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Photo Negative / Photo Slide Scanner

An overview of digitization equipment in the Freedman Center with step-by-step instructions.

Photo Negative / Photo Slide Scanner Tutorial

This step-by-step tutorial will set you up for best use of the photo negative / photo slide scanner. For those who just need quick scans, the quick guide may meet your needs. When in doubt, default to the full tutorial, which begins below. 

If you get lost, refer back to the user manual on the Home page. Contact information for KSL staff is available on the left-hand navigation of each page. Service Center staff can also assist with basic troubleshooting. 

Start the Scanner

Make sure the scanner is turned on. The switch is on the front of the scanner.

photo negative - photo slide scanner with red circle bringing attention to power button

Before You Scan

Here are some tips for using the scanner effectively.

  1. Plan your time around the scanning; each image takes about 4 minutes
  2. Clean your slides / film prior to arriving at the library
  3. Prior to loading into scanner, brush off any dust
  4. Load the carrier emulsion side down, plastic side up. The emulsion side is the side that was chemically developed.

Consider the media you want to digitize

  1. How are they mounted? Slides may be cardboard or plastic mounted. (Glass mounted slides cannot be scanned in this scanner)
  2. 35mm strip film needs to be cut into 6 frame strips
  3. Are the items Positive, Kodachrome, or Negative?
    • All slides are Positive unless it says Kodachrome on it (not Ektachrome or anything else - Kodachrome is a special color setting).
    • Film is almost always Negative.
  4. Are the items in Color or Black & White? Adjust the scanner settings accordingly.