Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

We only offer high quality scans (600dpi for paper photos, 3000dpi for negatives and slides) and offer one low price for each of these. Our service is designed to provide you with only high quality scans because you want to spend your money on scanning only once. Our pricing is all inclusive; there are no hidden costs for the DVD, higher resolution, or image restoration. Also, read the "About Us" section to find out more about our founders - they take great pride in their work, as does every single employee of ScanCafe. Compare our prices of high quality scans by visiting: our prices comparison page.

Your order is safe with us. For domestic shipping, we rely on UPS which allows both you and us to track your precious package by the hour. The UPS shipping label we automatically generate for you contains a unique barcode that will be used to track your order throughout the process. Our processing center is run by qualified technicians who take the utmost care of every picture. Once your photos are scanned they are preserved forever. We take the security of your images very seriously – outstanding customer service and care is core to our beliefs. We have successfully processed about ten million images and have not lost or damaged a single order. Additionally, we only use manual processes - we have no auto-fed machines in which your pictures can get easily jammed and ruined (how many times has a printer or fax machine done that to you?) Lastly, we offer a shipping guarantee of $1,000 (please refer to the terms and conditions for full details). for full details). Learn everything there is to know about how we have built our reputation on caring for your precious memories: Safety.

We scan the following formats:
• 35mm negatives
• 35mm slides
• paper pictures up to 8x10
• 110, 120, 126, 127 & 200 format film

We also scan children’s art work, post cards, newspaper stories, etc.
Click here to view our detailed price for the various formats.

Let’s say you want to scan 500 pictures, it will cost you:
• 40 monotonous hours of scanning (5 months if you dedicated 2 hrs/weekend)
• about $200 for a high quality scanner like the EPSON 4490
• about $1200 for a high quality negative scanner like the NIKON CoolScan 5000ED

If you let ScanCafe do it for you, it will cost you
• Zero hours of your time
• $95 for 500 negatives
• $120 for 500 slides
• $135 for 500 paper photos

Memories are priceless! Most people have thousands of pictures in different formats (paper prints, slides, negatives). Scanning them enables you to:
• Preserve them on digital media like DVDs and CDs forever
• Get rid of your clutter and easily organize all your pictures
• Sort them, date them and label them
• Distribute multiple copies to friends and family
• Create photo books for special occasions
• Compile picture biographies of loved ones
• Upload all pictures to online photo sharing websites

Seeing is believing. Before you read any further, check out our quality page: Do it Once, Do it Right, At high Quality.
DPI stands for dots per inch; it is a measure of the resolution, accuracy, sharpness and clarity of your scanned picture. Up to a certain point, the higher the DPI resolution, the better the image; but this also takes longer to scan and process. With higher resolution, you can enlarge your image to larger size. With ScanCafe's DPI resolution, you can enlarge a paper photo to twice its original size, and print a negative/slide to 20x30.
Based on millions of scans, we find that the optimal DPI levels are: 600 DPI for paper photo and 3000 DPI for slides and negatives.
Most scanning services charge extra for what is our standard resolution. Your pictures deserve a professional level of scanning and processing.
When shopping for a scanning service, make sure you compare price at equivalent resolution and with the equivalent level of image processing. ScanCafe service is all-inclusive: high resolution scanning, Kodak digital ICE and Photoshop manual processing.
For special purpose applications, such as very large print enlargements, we offer 4000 DPI scan (media permitting). If you would like 4000 DPI, please place a note stating so in the box with your order.

ScanCafe is the only professional scanning service that is designed for simplicity and ease of use.
We understand that it is painful and sometimes impossible to sort through thousands of pictures (you can’t even see what’s on a negative!). At ScanCafe, you get to send us ALL your pictures:
- we scan them and manually process them
- we load them onto your on-line account for your review
- you review them at your leisure and discard the ones you don't want (up to 50% of the images you send us).
You ONLY pay our low price for the high resolution scans of the images you choose. No other image scanning service offers such flexibility at such a low all-inclusive cost.

If you have negatives for most of your photo collection, scanning negatives is a better option because:
• Scans from negatives are of much higher quality than paper photos
• Negatives are cheaper to ship (negatives weigh 1/10th of paper photos) and are priced more affordably
• For negatives, you will need a smaller package to ship
• Negatives are in a sequence and easier to organize while scanning

We currently have a $9.95 surcharge for the handling of albums. You should strive to remove the individual photos, place in folders or Ziplocs, and ship them to us for scanning. This way, we aren't put in a tough position of making a judgment call on whether or not to cut an image from an album. If we do run into situations such as this, we will do our best to contact you prior to any physical alteration of your albums. Never send your order in bubble mailers – always use a certified shipping box.

