Image quality

Please remember that most films and slides are decades old. Over time they naturally fade, collect dust and can develop scratches or mould. Our scanners and team will always produce the best possible digital image from your originals — but they can’t recreate a brand-new photo.

• Minor marks, colour fading or blotches may remain after standard scanning.
• For heavier issues, consider our Photo Restoration Service (from ~£8 per image). Send us examples and we’ll advise whether it’s suitable in-house or requires our specialist restorer.

Inverted slides or negatives

Some slides don’t include “view from this side” indicators. We’ll do our best to orient them correctly, but occasional errors can occur. If you need to flip an image, it’s quick to do in most editors. We recommend XNView MP.

Missing images

Very occasionally a scanner may skip or reject a frame due to extreme contrast, focus issues or debris causing a jam.

If you notice a missing image: email us with details. If approved, we’ll ask you to return the affected item and will reattempt the scan. While we can’t guarantee success, we’ll always try.

Cropping

Our scanners auto-crop every frame. In rare cases (e.g., poor film quality or unreadable barcodes) cropping may be imperfect. We quality-check batches, but we don’t compare each digital frame against the original.

Unmounted or damaged slides

We offer an additional service for slides that are out of their mounts or too damaged for standard scanning. A small per-image charge covers temporary mounting and removal. If your mounts are in poor condition, the charge may also apply.

Dirty film

We don’t touch films directly. We use professional air blowers and Digital ICE technology to reduce dust and scratches.

• Very dirty or sticky films may retain visible defects.
• The better your originals and storage, the better the result.
• Monochrome negatives may retain slightly more imperfections due to software limitations.

Need further cleanup? Our Photo Restoration Service can help.

Glass-mounted or plastic-sleeved slides

For the best quality, send slides without glass or sleeves. Our equipment can scan most types, but dust and focus are improved when glass is removed.

• We don’t remove or remount glass as part of the service.
• Please remove cracked glass before sending; cracks will scan.
• Non-standard or over-size glass mounts may require our Custom Slide Scanning workflow.

Image rotation (APS / 35 mm)

We don’t rotate APS and 35 mm scans. If a photo was taken sideways, it will appear sideways in the files. Rotate easily with XNView MP or your preferred editor.

Image order

We use multiple professional scanners to keep prices low and turnaround fast, so a strict sequence can’t be guaranteed.

• Rescans, mixed mount sizes, repairs and cleaning can change order.
• The easiest way to achieve a specific order is to rename files after delivery.

If you require an exact order, please contact us to arrange a manual workflow (charged at a higher rate).

Returned order of originals

We’ll always try to return film in the same order, but due to the scanning process this isn’t guaranteed.

Negative film strips

We don’t scan partial strips. Each strip must be scanned in full, with a minimum of two 35 mm frames. Please remove any labels or tape beforehand (additional removal charges may apply).

Unprocessed film

We’re unable to scan any unprocessed film. Please ensure film is fully developed before sending.

Compatibility of Mr Scan media

Using your device: We can’t provide technical support for the setup of TVs, computers or external hardware, but we’re happy to advise where possible.

Video file order and tape identification

We cannot determine a particular birthday or date order from the tape content. If you need a specific order, please number each tape clearly before sending it and let us know. We cross-reference the original tapes with your digital files, so you can easily rename or reorder them after delivery.

Problems noticed in a video

We don’t watch every tape or DVD from beginning to end. If you notice a problem partway through a recording, please let us know the filename and approximate time so we can investigate. Some issues are caused by wear or damage on the original recording and may not be possible to correct.

Download links and backups

Download links are normally available for 14 days. Please download your files promptly and keep a second backup. We normally retain completed files for at least 60 days, but this isn’t a permanent storage service.

MP4 compression and TV playback guide

We supply high-quality MP4 video files to retain as much detail as possible from your original recordings. Some TVs, older computers and USB media players may have difficulty playing larger files or particular video formats. This does not necessarily mean the file is faulty.

If your MP4 will not play properly on your TV

• Check whether your television supports MP4 files containing H.264 video and AAC audio; support varies between models.
• Try the video on a computer first to confirm the file plays correctly.
• If using a USB stick, check your TV’s supported USB formats and file-size limits. Some FAT32-formatted devices cannot store a single file larger than 4 GB.
• As another option, use a compatible external media player connected to your TV by HDMI. We also offer USB media players.

How to make a smaller copy of an MP4 file

Video compression can help if your files are too large for a device to handle. Free programs such as HandBrake can create smaller copies of an existing MP4. Choose an MP4 output with H.264 video and AAC audio for broad compatibility, and use a suitable quality setting. Reducing quality or resolution further usually produces a smaller file, but also loses some detail.

Always keep your original high-quality MP4 file safe. Save the compressed version as a separate copy, and test it on your own television or player before converting a whole collection.

We cannot guarantee compatibility with every television or media player, but if your original file will not play on a computer either, please contact us with the filename and a description of the issue.