Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General Questions
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What formats can you scan and transfer?
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We can scan just about any slides,
negatives, and prints in various stages
and conditions, as well as transfer many types of movie
reels and video tapes to DVD or even
to .avi files you can edit yourself and share with friends and family!
Slides:
- 35mm
- 35mm Half Frames
- 110 (in 2x2" mounts)
- 110 Pocket Slides
- 126
- 127 SuperSlides
- 3D Stereo
Negatives:
- 35mm
- 35mm Half Frame
- 110
- 126
- 127
- APS (developed)
- Disc Negatives
- Medium Format
- Large Format
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Prints:
- Loose Prints
- Prints in Albums
- Children's artwork
- Newspaper clippings
Video Tapes:
- VHS
- Super VHS
- VHS-C
- 8mm Tape
- Hi8
- Digital-8
- MiniDV
Movie Reels:
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Not sure what you have?
Learn more about film formats...
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What is the scanning and transfer process?
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Digitizing your photos and film should be an easy process. All you need
to do is pack up all of your photos, slides, negatives,
movie reels, video tapes – or anything else you'd like us to scan for you
– and ship it to our high-tech facility in Gilbert, Arizona.
It's really
very easy!
- Gather your photos and film then fill out an
order form online. Once you hit the Submit Order Information button you will
be able to schedule a FedEx Pickup or drop off or print a generic
shipping label to use the courier of your choice.
- When we receive your package, you will automatically
be sent an email advising you that your project has arrived at our facility. We
will then weigh, photograph and place your project in a sealed bin for placement
in the queue.
- Photos: Watch as we scan your photos
with our exclusive Real Time Scanning feature.
- Photos: Once your photos
have gone through basic enhancement and quality review, you will receive the link
to Don't Want, Don't Pay™ to Review, Delete or Approve.
- 8mm Transfers: Once your movies are
converted and the footage has been manually cleaned up and color enhanced by our
videographers, you'll get a link to review, rearrange, and title the clips for
your DVDs.
- Approve your new new photos and 8mm transfers and make
final payment for your project online.
- Video Tapes: We capture directly to
DVD or hard drive. They are not available for online viewing.
- We then ship back your original photos, movies and your
new digital media so you can start smiling all over
again!
Watch our Behind the Scenes video to learn more
about the scanning and transfer process.
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What is Don't Want, Don't Pay™?
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Once your photos have gone through basic enhancement, such as exposure and color
correction, you will receive an email with a link to Don't Want,
Don't Pay™. You may then review and delete or approve your images online.
We will credit up to 20% of each photo-type in your order. This provides you with
the flexibility to delete as many images as you don't want and receive a credit
of up to 20% off the scanning fee!
Please Note: Photo-type categories are those referenced on the
DigMyPics Online Order Form. Specialty services
such as expedite fees, slide remounting fees and album page removal fees are non-refundable.
You will have up to 21 days to review and complete your order or be subject to full
price.
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What is Real Time Scanning?
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View your photos online as they are being scanned with our revolutionary and exclusive
Real Time Scanning feature! You can check your
order online, anytime, day or night. Not only do you know where your photos are
at any given moment, you can even track your orders’ progress throughout the entire
scanning and transfer process.
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Who will be working with my photos and film?
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DigMyPics hires only imaging and graphics professionals with college degrees in
the arts. We invest heavily in training new hires to our high standards, and we
have a strict set of policies and checks to make sure our standards for quality
are maintained at all times.
When you call us toll-free at 1-866-364-5952 you'll
speak directly to a knowledgeable customer service representative, no waiting on
hold or navigating through an automated system. You can also email
support@digmypics.com with your questions. We will respond to your email promptly
during business hours.
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Will my photos be safe and confidential?
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Absolutely! We use FedEx for domestic shipping
and you can track your precious package before it even reaches us. We take multiple
precautions to ensure that each and every one of our customers' photos is kept safe
and confidential throughout our entire process.
