At Oscans we are increasingly finding that there are significant collections of institutional archives that have not yet been digitised. Digitising photographic archives means they can be duplicated, distributed and safely stored for the future. As image capture specialists we offer a service that allows institutions to efficiently archive their vast collections of photographic media, at high quality and at a reasonable price.

Oscans has extensive experience in scanning and digitally optimising large collections of photographic media for institutions such as the Seven Network, the Royal Australian Navy, Qantas, and many others. We understand the requirements and constraints of large corporations and always endeavour to deliver the work to the high standard expected within the agreed timeframe. Oscans could save your organisation time, money and the need for internal photographic expertise. If your institution is considering outsourcing its archiving projects, give us a call on 1300 138 970 or contact us via our web form.

Oscans uses professional image capture equipment, including Kodak's HR 500 Plus scanner and Epson V700 flatbed scanners. Through testing we have found that the HR 500 scanner can outperform conventional equipment, such as the Creo scanner (see our Samples page for comparisons). Additionally, for chromogenic film images, the HR 500 provides the option to scan with Digital ICE for effective dirt and scratch removal without information loss.

For jobs involving larger images and for special requests we may also use high end digital cameras for image capture.

Oscans handles the following formats:

We have experience handling many different types of damage to photographic media, including mouldly images, film severely affected by Vinegar Syndrome and other common issues. We have developed processes that allow us to get the best scan possible out of degraded images without causing damage to the film.

Oscans will work with you to present files scanned and optimised to your specifications of output pixel dimensions (resolution), bit depth, as well as colour space. We always strive to ensure that all information is captured within the histogram when we scan our images, so that no clipping occurs.

We will scan all files into TIFF format, but files will be delivered in both TIFF and JPEG. We may also supply additional types of files if requested.

In our experience we have found that many organisations have specific databasing requirements, which include data entry into spreadsheets or barcode input. Our staff will gladly follow your instructions to ensure that physical media will not be misfiled and that all appropriate data will be entered with minimal error.

Oscans is located in a secure office premises in the Sydney CBD, with passcard and key access after hours. Staff at Oscans take all necessary precautions to ensure that all photographic work remains in good condition while on our premises. This includes storage and careful handling of film images. Safe transport of large collections by courier can be arranged by Oscans if requested.

For a more comprehensive account of our processes, read our Frequently Asked Questions page.