What is the best way to scan old photos?

Most of us still have old photos in analogue format. We are talking about printed photos of trips, family parties, weddings, and much more. All these memories degrade year after year, and you could end up losing them if you don’t act now.

In this article, I’ll show you the best methods to convert your analogue photos into digital. Let’s start!

Photo scanning apps

One of the most popular methods is to use a photo scanning app. Google PhotoScan is a free app that you can easily download on your mobile device. The greatest benefit of this app is that it automatically uploads the digital photos to the Google Photos app. However, the results are not always the best, especially for old black and white photos. An alternative is the app Microsoft Lens. It is mostly used to scan business cards and documents but it can also be used to digitise photos. It's totally free and easy to use. Simply switch to Photo mode, align your photo in the viewfinder, and tap the scan button.

For both apps, you have to scan one photo at a time. That’s why it can be quite time-consuming and you end up with results that are not always satisfactory.

Flatbed scanners

To get higher quality scans, I recommend using a flatbed scanner, because it has better resolution and helps reduce distortions caused by imperfect camera angles. With a flatbed scanner, you’ll get higher quality prints than with a regular document scanner or your smartphone. However, specialty scanners can be more expensive than regular ones, and you will still need to invest time to scan every single photograph. If you have a huge collection of family photos, digitising them will still be a slow process.

Digitisation services

The best way to scan old photos is to use a photo scanning service like MEDIAFIX. Using a digitisation service will guarantee the best results. Your precious memories will be handled by experts who will digitise them at the highest quality. Here are all your benefits:

• It will be the most cost-effective solution for your needs.
•  You don’t need to worry about quality.
• You can book additional services like post-processing, where photos are restored and their quality is enhanced.
• Other additional services include dry cleaning, which removes dust from your photos, and colourisation for black-and-white pictures.
• You can also send in other analogue media you want to digitise, like negatives, slides, cassettes, and tapes.

In this article, we have explored the different ways to digitise analogue photos. While photo scanning apps and flatbed scanners offer good solutions, a professional digitisation service like MEDIAFIX ensures the highest quality, efficiency, and additional restoration options to keep your photos looking their best for years to come.