Our state-of-the-art facility, located in sunny Arizona, is under strict surveillance
at all times to ensure your memories remain safe during the digitization process.
Our highly-skilled photographers and graphic artists wear white cotton gloves while
working with your photos and film to preserve their integrity.
See our Privacy Policy for details.
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How long will you keep copies of my scans?
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We keep all of your files at full resolution in TIFF format for at least 14 days after your order has been shipped back to you and at full resolution in JPEG format for about 30 days more. While we think it is a great idea to have your images backed up on a hard drive and on discs, you can't beat the added protection of redundant online storage.
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My film is really old, is it worth digitizing?
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If your photos and film are precious to you, we would strongly advise digitizing
as soon as possible, even if they aren't in top shape. Generally, the better condition
your film is in, the better your scans will be. However, we include enhancement
services such as basic color correction and Digital ICE
as part of our basic service package. Often, we are able to make older slides and
film look much better!
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Can I see some samples of your work?
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Absolutely! We have a few customers who were kind enough to allow
us to use their photos on our site as examples of our work. Click on the links below
to see samples of our scanning, transferring and Slideshow creation services.
Slide Scanning samples
Negative Scanning samples
Print Scanning samples
Slideshow Movie samples
Movie Reel Transferring samples
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How much does scanning/transferring cost?
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Our pricing is based on the type of photo or film and
scanning resolution. We have implemented
a pricing calculator to help you get an estimate.
Our skilled technicians will rotate, color and exposure correct
your scans on an image-by-image basis. Other companies either don't offer that service,
charge significantly more for it, or use automation. We've found that the results
from blindly automating those functions to be simply unacceptable. Our method costs
us more, but it gives you much better results.
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How long will it take?
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Here are current Turn Around Times:
Standard Prints, 35mm Slides/Negs & APS
1-400 photos ~8 business days 401-1200 photos 9-12 business days 1201-2200 photos 13-18 business days >2201 photos 19 or more business days Estimated turn around times are quoted in Business Days and based on Standard 35mm Film and Prints at our standard resolution. Non-Standard Film, Higher Resolutions, and additional services will increase the turnaround time. Add 2-3 business days for the creation of a DVD Slideshow Movie. Quantities are per customer, not per order. Please call for additional details...
Reel Transfers <2000 feet ~10 business days 2001-4000 feet 11-15 business days >4001 feet 16 or more business days
Video Tape Transfers <10 Tapes ~12 business days 11-24 Tapes 13-19 business days >25 Tapes 20 or more business days
Video Tape Alchemy <10 hours ~12 business days 11-24 hours 13-19 business days >25 Tapes 20 or more business days
* Alchemy Orders that exceed 33 hours, will be split into multiple orders to make reviewing them easier.
Turn around times are quoted in Business Days and based on Standard Transfer to DVD Movie disc, additional services such as sound, .AVI format to hard-drive and repairs will increase the turnaround time. Quantities are per customer, not per order.
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Do you offer rush service?
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Yes! The additional cost for this service is 50% of the scanning
price or $50, whichever is greater. We do this in order to pay an employee to work
overtime in order to move a customer ahead in the queue to be processed. We will
have to schedule a technician to work on your rush order, so please
call or email ahead of time to see if we can accommodate your timeline.
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Do you take international orders?
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Yes! Place your order online.
The only difference is our automated FedEx tracking system cannot
handle international shipping. Just print out the generic address label and send
your order through your preferred courier.
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Who pays for shipping?
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When you fill out our online order form, we recommend
that you choose FedEx shipping. Our partnership with FedEx
allows you to print your own shipping label that you won't be charged for until
we've completed your order. All shipping charges will be included in your order's
total.
If you opt to use another courier, we strongly suggest that you use an air service
with package tracking available. You also have several return shipping options on
our online order form.
DigMyPics only charges the posted shipping rates on the FedEx and
USPS websites for return shipping.
