Top Questions About Our 35mm Slide, Negative, and Photo Scanning Transfer Services

1. How much does it cost?
2. At what resolution do you scan the 35mm slides and 35mm negatives?
3. At what resolution do you scan photos?
4. If I have printed photos and the corresponding negatives/slides, which should I send?
5. Will I be able to edit my 35mm slides and negatives?
6. Will my new DVD play on my DVD player?
7. How long does it take?
8. What slides and negatives do you convert?
9. What size photos do you scan?
10. Is it safe, will you return my original 35mm slides and negatives?
11. Do you guarantee your work, what if I'm not satisfied?
12. What is the best way to preserve my 35mm slides, negatives, and photos?
13. How many discs will it take to complete my order?
14. Can I edit my new DVD on my home computer?
15. How do I order more copies?
16. How do I order and how should I send my 35mm slides, negatives, and photos?
17. Do you have any restrictions regarding the content of the film?

1. How much does it cost?

Pricing varies depending on what dpi conversion you choose. Our pricing calculator can be found here

Please note that shipping quotes are given as good faith estimates. Orders containing extra large reels, orders requiring multiple boxes, or orders with increased weight may be subject to additional shipping charges.

2. At what resolution do you scan the 35mm slides?

We can scan your 35mm slides and negatives at 4000 dpi or 2000 dpi.

3. At what resolution do you scan photos?

We scan your photos at 600 dpi or 300 dpi.

4. If I have printed photos and the corresponding negatives/slides, which should I send?

Scanning negatives or slides will produce a cleaner image, except in the case of damaged negatives or slides. Negatives and slides are also typically easier to ship than print photos. However, we are more than happy to scan prints, negatives, or slides to DVD.

5. Will I be able to edit my 35mm slides and negatives?

Yes. You can edit you scanned 35mm slides, negatives, and photos on your home computer with photo editing programs that support JPEG format. However, we do not currently provide a service for 35mm slide, negative, or photo scanning customers to edit their digitized media using the Home Movie Depot Online Editor. If you are interested in editing at home, the Data DVD included in the transfer will provide you with a JPEG file of every frame. Optional Data CDs are also available.

If you have a large order- 400 images or more- we strongly suggest that you order the external hard drive option. This is the only way to guarantee that all of your slides and negatives will be in one location.

6. Will my new DVD play on my DVD player?

No. A data DVD is a DVD-ROM disc for your computer. It is not intended for viewing purposes in any DVD player.

However, 35mm slide, 35mm negative, or photo scanning customers who order the additional Slide Show DVD will be able to play their new DVD on a home DVD player. We use brand name DVD-R which has been shown to be the most compatible general use media. Our discs have been found to be compatible with over 95% of home DVD players made in the past three years.

7. How long does it take?

Most orders take 7-10 business days to process.
Depending on your return shipping method, Continental US shipping can take anywhere from 1-5 business days. International shipping runs between 1-2 weeks. Rush service and expedited shipping are always available.

1. Not Received- This status means that you've placed an order with us, but it has not arrived at our facility.
2. Received- This status alerts you that we've received, opened, and verified the contents of your order. It is ready to go into production.
3. Transferring- This status encompasses all the "hands on" interaction that a technician has with your slides and negatives- inspection, digitization, editing, and uploading. This status will take the longest, as it is the bulk of your transfer!
4. Transferred- This status means that our software is building the files that we will put onto your DVD, CD, or hard drive.
5. Burned- This status means that your DVD, CD, or hard drive has been produced and your order is ready for packaging and shipping.
6. Shipped- This status displays that we've boxed up your order and it is on the shipping shelf, waiting for our daily FedEx driver to pick it up! The shipping department will send you an e-mail to let you know that your order is done. At this time, we will also make any billing adjustments to your original estimate that we've uncovered along the last five steps.

8. What slides and negatives do you convert?

9. What size photos do you scan?

Currently we accept photos 8"x10" and smaller.

10. Is it safe, will you return my original 35mm slides and negatives?

We receive orders from around the world on a daily basis. The slides and negatives are not destroyed or damaged in the process. A technician is with your 35mm slides, negatives, and photos during every step. We return everything that you send to us- photos, albums, slides, negatives, boxes, and carousels. You can read about some of our efforts to ensure the safety of your photos.

11. Do you guarantee your work, what if I'm not satisfied?

We have our policies posted here.

12. What is the best way to preserve my 35mm slides, negatives, and photos?

We recommend ordering at least 2 copies of every transfer so that one copy can serve as your archive copy of the transfer.

We strongly recommend visiting The Association of Moving Image Archivists for expert advice on how to preserve the actual film.

13. How many discs will it take to complete my order?

As many as it takes! You do not have to calculate how many CDs/DVDs will be needed to complete your order. We only need to know how many complete copies you?d like to receive. If your order takes 10 discs to create a complete copy that is what we deliver. The cost of your media is calculated when you place an order - so the number of discs needed will not further affect your price.

14. Can I edit my new DVD on my home computer? Can I simply drag and drop my DVD files onto my computer?

If you would like to edit your DVDs, Home Movie Depot provides every slide, negative, and photo scanning customer with a Data DVD. Each data DVD will contain a JPEG file of each 35mm slide or negative image, which can be used in any home edit projects.

If you have a large order- 400 images or more- we strongly suggest that you order the external hard drive. This is the only way to guarantee that all of your photos will be in one location.

It is possible to edit your new Slide Show DVD footage on your home computer. However, like a commercial DVD, it requires a good deal more than just dragging and dropping the files to your hard drive. Although our DVDs are not encrypted, editing your new Slideshow DVD would require DVD authoring software which we do not provide and cannot support.

15. How do I order more copies?

16. How do I order and how should I send my 35mm slides, negatives, and photos?

17. Do you have any restrictions regarding the content of the 35mm film or photos?

• Blank or undeveloped film
• Non-supported Format
• Objectionable Material
• Copy Protection
• Copyright*
• Excessive physical damage

*If you do have items under copyright protection, and you are, or have permission from, the original copyright holder, please include this copyright waiver and we will be happy to transfer your images.