Myths About Slide Scanning and Negative Scanning: Cheaper is Better

Myth: Cheaper is better

We know that we aren't the only photo, slide and negative scanning service company. Let's look at why cheaper isn't always better.

Question: What compromises need to be made to have low prices?

Answers: Quality, Speed, and Security

Quality

Let us start by looking at print scanning. Many of our competitors are using the Kodak print scanning systems (such as the s1220 or i600 series). These systems provide very high speed scanning while requiring very little manual labor. This does a very good job at reducing costs for the scanning company. However, these scanners are simple modifications to Kodak's mainline document scanners - those intended to scan huge numbers of printed pages for businesses such as attorneys. High-speed document scanners simply do not do a good job scanning photos.

The results of scanning photos on these high-speed scanners, when compared with a decent flatbed scanner, show that you do get what you pay for. The quality shortcoming in the high-speed scanners is very clear with only a casual inspection of the results. Here is an example images to illustrate the difference in quality:

High-speed print scanner (click for the full-sized, uncropped image in JPEG format 296KB)	Manually fed Flatbed scanner (click for the full-sized, uncropped image in JPEG format 548KB)

This is a great example of cheaper definitely not being better. The flatbed scan is much sharper and colors are better.

Our print scanning service uses only high-quality flatbed scanners. This provides the best quality at a good price. We refuse to lower our costs by using a less than acceptable scanner.

Pixmonix will never short change quality.

Speed

A number of our competitors reduce costs by using labor in India or Latin America. This adds weeks or months onto any scanning effort. Even our domestic competitors are quoting turn around times measured in weeks rather than days) for small orders.

Pixmonix is fast and flexible. We complete smaller scanning jobs in one or two business days, rather than 6-8 weeks. If you have a deadline you are trying to meet, be sure to let us know. In most cases we can arrange our work schedules to meet your needs.

Security

A number of our competitors reduce costs by using cheap labor in India or Latin America. Adding this long distance, international shipping can never improve overall safety and security for your irreplaceable prints, slides and negatives. An offer of insurance on the shipping is hollow: an insurance check will not replace the irreplaceable images lost.

We do all of our work out of a single set of offices in Hillsboro, Oregon. Your prints and film never leave our offices and are handled by only a very small number of employees. We will make no compromise that might endanger your film in any way. We use only reliable, trackable shipping methods and we always require a signature on delivery. These steps assure that your film is handled in the safest manner possible when it is out of our hands.

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