Frequently Asked Questions

General

  • Their Media Deteriorates
    • Even stored in ideal conditions, legacy photographic media deteriorates over time. Slides and negatives gradually fade, 8mm movies can become brittle and easily break. Video tape was never meant to be a long-term storage solution and is also subject to degradation. Some slides and home movies are now over 60 years old. Failure to convert them to a more sustainable media can and will result in permanent loss.
  • They Require Obsolete Playback Equipment
    • The equipment required to view old media types is difficult to find and expensive to get repaired if you are lucky enough to find someone to do it.  
  • They are Difficult to View and Share
    • Unless your audience is sitting in your living room, sharing your old memories is difficult if not impossible.
  • Their Aging Demographic
    • Slides and home movies were the amateur photography medium of choice from the late 1950’s until the mid-1970’s. That means those whose took these slides and movies are at least in their late 70’s. Those whose childhoods are captured on theses media (and presumably now possess it) are in their 60s or 70s.  
  • For archiving purposes
    • Ensure that those old boxes of memories captured on photos, slides, and movies doesn’t end up at the curb for the trash collectors. Ensure that your kids and their kids have these precious memories preserved forever
  • And Most importantly, FOR FUN!
    • Rediscovering old photos and movies that family and friends have not seen for decades (or perhaps never!) can be fun and rewarding. Having the ability to easily share these forgotten memories with anyone, anywhere,

Simply go to our contact page and drop us a message with a quick overview of what you would like to accomplish. We'll call you back promptly to discuss and answer any questions you may have

Of course! We will take care of whatever you want done, whether it is 5 photos or thousands 

My Project

  • Naturally the estimated length of a project is dependant on the quantity of media to be scanned and converted. The type of media to be converted also factors in, as the degree of automation in the scanning process varies by type.
  • SP will provide a ballpark estimate for completion before starting the work, based on the inventory for the project

The following is information that would be required create a quote:

The type(s) and quantity of media to be scanned

How the media is currently stored (in albums, in boxes, etc)

The intended use of the digitized photos/videos (this can help determine the resolution you will require in the finished product).
  • The cost of the project will depend on several factors, the most important of which is the quantity of media to be scanned
  • The type of media also impacts the time (and therefore the cost) as the process of scanning some types of media is more time-consuming than others
  • SP will provide the client with an estimated duration and cost before the project commences and will advise the client immediately if it looks like the estimates might be exceeded.

Yes!!

Before you commit to using our services, we will scan the following for you so the quality of the finished product will be known. We will scan up to......

8 slides

8 printed photos

1 -3" reel of 8mm or Super8 film

10 minutes of camcorder video

.....free of charge for your evaluation. If you are unsatisfied with the result we will do our best to remedy the problem or you may choose to not move forward with the project.

The scans are yours to keep and are not watermarked
  • The more organized the media we receive is, the less time it will take to complete the project.
  • It is highly advisable to sort your media as logically as possible before beginning the project, as the end result will be more organized and easy to view. 
  • If your media is chronologically sorted and well-labeled as to the contents, that is great. It is also rare. 

If you do not have the time to organize your media yourself, SP offers organizational and sorting services to organize your media before scanning. 

Please consult our Services page to learn more info.

The Scanning Process

  • Scanning quality and output format for each of the supported media types is described below. If you have a requirement for different output formats or picture quality, please let us know.

Slides and Negatives

  • Resolution: 300, 600 or 1200 dpi
  • Format: JPG

Printed Photos

  • Resolution: 300, 600 or 1200 dpi
  • Format: JPG

8mm and Super8 Movies

  • Resolution: H.264 AVC, 1280x720
  • Format: MP4

8mm/VHS Home Videos

  • Resolution: H.264 AVC, 1280x720
  • Format: MP4
  • While in our possession, your precious media will be handled with the utmost care. 
  • Smoke-free environment
  • Temperature and humidity maintained at suitable levels for storage of photographic materials
  • All media handled with photographic gloves
  • No food or beverages permitted in scanning area
  • Media remains boxed and safe from dust when not being scanned
  • Images that are clearly no good due to bad exposure, end-of-roll, or damage to the original will not be charged.
  • The prices quoted for scanning do not include any modifications to the scanned output. Certain editing features are offered as an add-on for an additional charge, please consult the price list

Project Closure

You may chose to receive the scanned images and videos in a variety of different ways:

  • Uploaded to Google Photos or another file-sharing site of your choosing (included)
  • On a USB flash drive – 32gb (+ $7 ea)
  • On an SD or MiniSD card - 32gb (+$15 ea)
  • On a DVD (+ $5 ea)
  • A deposit equal to 25% of the estimated cost of the project is due at the time the original media is provided to Souvenirs Préservés.
  • The balance is due on completion of the project and delivery of the scanned photos/videos to the client.
  • If the scope of the project has changed since the original estimate was provided, the balance will be adjusted accordingly.
  • Visa, Mastercard, Interac e-Transfer and online payment are all accepted.
  • Protect them! Invest in cloud storage space with a major cloud provider like Microsoft, Google or Apple. Storing a master copy of all your scanned memories in the cloud protects your irreplaceable photos and movies from loss or damage. 
  • Share them! Make them available for family and friends to view them through your social media platforms or photo sharing sites like Flickr, Google Photos or Amazon Photos. 
  • Gift them! Framed prints of old forgotten slides or photos make reasonably priced, high-impact gifts. Imagine Grandpa and Grandma unwrapping a picture of themselves from 50 years ago that they may have never seen and didn't even know existed! Many online services also exist to have your photos printed on a variety of gift items like coffee cups, blankets, luggage tags and even clothing.
  • Display them! Invest in a quality electronic picture frame, load it with all your favourite photos and let it rotate through them. A different photo to see every time you enter the room.  Your digitized photos can also be used as personalized screensavers for computers and TVs.
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