FAQs
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General
Starting your family photo archiving project is easy. All you have to do is select the pictures you want to be scanned and preserved. Then, you can either count out the number of photos you’ll be submitting or simply put a stack of them together.
Next, go to SERVICES and pick one of our packages that most closely matches the number of pictures you have.
Consider adding some PREMIUM ENHANCEMENTS if you want to maximize the results of your pictures. Then, continue to DIGITAL MEDIA and decide how you would like to receive the processed images (USB, DVD, or Online link).
Go to RETURN PHOTOS and decide how, or if, you would like your original photos returned to you. All methods will include tracking number.
Finally, complete the payment process and send us your original photos with a copy of your order number.
Once we scan and process your photos, we’ll send you an e-mail with a link to preview your new digital images on our online gallery.
If you see images you don’t like; we’ll delete them from your order (up to 10% of the total number of photos submitted) and send you a refund for discarded images.
Once the gallery has been updated, we’ll send your newly scanned images via your selected digital media method.
Now, sit back, relax, and start sharing those forgotten photos with your friends and family.
We’re pretty confident you’ll be happy with the results of our digital processing. However, when you’re previewing your images and if you see photos you don’t want, let us know. We’ll delete them from your order (up to 10% of the total number of photos submitted) AND refund you the cost of the processing.’
We will make every effort to retain the order and the bundled stacks of photos you organized. However, we may need to add digital media (USB or DVD) you selected, which contains the scanned images, into the box along with your original photos. This may require us to re-distribute or separate some bundles. To ensure you get your original photos in the same stacks as you sent them, please use a shipping box large enough to accommodate DVDs and/or flash drives.
Orders are typically completed within 5-10 days. This estimate may be either shortened or increased depending on the size of the order and services requested. If you require express service (subject to additional fee), please contact us to discuss your timeline.
Photos must be removed from album pages. Any sticky residue from the back of the pictures also needs to be cleaned before sending them to SpeedScan. Photos that are not properly cleaned will not be processed.
We are not able to accept cropped or cutout photos. All submitted photos must be in the format as indicated in the package description.
Photos that are extremely curled or bent are not able to be scanned. Submitting pictures that are even slightly bent may result in the scanned image reproducing an undesirable line on the photo.
Consider using expedited courier service when shipping your package to our location as well as adding tracking and insurance. Once we receive your package at our location, we will e-mail you confirmation of its arrival. If you have additional questions, please refer to our Terms and Conditions (T/C) for further information.
Preparing Your Order
Before you get started, you’ll need to gather the following supplies together.
- Photos
- Rubber bands
- Sturdy packing box
- Packing tape
- Index cards
- Marker
- Bubble wrap
Here are some tips for organizing your photos. These steps will also assist in decreasing the processing time to complete your order.
- Remove any glue or sticky substances attached to your photos
- Place all your pictures in the same orientation (All landscape faced pictures the same way. All portrait-oriented photos also faced the same way).
- Make stacks of pictures organized into memories (Ex: same events or by year)
- Place an index card on top of each of the stacks and use a marker to identify the event/year
- Use a rubber band to loosely secure each stack
REMEMBER: Don’t submit any photos with copyright attached to it unless you have a waiver from the author. A copy of the waiver needs to be submitted with your package.
Choose a sturdy shipping box slightly larger than your photos.
- Wrap the inside of the box with bubble wrap (Don’t use packing peanuts or other packing material as the quality of the scanning will be affected).
- Place your photos into the box, ensuring the stacks are evenly distributed and not packed in too tightly.
- Place a copy of your order form or identify your order number on a piece of paper and place it into the box.
- Add another layer of bubble wrap on top of the photos before you close the box.
- Use packing tape to securely seal the box, including all open seams, corners, and edges.
- Drop your package off at your postal office. You may want to consider shipping insurance.
Scanning Resolution- What Should I Choose
SpeedScan uses Dots per Inch (DPI) as a measure of the scanning resolution that will be applied to your photos. We’re able to scan your photos using either 300DPI, 600DPI, or 1200DPI. A couple of questions you should ask yourself before selecting a DPI resolution. First, what will you be using your new digital images for? Second, do you anticipate using the digital images for a different reason in the future?
Our packages come with set DPIs attached to them. However, we do offer the option to upgrade to higher DPIs to meet your needs.
Social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc…) are often viewed on portable devices. These companies will usually compress your uploaded images for the purpose of maximizing storage space. Typically, you, as an end-user won’t notice the change in resolution because the device the photos are viewed on has a small screen size.
If you’re having your photos scanned and enhanced for only sharing them on social media, there’s no need to pay more for additional resolution. 300DPI will be more than sufficient to produce a clear image.
Printing scanned photos is different from viewing them on a digital device. If you’d like the option of printing your photos in the same size as the original, 600DPI in JPG file format will provide your new digital images with enough information to reproduce an accurate copy.
Looking for archival quality images or wanting the option to enlarge your photos? If so, you need to ensure your images have enough pixels (higher resolution) as well as a high bit rate.
SpeedScan offers 1200DPI resolution (ScanMAX) and uses 30bit scanning to capture as much information as possible from the original image. We also offer the option of having your new digital images saved in a TIFF format. TIFF formatted files won’t lose any quality or clarity when edited, repeatedly opened or saved. It’s important to note when selecting the TIFF file format, the file size of each image will be larger than JPG files. This means you may need a larger USB flash drive.
SHOCK Box
The SHOCK Box, is an excellent value (savings of .40/image) as it includes 4 premium enhancements and time saving options. The package also includes a 2 way pre-paid shipping label for hassle free transport of your images.
The dimensions of the SHOCK Box are 15″ X 7″ X 5″
When you purchase the SHOCK Box, you can submit up to 1,400 photos in between 3″x3″ to 5″X7″ format.
Gift Cards
SpeedScan gift cards don’t have an expiry date. Feel free to hold on to them until you’re ready to redeem them.
Yes, if there’s a balance on the SpeedScan gift card, you can keep it for your next purchase.
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