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ScanCafe - New Review, New SMUG code, etc.
dmerc
Registered Users Posts: 4 Beginner grinner
I talked to the SmugMug guys over the past few weeks, and they suggested we give some periodic ScanCafe updates and general scanning tips and ideas based on our expertise.
A few of you have asked for independent reviews of the ScanCafe film and slide scanning service. The Editor in Chief of Popular Photography, John Owens, just posted a positive ScanCafe Review in his December issue. Hopefully, you'll find it informative and interesting. He actually used the service under an alias (as he mentions in the article).
We also conducted a customer satisfaction survey of not only our SmugMug customers, but also all users who have had their scans completed at ScanCafe. At a very high level, the average ScanCafe score was a 4.5 based on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the best). The one major item of concern was turn around time and we continue to make improvements in this area, but our process is manual and large orders of over 1,000 images simply take a longer time. Our new online order tracker now populates the estimated online date once we have received the package.
In addition, I wanted to update the Dgrin audience on some ScanCafe specific topics as they relate to SmugMug users.
- The average ScanCafe file sizes for 3000 dpi and 4000 dpi files are in the 5MB-7MB range so they can be uploaded to your SmugMug account (although you'll have to upload from your disc and computer).
- 4000 dpi TIFF files come in around 50MB, and we offer pro scan options such as hard drives at roughly cost to us. These are absolutely optional. Over time, we'll add more technical details to the ScanCafe ProZone pages.
Just as important, the SmugMug discount code has changed for ScanCafe. The new code will give you 15% off scanning services. This is consistent with other scan offerings in the ClubSmug program (although we are not a club member). The new code is SMUG15.
One tip for you scanners out there is that black and white film scanning is very time intensive and somewhat of a major pain since Digital ICE can not be used. We'll have some suggestions for B&W in a future post, but our prices will go up for B&W in the very near future b/c of the significant manual effort involved. That said, our B&W prices will still likely be the lowest in the indsutry.
Last but not least, you have asked us for the ability to auto-upload to SmugMug, as well as to see examples of our work. We want to work with the SmugMug API for auto-uploads, but frankly, we have limited resources to complete this task. We also need to figure out the cost of uploading hi-res files. If there are any API gurus who would like to volunteer their services for this one project, let us know. Regarding examples of our work, we'll be using the SmugMug services to host some of our community photo examples in a couple of weeks which we'll post. In the meantime, here are a couple of ScanCafe example links from some SmugMuggers in the prior posts as well as another independent review:
Kevin Kelley's Cool Tools: ScanCafe
Some random photo scan examples from greenpea:
Some black & white examples from Scott Buel
Thanks
Damon
www.scancafe.com
A few of you have asked for independent reviews of the ScanCafe film and slide scanning service. The Editor in Chief of Popular Photography, John Owens, just posted a positive ScanCafe Review in his December issue. Hopefully, you'll find it informative and interesting. He actually used the service under an alias (as he mentions in the article).
We also conducted a customer satisfaction survey of not only our SmugMug customers, but also all users who have had their scans completed at ScanCafe. At a very high level, the average ScanCafe score was a 4.5 based on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the best). The one major item of concern was turn around time and we continue to make improvements in this area, but our process is manual and large orders of over 1,000 images simply take a longer time. Our new online order tracker now populates the estimated online date once we have received the package.
In addition, I wanted to update the Dgrin audience on some ScanCafe specific topics as they relate to SmugMug users.
- The average ScanCafe file sizes for 3000 dpi and 4000 dpi files are in the 5MB-7MB range so they can be uploaded to your SmugMug account (although you'll have to upload from your disc and computer).
- 4000 dpi TIFF files come in around 50MB, and we offer pro scan options such as hard drives at roughly cost to us. These are absolutely optional. Over time, we'll add more technical details to the ScanCafe ProZone pages.
Just as important, the SmugMug discount code has changed for ScanCafe. The new code will give you 15% off scanning services. This is consistent with other scan offerings in the ClubSmug program (although we are not a club member). The new code is SMUG15.
One tip for you scanners out there is that black and white film scanning is very time intensive and somewhat of a major pain since Digital ICE can not be used. We'll have some suggestions for B&W in a future post, but our prices will go up for B&W in the very near future b/c of the significant manual effort involved. That said, our B&W prices will still likely be the lowest in the indsutry.
