Tag: scanning service

January 6, 2023

The Benefits of Converting Microfilm to Digital Images

Converting microfilm to digital images has a number of benefits that make it an appealing option for businesses and organizations looking to modernize their record-keeping systems.

Here are just a few of the key benefits of this process:

Improved accessibility: Digital images can be accessed much more easily than microfilm, which requires specialized equipment to view. By converting microfilm to digital, users can simply log into a computer to access the images, making it much more convenient for them to retrieve the information they need.
Enhanced security: Digital images can be backed up in multiple locations, providing a higher level of security than microfilm, which is vulnerable to physical damage, erosion, and theft.
Better organization: Digital images can be easily organized and named, making it easier to locate specific documents or images within a larger collection. This can be especially useful for businesses with large volumes of records that need to be managed.
Increased efficiency: Digital images can be shared and accessed by multiple users at the same time, eliminating the need for multiple copies of microfilm and reducing the time and effort required to retrieve and share information.
Cost savings: While there is an initial investment to convert microfilm to digital, the long-term cost savings may be substantial. Digital images do not require the maintenance and repair of specialized microfilm equipment, and there are no ongoing costs for film and chemical processing.
Improved image quality: Digital images are generally of higher quality than microfilm, as they are not subject to the same level of deterioration and fading over time. This can be especially important for businesses that rely on the accuracy and clarity of their records.

Converting microfilm to digital images offers a range of benefits that can make it a worthwhile investment for businesses and organizations looking to improve the efficiency and security of their record-keeping systems. The enhanced accessibility, security, organization, and image quality provided by digital images, along with the potential cost savings, make this an appealing option for those looking to modernize and streamline their operations.

January 21, 2021

How Do You Scan 16mm Roll Film?

16mm roll film (also called microfilm) can be read under a microfilm viewer. However if you want a copy of the actual documents contained on the film, they have to be digitized. 16mm roll film can be scanned using a reader printer- which is usually performed one image a time and every time consuming. The quicker way is to use a roll film scanner. Microfilm scanners are a product in which the cost is in proportion to the quality of its output. In other words, if you buy an “affordable” scanner ($10,000 USD) the speed and quality can’t match a high end model ($50,000+). There are used microfilm scanners on the market, but they rarely come with a warranty. And like printers, scanners have shelf lives.

The old way- using a reader printer.

The solution Generation Imaging offers is a roll film scanning service. For pennies or a fraction of a penny, depending on the microfilm type, volume, and format, we can convert your 16mm roll film to PDF, TIF, or JPG files. The speed and quality are top notch because NextScan roll film scanners are used.

The thing you have to realize how microfilm scanning is that it is a specialized technology. It’s not plug and play, nor is it an off the shelf solution if you are a newbie. If you work for a company, organization, government agency, or are an independent researcher, nine times out of ten it is more cost effective and less of a headache just to send Generation Images your 16mm roll film to get if converted to digital images.

Once you have the images, you can upload them to your PC, server, make backups, or import them into your imaging software.

March 11, 2020

Who Needs Microfilm Scanning? (Digitizing Roll Film)

Is Microfilm Still Used Today? What Is Microfilm Scanning?

It may surprise you that in the 21st century, organizations still use microfilm (also called roll film). There are a couple of reasons why microfilm is still relevant in this modern age of digitization.

Government Mandates

Many state, county, or federal government agencies demand that documents be archived on microfilm reels. It is easy to see why this is true. We have heard too many nightmare scenarios about digitized images and documents being lost due to accident. Indeed, it is a given that analogue media is “solid” and gives the impression that it could be accessed in the future easier than having the appropriate computer hardware and software to view specific file formats.

However, proponents of this philosophy ignore the inconvenient truths that microfilm actually degrades. If not stored in particular proper conditions, all microfilm could become brittle, start “melting”, smell like vinegar, fade, or become impossible to spool. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to scan your microfilm before it becomes unusable (and non-compliant with law).

It’s Always Been Done That Way

It’s possible an organization has been archiving or using their documents a certain way, dating back to the 1970s or beyond. Because things have always been done like this- and perhaps the fear of microfilm scanning costs- there could be a fear of change.