We recommend that you remove slides from carousels (which have significant cost in shipping). If you do decide to ship your slides in carousels, then we will charge you a surcharge of $9.95. If you have slides in magazines or slide display pages, you may ship them in that manner with no surcharge. Alternately you can package your slides in aluminum foil boxes. This will be much cheaper for shipping. Regardless of how you ship them, please insure to secure them tightly with rubber bands or wrap them in saran wrap to prevent the images from shifting around during shipping. Slides, negatives and prints are very durable and don't require excess protection while shipping - but you should put them in Ziploc bags to protect from any inadvertent spills on the delivery truck. A single layer of bubble wrap or newspaper will generally suffice for protection in the box. Never send your order in bubble mailers – always use a certified shipping box.

See our “how it works” page
Step 1: Collect pictures: Collect all your pictures in multiple formats (negatives will work out the cheapest: both shipping and scanning costs) Count: ? Box them: Package them in a standard FedEx or UPS box
Step 2: Place order: Log onto ScanCafe.com and place an order. Print 3 copies of the shipping label: attach one to the outside of the box; place one inside (it will always travel with your images); and keep the third for your records. Then, simply ship it!
Step 3: Tracking: We will send you a confirmation email on receipt and also when your pictures are scanned and ready for review online.
Step 4: Tracking: You can review the status of your order at anytime by logging in to your account and clicking on order status. You get to review ALL your scanned pictures online. You select the pictures that you like (minimum 50% selection required) You’re done! We will ship you: • All the originals that you sent us • All your selected scans on your choice of a DVD or CD or a Hard Drive

We are the most affordable scanning service. Check our prices on our price page. When you place your order, we charge you for the shipping cost of sending us your original plus a 50% upfront payment for your estimated order size. We will then bill you for the remainder of the processing cost and the return shipping after you have completed the online review of your scans. You will have the freedom of reviewing the scans online and discarding the scans you don't want. We will only charge you for scans you retain. We allow you to discard up to 50% of the scans of the images you sent us, meaning that if you send us 100 images at minimum you will have to pay for 50. We are the only scanning service that offers this flexibility. Of course, we will return all of your originals.

Phenomenal editorial reviews in Money Magazine, Popular Photography, and other publications, have pushed our turn around time to about 8 weeks from the time we receive your images at ScanCafe.
As we increase capacity over the next few weeks, the turnaround time should be reduced substantially.

We highly recommend DVDs if your computer has a DVD drive because DVDs hold up to 7 times as many images as a CD. The quality of the image is the same on both.

Your scanned pictures will be stored on DVD or CD in jpeg format. These DVDs or CDs can be viewed on your DVD/View CD player or computer. If you took the time to organize and label groups of images, this organization will be reflected in your scanned images. For example, if you have an envelope of photos labeled: “Sam’s 2nd Birthday”, we will store your scanned photos in a folder named “Sam’s 2nd Birthday”. You will see this folder during your online review process and this folder will be burned onto your DVD.

Approximately 1200 paper print scans at 600dpi and 300 negative or slide scans at 3000dpi. The exact number is difficult to determine because of the digital size of the scanned image - for instance, a picture of a sunset over the mountains will have much more detail then a picture of a green leaf against a white wall and will, therefore, be larger in size.

The privacy and protection of your images is of paramount importance to us. Please refer to our privacy policy.

With a jpeg compatible DVD player, you can enjoy viewing the pictures from the DVD in the comfort of your living room. The "slideshow" feature of your DVD player will allow you to browse through your images just as you would on your computer. The recent generation of DVD players have the "slide show" feature. In order to determine whether or not your DVD player supports this feature, visit http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers.

With a jpeg compatible DVD player, you can enjoy viewing the pictures from the DVD in the comfort of your living room. The "slide show" feature of your DVD player will allow you to browse through your images just as you would on your computer. The recent generation of DVD players have the "slide show" feature. In order to determine whether or not your DVD player supports this feature, please visit http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers. You should look for "JPG" or "jpeg" under "video formats supported."

Many of our customers use photobook solutions from Blurb.com, Shutterfly, Snapfish, and others. Once you receive your high resolution images form ScanCafe, you can then upload them to these other sites and create your own photobooks. To find out more, you can check out http://www.blurb.com/partner/scancafe.