Last but not least, you have asked us for the ability to auto-upload to SmugMug, as well as to see examples of our work. We want to work with the SmugMug API for auto-uploads, but frankly, we have limited resources to complete this task. We also need to figure out the cost of uploading hi-res files. If there are any API gurus who would like to volunteer their services for this one project, let us know. Regarding examples of our work, we'll be using the SmugMug services to host some of our community photo examples in a couple of weeks which we'll post. In the meantime, here are a couple of ScanCafe example links from some SmugMuggers in the prior posts as well as another independent review:
Kevin Kelley's Cool Tools: ScanCafe
Some random photo scan examples from greenpea:
Some black & white examples from Scott Buel
Thanks
Damon
www.scancafe.com
0
Comments
Not a member yet, but this helps move you closer
Thanks Damon this is great info.
Markham
www.twitter.com/markhambennett
Cool - on a similar note does anyone have any suggestions about getting some old 8mm / Super8 and VHS and DV tapes converted over to digital? preferable to high def
I started a new thread about it here: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=96701
Also I have a referral coupon that someone sent me for a $10 scancafe.com discount - does anyone know if you can combine that one with the 15% smugmug discount?
Nikon | Private Photojournalist
http://webwiz.smugmug.com
Their website says 8 weeks is the current turn around for viewing, so that sounds about right? Maybe it wasn't updated when you submitted yours though...
Nikon | Private Photojournalist
When I compare scancafe prices against other services, I don't see a big difference in cost. I know they must be saving a ton of cost by shipping in bulk to India and taking advantage of the low labor cost but I don't see how that benefits me as a customer in terms of price or timely service.
I plan to try another company for the next batch. In the meantime, I'll post an update when my scans come back.
I had been using digmypics.com in Arizona until now. They were getting scanned images back much sooner but they had a fire at their facility on May 5th so they are offline temporarily.
http://webwiz.smugmug.com
When I was looking at pricing, I thought scancafe's were a good bit cheaper...
http://www.scancafe.com/pricingcomparison.php
Disclaimer - I have no affiliation with them and haven't used them yet but am getting a batch ready to send this week...
Nikon | Private Photojournalist
http://webwiz.smugmug.com
I read a scancafe review elsewhere stating that he selected to keep about half the images through an excruciatingly slow interface and then was sent the full set (all images including the ones he had deleted). While this could be seen as a bonus, he actually wanted only the half and had to then delete the thousands of photos he didn't want AGAIN. Will ScanCafe send just the images I choose or will they send me all of them?
I haven't gotten my images yet. I placed the order May 15th. Scancafe is estimating my slides to be online for viewing July 19th. Then I estimate it will be another 2 weeks till I get the DVD in hand. Right now I am "in the queue". I'll post updates as we move along.
http://webwiz.smugmug.com
I have some 35 mm slides that were made into posters 10 years ago. The quality was fantastic! The image size was 13 x 19" on a poster 18 x 24, and the details and colors were just great!. I think the printer used a Scitex (drum?) scanner, but I'm not sure.
Now I want to see if the digital revolution has made the process any easier or cheaper. Back then, I had to print 1000 posters for $3000. Now I'd like to print 100 at a time ... what will my cost be? Is ink jet printing the way to go? My old posters were done with 4 film plates offset ... by a huge commercial place.
So what I want is the highest quality scan possible, with some advice on how to print posters in small quantities on decent thick paper.
Thanks if you have any suggestions!
Best possible scan is still gonna be a drum scan..........locally here in Wichita a 35mm drum scan of the highest quailty will run me ~$100 or very close.......these are better drum scans than was available back in the day so to speak........a lot technology has gotten better a lot better, but USA prices have not gone down in that respect that I can see........
There are a lot of companies tht specialize in printing poster sized prints (just take a look in Shuttebug's showcase....or google for it.........but offset printing is still better, not by much....but it is.....last longer also (for now anyway)...........If doing small runs (less than 1K) then one of the poster companies will probably be where you will want to go.
When the code is entered, no discount is applied.
Anyone else try to use this SMUGMUG discount code below lately?
Scott
I recently decided I wanted digital copies of my wedding photos from 10 years ago. I have the original medium-format negatives and had previously tried scanning them myself. While I was able to get some good results with my less-than-optimal setup (nice flatbed scanner & negative holder), the time spent removing the dust and optimizing my process was a huge burden.
SO, I decided to try ScanCafe. I sent off ~130 shots - I ordered 4800 DPI scans and elected to receive TIFFS so I'd have uncompressed originals to work from. Perhaps it was overkill, but hey, I wanted the best scans of my wedding I could get!
The shots were available for preview about 4 weeks after I sent them off. Once ordered I received my original negatives as well as DVD's with my scanned images in about 2 weeks, (~6 weeks in all). I must say I am very impressed with the results. The scan quality is excellent and exceeded my expectations - the results are far better than my own attempts.
The only downside I see to their service is that it takes a long time. Given that I knew that up front it wasn't a problem. If you're looking to digitize some old negatives/slides and you aren't pressed for time, I'd say ScanCafe is a good choice!
I don't know when you placed your orders, but that has not been my experience.