Take me to the online order form...
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Can I download my scans and film transfers?
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Yes!
You can use our downloader app and download your new digital photos and videos right to your own PC or Mac.
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How should I pack my film for shipping?
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We recommend that you group your images chronologically and by short subject. We
ask that you keep your groupings to 30+ pictures. We may charge a handling fee of
$1.99 per group if you consistently have groups of less than 30 prints or slides
or less than a complete roll of film.
Learn more about how to pack your photos and film for shipping...
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Will you return my originals?
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Of course! All of the original materials sent with your order will
be returned along with your digitized materials, unless you specify otherwise.
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Is there a minimum orders size?
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We do require at least enough scans to total $25. This helps cover the costs associated with processing your order and setting up your job to scan. If you only send us 1 photo to scan, that 1 scan will effectively cost $25 plus media and shipping.
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What are my storage options?
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DigMyPics offers many options to receive your scanned photos and film back! Choose
from a CD or DVD with a professionally bound thumbnail album
to an SD card for use in a digital picture frame.
For Your
Photos:
- CD or DVD Set
- Professionally Bound Thumbnail Album
- Thumbdrive or SD Card
- External Hard Drive
For Your Super8 and 8mm Film Transfers:
- DVD Movies
- Thumbdrive for smaller amounts of film
- External Hard Drive for footage you can edit
For Your Video Tapes:
- DVD Movies
- External Hard Drive for footage you can edit
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How do I choose which resolution I want?
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When choosing a resolution to have your photos
scanned at, it is important to understand the basics.
DPI is an abbreviation for dots per inch, which indicates
the resolution of an image. Resolution refers to the sharpness
and clarity of an image. Learn more...
For Prints:
We scan standard prints (4x6) at at 300dpi (2MP), 600 dpi (8MP) or 1200 dpi (34MP). That means from
a 4x6" print, at 300dpi you'll get an image that is 1200 x 1800 pixels (or 2400
x 3600 pixels at 600dpi). Prints smaller than 4x6 should be scanned at 600 or 1200 dpi to get an image that is big enough to be useful. Learn more...
For Film:
You have your choice of 7MP(2500dpi), 12MP(3200dpi), or 18MP(4000dpi). We recommend the 2500dpi option for most of our customers. A 35mm slide or negative scanned at 2500dpi will give you an image size that is suitable for making a good 8x10" reprint.
If you're still unsure what is right for your project, contact
us and we will be happy to make recommendations based your individual needs.
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How will you organize my files?
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We will make every effort to help you organize your photos and make finding and
enjoying your new digital files easy. Because small groups slow down our process,
please help us by making each of your groups contain at least 30 or more
slides or prints and at least one roll of film for negatives.
You can have smaller groups for just $1.99 additional per group. You can then give
a name to each of those groups and we'll create folders with those names. We
will scan your photos in the order they are received.
Please contact us to discuss your special naming or organizational
wishes.
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How much will fit on a CD or DVD?
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A CD can hold 650MB and a DVD can hold 4700 MB (4.7 GB). The number of files that
can fit depends on the resolution, the file format you choose, and
what kind of film or photo you are having scanned.
See Resolving Resolution to learn more.
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Can I watch the DVDs in my DVD player?
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When we refer to storing your images on a DVD, we're talking about storing the TIFF or JPEG files on the disc for use in your
computer. As an add-on service, we can also make a DVD
Slideshow Movie using your images set to music that is formatted to play
in most DVD players.
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Can I make copies of the CD/DVDs myself?
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Yes! These discs are yours to do with as you please. You must have
the proper burning software and CD/DVD Burner Drive installed on your computer.
DigMyPics cannot support you in making your own copies.
We keep all the files we need to make additional copies for 14 days after your order
is complete. We can provide you with additional copies of your photos for only $8
per disc and even have them delivered to friends or loved ones as a special gift!
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