Yes. ScanCafe now allows you to easily share your scanned images with friends and family. After you review your scanned images and checkout, you will have an option to share your images for free. You can also buy extra sets of DVDs when you initially place your order.

Kodak’s award winning Digital ICE (TM) processing is included free on all scans (since negatives can have dust and scratches). The award-winning Digital ICE technology automatically removes surface defects, such as dust and scratches, from a scanned image.

Cropping consists of digitally editing the scan to ensure that the image has a clean border.

ScanCafe has a very robust and secure UPS shipping process integrated in its order entry system. Our automated shipment software generates the shipping label for you so that you only have to print it and tape it to your package. We strongly recommend that you use this shipping procedure. It will cost you less and will ensure that your package is monitored from the minute you drop it off to the minute it is received. If there is a reason why you can't use UPS to ship your images please call us: 1-866-745-0392.

For prints, we use the Epson 4490. For slides and negatives, we use the Nikon 5000ED and the Nikon 9000ED. We rely on Digital ICE for the initial processing but each and every image is manually processed using Adobe Photoshop to remove the remaining blemishes to ensure the highest quality. We do much more than the automated image processing that our competitors limit themselves to. Try us, you won't be disappointed!

ScanCafe is a global company with facilities in Burlingame (CA) and Bangalore (the software capital of India). Most of our scanning is done out of Bangalore, India. See details on our first-class facility in Bangalore by clicking here: Graphics & Imaging Center. Most importantly learn how we keep your precious memories safe and secure (Safety & Tracking). We have scanned over 9,000,000 images using our robust world-class logistics operation and have never lost or damaged an order. Feel free to place a test order.

Our operation in India is a fully owned subsidiary and was created for this sole purpose - your images are never out of the control of either ScanCafe or our global shipping partners. The Bangalore processing facility is managed by one of our founders (another Wharton Graduate - click on about us section for more details) who relocated permanently to India.

We DO NOT send your individual packages via airfreight. Media processed in India are consolidated in Burlingame in secured and sturdy ScanCafe dedicated shipping containers that weigh a 1000-2000 lbs! Your precious photos are packaged with 5 levels of protection during transport. These rugged containers are air-freighted using a publicly traded global leader in international shipping (seeing is believing-Secure Tracking). Due to the significant increase in security in airport/tarmac operations and the significant tightening of air freight shipping resulting from international security threats, international package delivery has never been safer or more controlled. Our freight forwarding partner has an impeccable record has and has never lost a shipment on its Indian routes. We understand that some people may be initially concerned that their photos may be shipped to India for scanning - but any fears are unfounded. We pay our Indian employees a rate of compensation that is a full 25% above the average plus retirement and insurance benefits; this allows us to hire and retain the most qualified image processing technicians. Our technicians are just that - they are highly trained in all the latest photo editing software and have a passion for photography.

Your photos are manually reviewed and fully restored one by one by our well trained technicians - NOT simply automatically processes by software in an "I feel lucky" manner that the majority of our competitors employ.

We have developed a very innovative process that combines technology and a reliable fully owned and operated off-shore infrastructure. Our founders met while attending the Wharton School of Business and have leveraged their experience and global business expertise to build this company from the ground up to be affordable - the reason we started this was because we couldn't find an affordable solution ourselves! Try us out you won't be disappointed!

We DO NOT scan APS currently. Due to reliability issues with Nikon's APS loader (see link below), we no longer scan APS rolls. For customers who have already placed APS orders, turnaround time for APS film is 8-10 weeks. If this is too long, you can contact us, and we will work with you to place a separate order for your APS film so that your other images can be scanned more quickly. We are working diligently with Nikon to solve this problem, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. http://www.filmscanner.info/en/NikonSuperCoolscan5000ED.html

Thanks to our high resolution of 600 DPI for paper photos and 3000 DPI for slides/negatives, you can use our high resolution scans to:
- enlarge a paper photo to twice its original size
- print a negative/slide to a size 20x30".

Yes, ScanCafe offers a guarantee against loss of your order once it is received in our offices. We have processed almost ten million images and haven't lost or damaged a single order. While your order is in the ScanCafe system, whether domestic or international, we guarantee that your order will not be lost. If it is, ScanCafe will give you $1,000 and a year of free scanning services. Additionally, you are covered by the UPS terms and conditions for shipments to and from ScanCafe.

Our office hours are 9am to 6pm PST Monday thru Friday. We will make every effort to respond to email queries within 6 hours during office hours (usually much quicker) and will make every effort to return voice mails within 4 hours during office hours. We are not open weekends or holidays.

