Funny - but I think you hit the ultimate nail on the head, If you are going to digitise your film/slide/print collection, it is a long hard and often miserable job. If you do it once, you want useable results in the future. Five quid saved, for a lifetime of images (and maybe not just yours) is, unless you get it right, a complete waste of time.
After the onerous task is carried out, you need for peace of mind as much as anything, to know that the job has been done well. As I have said, I use Silverfast and many others will use different packages. The awful reality, is this. That after fishing out out originals from wherever, then spending a lot of time (Don't con ourselves - this is exactly what it will take) that the job is not equivalent to the originals. This is a horrible job. But if it is done once, it is done for ever and you have digital masters that are not dependant on time or condition to be reproduced in their full splendour. What I say, is that you should do the job just once - but do it very well. Otherwise, it is ultimately worthless. There are memories for instance, in Pprune, that cannot be reproduced and will wane with time. When you die, the gift to future generations will be what you have left them
The differences between prosumer and consumer markets are legion. But this is a long and time consuming job Often, there will not be a second chance, so get it right when you do it.
'scuse me - i need to take a pic with my mobile phone....
Apologies for the rant :-)
Conan
Oh - a PS don't forget to back them up and keep them safe
