delivery. Ask about volume discounts. A price that looks low may leave out the parts that matter. See how units and discounts are listed on the pricing page.
7. How long will it take?
Ask for a date, not a range. For large collections, ask whether the work is done in batches and whether you can see the first batch before the rest. A service that cannot give a turnaround is a service that has not planned your job.
8. How will my files be delivered and stored?
Look for a secure download, not an attachment that expires. Ask how long the files are kept on the service’s own systems, and whether they are deleted when the job ends. Your family photographs are private, and they should stay that way.
9. What happens if something goes wrong?
Ask what the service does if an original is damaged or lost. The honest answer is a clear policy, written into the quote. For parcels sent by post, ask how they are tracked and insured, and who pays for return shipping. The guide to mailing photos and film safely covers the packing side.
10. Can I talk to the person who does the work?
A small, personal service lets you describe your collection to the person who will scan it, and lets them ask you questions. That conversation is often the best sign of care.
Local, by post or online?
A local service lets you hand over your photographs in person and collect them when they are done. A postal service gives you more choice, but your originals travel. Scanning with me happens in Smoky Lake, and you can either drop the photographs off or post them to me with Canada Post, with the terms agreed in writing first.
Related guides
To prepare your collection, read how to prepare photos and film for scanning. To try it yourself first, see how to scan old photos at home. To keep the files safe afterwards, read how to preserve a family photo archive.
Ask me these questions
I am happy to answer every one of them. Tell me about your collection, and I reply with a plan, a quote and a turnaround. You can request a scanning quote here, read about print scanning, and call, email or message me using the details at the bottom of this page.