The counter argument to that is simple: having a company like Generation Imaging scanning roll film to tiff, pdf, or jpeg will save your organization time, space, and probably costs. Microfilm can become costly to store and difficult to manage and sort through. Digitizing your roll film makes your office more efficient. Indexed documents can be searched for and accessed in seconds instead of searching through hundreds of feet of roll film.

Please contact Generation Imaging today if you have:

Building Department microfilm
Police Department microfilm
Zoning and Planning microfilm
Environmental Protection microfilm
Public Works microfilm
Legal Department microfilm
Department of Health microfilm
Vital Records microfilm
Highway Department
Fire Department microfilm
Town Clerk microfilm
Student records microfilm
Social Services microfilm

and more…

September 18, 2018

Generation Imaging’s Microfilm Scanning Services

Generation Imaging is your one-stop microfilm scanning service company which can convert all types of roll film. Here is a list of the different types of roll film scanning services we offer:

16mm Microfilm Scanning

The most common type of 16mm rolls have around 1800-2400 images contained on a spool of film. However, some reels contain duplex images, are on thin film, or have odd images. Some rare ones even wrap around in a serpentine order (duo roll film). With that said, a 16mm roll of film could contain anywhere from a handful to 20,000 images (sometimes front and back, other times very small checks, receipts, or index cards to have such a large number.)

35mm Microfilm Scanning

35mm reels contain wider images- usually drawings, blueprints, charts, newspapers, and maps, but also journals, registers, Official Recorder (County) records. They usually have around 350-600 frames on them, however they could also fit 1000-1200 images at times.

Other Microfilm Digitization Services

Generation Imaging offers standard shipping services (USPS, UPS, or Fed-Ex) and secure packing methods for your microfilm. Before the microfilm is digitized, we will check the microfilm status and determine if the film has any abnormalities like microfilm vinegar syndrome.

We can name rolls by their labels and roll match to databases if you have one. Additional services include indexing at the image level, OCR to create searchable PDFs, creating a spreadsheet or text file, cropping, rotating, and deskewing. Don’t worry about negative or positive polarities: we invert from negative to positive.

File formats include PDF, PDF/A, JPEG, TIFF, and other types.

Please contact us for a free estimate with no pushy sales tactics or selling your personal info. All work is performed in the United States of America.

January 3, 2018

Generation Imaging’s Microfilm Scanning Workflow

Microfilm Scanning Steps

Generation Imaging has years of experience handling microfilm scanning projects. Here is a brief outline of our microfilm scanning workflow process.

-Gather Information: We will confirm the client’s requirements (DPI, file format, naming structure, delivery media, shipping, price, etc.) Suggestion: A greyscale PDF would probably eliminate the need to worry about poor quality documents. If the film is good, a bi-tonal tiff will do fine.
-Location: Generation Imaging will perform the microfilm conversion at our Florida office. There will be no subcontracting.
-Receive the microfilm. Either ship or drop off the microfilm to our office.
-Scan and name the microfilm by roll number.
-Quality Control, where we verify the project was scanned correctly.
-Creating an index is an optional step if the client needs images to be named by fields.
-Perform a Final QC Check so verify that the images were indexed correctly.
-Upload the completed images to an external hard drive, USB, burn to DVDs, or transfer via filesharing.
-Return the media via shipping company or pickup.

Utilizing high production/high quality scanners, Generation Imaging will convert the microfiilm to digital images in sequence order and name them by the roll labels. Each roll be checked to guarantee all images are captured using Nextscan’s Auditor software. Basically, a ribbon is created which contains a snapshot of the entire microfilm in a image. The experienced operator will then verify the frames detected and separated properly- and if they did not- the operator will manually select them. This guarantees no missing or duplicated images.

Regarding optional indexing: Generation Imaging can index specific fields from the images, if required. We can go over the specific details during the initial test.
The roll film will remain in our custody at all times. At no time will the microfilm be unattended during transport. We have a secured storage location area within their facility where the film will be stored when not being processed. Our office has an alarm system, password to enter the office, and video surveillance.

Contact Generation Imaging for a free quote, you will not regret it.