FAQs
Is my media sent overseas for processing?
No, your media is processed locally in Cherry Hill, NJ.
Do you offer pickup services?
Yes, as part of our media concierge service, we do offer local pickup services in the immediate South Jersey area.
What equipment do you use for Photos?
For Photos, we utilize a state of the art Kodak scanner specifically designed for handling fragile photos. The Kodak PS410 Picture Saver system includes the Kodak Perfect Touch technology to enhance newer pictures and restore older ones by reversing the fade and improving contrast and color balance. This scanner is a bulk photo scanner however it has a ‘straight pass through’ and is designed to handle fragile photos. This is not similar to a document feeder. However, if needed for extremely fragile, small, large, or oddly shaped photos, we also have a high quality flatbed scanner from Mustek.
What Media do you use to save my files on?
Most companies provide your photos on DVD-R or DVD+R media that they pick up at the local store or whatever is on sale at the time. DVD Recordable media is not created equal, and therefore we have opted to go with the MAM-A 24 Kt. Gold Archive Grade DVD-R media. This media is specifically designed for ‘archive’ purposes, and is far superior to regular DVD recordable silver media. The MAM-A Gold DVD-R discs have a life expectancy rating in excess of 100 years if handled properly.
What is the printed color index booklet?
The printed color index booklet is a bound color print out of all your photos on the disc. The photos are resized into small thumbnail images with the filename underneath. Each Disc gets its own printed index booklet.
What resolution should I scan my photos at? 300 dpi or 600 dpi?
This is probably the most asked question and unfortunately there isn’t a better answer then ‘it depends’. We recommend 600dpi as this is considered the best resolution to scan photos, however the increased resolution increases the scan time and file size and thus the cost, so we do offer both resolutions as an option for our clients.
1. 300dpi Standard SCAN: This quality is standard for most purposes, and perfect for getting your scans digitized and sharing online. If you plan on printing and enlarging your photos, then we recommend you look at the premier scan (600dpi).
2. 600dpi Premier SCAN: This scanning method doubles the resolution from the standard scan. This is beneficial if you plan on printing or enlarging the photo to a size greater than its original size. This resolution also benefits photos that may be of higher quality, such as professional photos.
Can I get some photos scanned at 300dpi and others at 600dpi?
Yes, you can, but you will need to separate and indicate it so we know.
I have a lot of photos in albums, can you scan them?
Yes we are able to scan photos that are in albums, but there is an additional charge for this service. We currently provide 2 levels of service, the Basic and Premier.
1. Basic Photo Album Service: The photo technician will remove the photos from your album. Basic service does not include putting the photos back into the album.
2. Premier Photo Album Service: The photo technician will remove the photos from your album and put them back into the album.
Why do you not offer Red-Eye Removal?
Red Eye removal cannot be done accurately and efficiently at this time. Once you have your photos in digital format, you can use any photo editing software to manually remove redeye at your discretion. To keep our pricing competitive and get them back quickly, we simply cannot offer this service at this time.
I have notes on the back of my photos I would also like to capture, can you do that?
Yes, this is included in all Photo Scanning Services. If there are notes on the back, they will be scanned as well.
What equipment do you use for Slide Scanning?
Most companies use the Nikon CoolScan 5000 or 9000 ED scanner, however these scanners have been discontinued and unsupported for years. We have invested in a newer scanner product from Pacific Image Electronics called the Powerslide 5000. This was recently released and offers more support and updates. The scanner has an optical resolution of 5000x5000 dpi at 48bit. The Powerslide 5000 has built in Infrared LED which is used to correct for Dust/Scratches.
What Resolution Should I Choose for Slide Scanning?
We recommend 4000dpi. We believe scanning above 4000dpi is not necessary, but is offered for certain projects. If cost is a concern we offer a 3000dpi scan which is a high resolution scan providing quality enlargements up to 10” x 14”. Our equipment does have an optical resolution capable of 5000dpi, but this increases file size and scan time dramatically, and is thus only recommended for certain situations where you will be enlarging/printing above 12” x 19”.
Do I have to go through and orient the slides all to the same direction?
No, during our scanning process we will fix the orientation.
What Slide Types do you Scan?
Answer: 35mm, 35mm “Half”, 110, 126, and 127
Does your slide scanning equipment remove dust and scratches?
Yes, we use state of the art scanning equipment that utilizes infrared technology that detects dust and minor scratches to ensure the best possible scan. We can’t guarantee that every scratch will be removed, but the technology works extremely well and the final image is must better.
Can I get an additional disc that has file sizes easier to uploading to social media?
Yes. We call this a File Reduction Disc. File sizes range from 2-10mb per file which most social media websites accept, however upload times may be longer. If a reduction disc is purchased, we provide you with another Data DVD with the scan resolution DPI digitally reduced to 1200dpi (resulting in 150-350kb file sizes). This makes it easier to email and share these pictures online.
Can you scan my slides in the TIFF File format instead of JPG?
Yes, we can output your files to uncompressed TIFF files, however there will be an additional fee for this service. As this is only needed for specific situations, please inquire if interested in this scan setting. Please note that uncompressed TIFF Files can get extremely large and will most likely need to be stored on an external hard drive, either provided by you or purchased as an additional charge.
What formats can you convert to dvd?
We can currently convert VHS, VHS-C, Mini-DV, Hi-8, Digital 8 to DVD.
How much footage can fit on a dvd?
You can fit around 2hours of video on a DVD.
Do you transfer 8mm/Super 8/16mm Film Reels or BetaMax?
We offer this service through a third party vendor with whom we have partnered. At this time, R3 does not have the equipment to digitize Film Reels or BetaMax on site in our NJ office. R3 will however facilitate and coordinate the shipping of the tapes for you to our partner (U.S. Based) who will digitize the film and send back to us to complete the process which will ensure the final product is up to the R3 standard of excellence.
