Tag: scanner operators

October 20, 2011

What Are Microfilm Scanning Services?

At the most basic level, microfilm scanning services refers to digitizing roll film. In other words, it is the transfer from analog media to digital format. To break it down even further, it is roll film to tiff, pdf, jpeg, or other image format. The two types of roll film are 16mm and 35mm, not to be confused with movie film.

So in addition to the actual roll film conversion, is another component of microfilm scanning services?

Quality control. Some companies don’t actually check their work, or simply do a quick spot check before sending the project out. What happens is that he burden would get put on you to perform your own in-depth quality check. If you don’t have time or labor to perform a check, there would be a great chance that the images are incorrect, which is a nightmare. Generation Imaging performs four phases of quality control, which are including in our standard microfilm scanning services.

Phase 1: Generation Imaging’s scanner operators actually check their work during scanning. They check their settings. As a failsafe, each project has a project manager and supervisor to verify that the microfilm machines and specifications are correct.
Phase 2: Another worker or workers will audit the scan. The scanner will create a ribbon of the entire roll, and the auditor will manually verify, modify, and- if necessary- adjust quality or rescan the roll.
Phase 3: This is an intense quality control process that meets industry standards. It is performed by a separate quality control team. A significant percentage of images is checked. 100% QC and/or manually adjusting or manually cropping or manually splitting images are add-on microfilm scanning services.
Phase 4: The CD, DVD, or hard drive is checked and image counts are matched.

As you can see there is more to microfilm scanning services than just hanging a roll on the machine.

September 30, 2011

16mm Cartridge Microfilm Conversion

Microfilm conversion is pretty much a catch all phrase that describes transferring roll film to digital image, such as PDF, TIFF, JPEG, or PNG. Most people visualize roll film as being like small versions of movie film in a mini-spool. Although the bulk of roll film is indeed like that, reels can also be enclosed in plastic cartridges.

There are a few kinds of 16mm roll film cartridges. Some are completely enclosed in a hard plastic, and are held together by screws and a snap mechanism. These were perhaps made famous by 3M, although other companies have produced and continue to sell these hard plastic film cartridges. Completely enclosed, they provide better protection from air, pests, and shipping.

Other 16mm cartridges are made of a lighter plastic and are open, and were created to be inserted into a large roll film shelf.

Generation Imaging has the capability to perform the microfilm conversion of 16mm cartridges. Let us know if you have any file format and naming preferences. Otherwise, we will digitize the cartridges using standard microfilm conversion parameters, such as 200DPI bi-tonal TIFFs.

Generation Imaging has expert microfilm conversion scanner operators with the experience and technical know-how to convert roll film to digital images in a timely manner.

Most of the time it is more cost-effective to send G.I. your cartridges instead of purchasing a microfilm scanner. If you prefer to deal locally, and are located outside of South Florida, you may be disappointed in the quality of the final product and microfilm conversion pricing you are offered, so give Generation Imaging a try.

September 22, 2011

Computer Output Microfilm (COM)

Computer Output Microfilm is by far the most difficult 16mm roll film to digitize to images because the computer generated images do not have standard frame breaks most of the time. Unlike traditional 16mm roll film, Computer Output Microfilm has a super thin border (or no border!) or may have bits of data that is accidentally detected as a frame border. Most of the time, any roll film scanner (regardless if it saves one image at a time or saves the entire reel as a ribbon) will totally skip over Computer Output Microfilm sections or cut frames.

If the Computer Output Microfilm contains a 100% consistent, fixes, and thick frame order or blip marker, it is possible for a 16mm roll film scanner to detect images properly. In addition to having the correct micrographics equipment, it is very important to have experienced scanner operators. Let’s put it this way: if you have no experience with scanning Computer Output Microfilm, you will be totally lost and will need to pay the scanner manufacturer to come to your office and do it for you. They will only help you if you have a maintenance plan. In other words, you may be out of luck or it may cost you thousands of dollars to scan a few rolls of Computer Output Microfilm .

Generation Imaging has created a tried and true method to detect troublesome COM reels. Our scanner operators have been performing this method since the 1990s. It requires a knowledge of mathematics, detection algorithms, and attention to detail. It also requires post-processing: manually clipping strips. This method assures that all frames have been detected.

September 24, 2009

Microfilm scanning conversion

Generation Imaging provides the best quality microfilm scanning services at the lowest prices in the industry. Why? Would your microfilm scanning be performed overseas? Nope.

Generation Imaging has perfected scanning microfilm with no corporate overhead; Generation Imaging is made up of microfilm scanner operators and managers with over 20+ years of experience. Your microfilm conversion to PDF, TIFF, or JPEG will be done at wholesale microfilm scanning prices. You will be going DIRECT to the workers themselves as opposed to a CEO or middle-men doubling profits.

Is the quality good? Generation Imaging uses the latest generation of microfilm scanners to produce the best quality bi-tonal or grayscale images. Before Generation Imaging converts your microfilm job, you would be e-mailed samples for you to approve and your expectations would be realistic.

Microfiche scanning pricing – Generation Imaging operates high-volume microfilm scanners with no middle-men or corporate overhead, and therefore offers the lowest best pricing in the microfilm digitization industry.

Microfiche Scanning Turnaround Time – Depending on the microfilm volume, Generation Imaging can operate 24/7.

Microfiche Scanning Experience – Generation Imaging’s staff as scanned over a billion images for clients in virtually every industry.

Generation Imaging’s microfilm scanning services include:

16mm roll film
35mm roll film
16mm duplex roll film
Duplicated microfilm
Duo microfilm

COM roll film
3M cartridge roll film
Kodak cartridge roll film
Continuous microfilm

September 24, 2009

Convert microfiche to pdf

Generation Imaging provides the best quality microfiche scanning services at the lowest prices in the industry