You may call us at: 1-866-745-0392 or send a fax: 1-866-400-7209. Alternatively, you can send us an email here: admin@scancafe.com

Unfortunately we can't scan a single negative that has been cut from a larger strip.

We require a 50% upfront down payment to begin your order. Hopefully, this isn't an issue - our competitors charge you the entire amount prior to working on your order. The 50% is taken from your order size estimate - it will be adjusted as necessary upon final checkout after you have reviewed your scans.

Please insure that you securely box up your precious images. DO NOT use the flimsy department store boxes you get from places like Macy's or Nordstrom. These are not designed for use as shipping containers. In this same vein, do not use Kleenex boxes or any other container made of thin paper or cardboard. We even recommend against sending things in shoe boxes. The UPS store or your local post office can provide you with excellent shipping materials. And always be careful to fully tape up the box. Never use bubble mailers.

Currently we use the 2.5" 160GB drive from Western Digital (WDXMS1200TN) which has "in-line" power so no external power supply is required - they are extremely convenient. They connect via a USB port and fit in a shirt pocket. Scans in JPEG at 3000 dpi are between 5-7MB. The usable space on the drive is about 110 GB. Consequently, we can store about 16,000 images on a drive. We don't offer larger or smaller drives. For now this is the only option we offer.

Yes, we now offer these services. You can upload images directly to us via our upload tool. You can write to our customer service team with any inquiries and they will be able to answer any question you have. Prices will range from $5 to $40 and we can either scan the original image for you or you can actually email a digital image you have that needs this type of work.

With our Pro Library option you get two complete sets of images. One is in compressed JPG file format with full image processing applied (crop, dust / scratch removal, color correction). The second is a “raw” scan with no image processing applied in a “lossless” TIFF file format. Both are scanned at the default setting of 3,000 dpi for slides/negatives and 600 dpi for prints. The JPG fully processed images are useful in 90% of professional applications for reprint or use on-line. The TIFF file become essential when full resolution is needed for poster size images, color space is critical, or a non-processed image is required by professional printers. Many of our museum, art gallery, photography and other professional clients find our Pro Library Option a great solution. Every so often one of our clients comes across a hidden “gem” they didn’t know they had. When they do, it’s important for them to have the absolute highest possible resolution image that has not yet been processed for them to work with. Sort of a “blank canvas” from which to apply professional processing as they see fit. Price is an additional 24 cents per image. You can also go to 4,000 dpi for slides/negatives and 1200 dpi for prints - cost is an incremental 9 cents per image. We only recommend such high resolution to pros and hobbyists who have a definite need and understand the nuances of 4000 dpi scans.

Sorry, right now we do not accept international orders (and this includes Canada). We are working with US Customs to figure out how to best do this - when we do launch this service, we will let everyone know through our monthly newsletter which you can receive by signing up - its free and all we take is your email address, no other personal info is required. You can register by clicking on the "Get Started" button on the home page.

Unfortunately the answer is no, for the following reason – the UPS label that is automatically generated has a single tracking ID for a single package. If you were to print two copies of this label, then UPS would only track one of the boxes. If they were to misplace the second box, but deliver the first box, then you would have no proof of this as the delivery info would have followed the first box. Additionally, ScanCafe would have no idea that two boxes were coming. You can remedy this by either getting your order into a larger single box (large boxes suitable for shipping can be found at the UPS Store, FedEx/Kinkos, or any office supply store such as Staples or Office Depot) or by actually placing two orders on the site and applying a single label to each box. You could then track each box separately all the way through the process. If you do decide to place a heavy order into a single box (more than 10 pounds), then we highly recommend you take the order to a UPS Store or a Kinkos so that they can help you prepare the box for shipment to insure that the packing method used is sufficient. Please feel free to contact us with any additional questions on this topic at admin@scancafe.com or at 866-745-0392. One last piece of advice - if you look at the bottom of any shipping box, you will see the amount of weight that that box is rated for in both pounds and burst capacity.

Yes. As long as you have a computer and can view the images and place the order. UPS does not deliver to APOs or FPOs so if you do not have a physical address please enter your home of record for shipping and billing addresses. Make sure to include your APO/FPO address in the notes page. Send us your memories via US Postal Service; we will refund the payment for the UPS shipping label and return your disk and original media to you via US Postal Service. Please call or email us for further clarification at 1-866-745-0392 or admin@scancafe.com.