We have a ton of photos that my grandparents took of the family using a view-master camera. We have them on the circular disks so we can view them through the individual viewers but want to put them into either print form or digital form. I have read that there is special software and a special scanner that I can use but I don't know where to find the scanner. If anyone has any experience with this, I would love to hear how you did it. Was it easy to do? I found a site that will scan them for like $2 a reel but we have like 500 reels so that is not affordable. Also once they are in digital format will I still be able to see them in 3-D? Thanks for the help! I disagree with the reply which says 'any' scanner can be used to digitise these pictures. My recollection of view-master rolls is that the pictures are quite tiny, smaller eg. than APS negatives or transparencies. To scan any neg or transparency you need a
holder dedicated to the size of film - 35mm, 120 etc. Scanning a neg or positive original is NOT like scanning a print, when I agree any size can be dealt with. I have never heard of a special scanner, but I guess one must exist if there is a site offering the service. $2 a reel sounds pretty reasonable - I doubt whether they would do more than scan one of each set - they will know that there will two almost identical pics of each scene. (I've just googled and found a site offering the service, but quoting $10 a reel, doing only one of each stereo pair)
I have found the site listed, however, which tells how someone made a carrier for viewmaster reels to enable them to be scanned on an Epson flatbed. I can answer part of the Q... you will not be able to view in 3D once they are digitized.
3D uses a double paralax image to give the 3D effect. Each image is slightly different and must be viewed simutaneously with the other. This take a special viewer.
Your best bet is to save your $ and have them digitized, realizing that you only need half a reel done. You don't need the parallax view of each image.
This cuts your cost in half and maybe more affordable.
Any scanner with a transparency attachment can be used. It just will be time consuming and tedius.
I would offer to help (I have the equipt) but I am not sure I want the responsibility of your history in my hands.
You may be better off leaving them alone and enjoying the view while they hold up, I have no idea how long an archive value the film has.
beauxpatrick@yahoo.com
In response to below answer. My transperancy scanner can scan at high resolution the smaller image on the wheel. Nothing can make it perfect, for it was not perfect to start with... only an image of some quality and larger size.
I have scanned areas of slides at Hi-res and go better results than with a print scan, |