I placed my order on May 12th. I knew up front it was going to take an esimated 6-8 weeks before I would get the scans back. I was OK with that.
Then I was notified that because of their workload, My order would take an additional 4 weeks. OK, I understand that.
I sent a similar size order about 120 slides. They were available on-line available on-line on July 8th. That's 9 weeks! I'm not OK with that.
I ordered the DVD on the same day, July 8th. My originals and scanned images have still not left India as of today. That's 11 weeks and counting. . .
I'm guessing that with their best efforts, I might get everything back by August 14th. That would be about 15 weeks. I expected the process to take longer. I did not know that it would approach infinity.
I read the Dec review in Pop Photo. It is part of what prompted me to try Scancafe. But that review had to have been written sometime in the summer or early fall of 2007, which meant the writer's order was placed in June or July. I'm not sure that review is till relevant, at least with respect to time.
Scancafe costs less. They probably do excellent work. But their inablity to give reasonable turnarounds; to meet their own estimates, even at lower prices doesn't work for me.
http://webwiz.smugmug.com
Huh, that's strange - I ordered mine just a week or so after you and had everything back by the beginning of July.
My only thought is that individual slides are more labor intensive to process than strips of 2 1/4" negatives.
Since my last post on this subject, I received a personal e-mail from the folks at ScanCafe. As a result they are expediting what remains to be done. I should have my DVD and originals in hand in a few days rather than by the mid-August time I referenced in my previous lament.
I was pleased to see that they did not try to explain the problem away but took full responsibility for the problems encountered and acted swiftly to resolve it. I think that says a lot for them as a company.
http://webwiz.smugmug.com
Wow, that sounds very cool! (and very smugmug-ish)
Personally, even a 2-3 month turnaround time wouldn't be an issue, but that's mainly because the stuff I want scanned is all really old ~20 year old stuff that I haven't seen in over a decade anyway.
Nikon | Private Photojournalist
Mine are not that old. It's just that I'm not good at deferred gratification.
I developed some heightened interest in some post processing techniques on some of my earlier work. I'm going through all my early slides and pulling the keepers to be scanned. I had some expectations based on estimated turnaround and that's what led to my complaint.
From what I learned, my order got caught in the middle of various upgrades and system changes and that led to its untimely delay. I'm glad they stepped up to the plate and didn't ty to dodge the issue. My old boss used to say, "every dog gets one free bite." So, that was that and hopefully we'll have a smooth realtionship going forward.
http://webwiz.smugmug.com
Is the ScanCafe discount gone? If so, why are they not a member of ClubSmug? They are an excellent service that I have now utilized 3 times. Each time with satisfactory to excellent results. I believe that the results are almost wholly dependent on the quality of the original chromes and negatives that I have provided, only once or twice out of a few thousand images have I noticed what I would chalk up to an error in scanning.
So what's the deal?
www.klimon.com
Ian,
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you liked your scans.
It looks like you were able to use the code this week.
Unfortunately, we are going to end the SMUG15 code promotion. The last day to use it is this Sunday, Aug 17, 2008.
The reason we are ending it is because a number of non-SmugMug users have been misusing the code. We love SmugMug customers, but the code has spread out to too many coupon discount sites over the last 9 months.
For those users who have orders in process, the discount will still work when you checkout.
Feel free to send us questions or comments through our contact page http://www.scancafe.com/contactus.php
Damon
ScanCafe
I saw your message with some dismay. Over the last several weeks you increased the slide price from .24 to .29 and have now ended the promotion (which was supposed to be a bene - like a sumugmug partner) - effectively price has increased from .205 to .29. My last slide order of 700 slides would have increased from $142.80 (+$20.00 shipping) to $203 (+20.00 shipping). Depending how you calculate it, about a 40% effective increase. Turn around time has not improved (still 9-11 weeks) and the competition has been steadily dropping prices ( easy to find .40-.45 and some with "summer promotions" making it even less.) I have sent 3 orders. One is in transit, The first had an error and I asked that it be redone (to be fair -you were great about redoing it) - but 3 orders (1700 sides - 500, 500 redo and 700) each sent one after the other- have taken January to October - For me the draw was a quality scan at a teriific price and I was willing to suck up the transit times. Now I am not so sure. I certainly understand the need to have prices reflect your costs and need for a reasonable profit but this dramatic of a price rise is certainly likely to negatively affect your business. I was very excited about scancafe - Now I'm looking around.
Steve
Any possibility of working out a new discount? Maybe the smugmug user would have to provide the code and their xxxx.smugmug.com site?
Nikon | Private Photojournalist
John,
That's an idea we've considered, but the integration is a little more complicated than it sounds. We are continuing to think of new ways to create special promotions, but it will take time.