Best possible results for digitising ultrasound baby scans

grumpybeard · 11 Aug 2019 at 14:40

Bit of a different one this, hoping some folks here can help.

We had a difficult twins pregnancy last year, and have a whole folder with about 50 printed ultrasound scans from the pregnancy. They are a bit special to us, so we'd like to get the prints digitised before the printed versions fade, and so we can add a few of them to some photobooks we're putting together.

Looing for thoughts on what might be the best way to extract digitised versions. I don't have direct access to a decent scanner, which I suppose might offer resolutions of 150/300/600 DPI?

I also dont have any macro lens for my Fuji X-E3 which could possibly be used to take a photograph of each? Using my current lenses I can't get close enough with good focus to fill the viewfinder with the scan.

Do you guys think scanning or photographing, by self or via professional service, might be ways to get the best results?

Thanks very much!

Greebo · 11 Aug 2019 at 14:44

Best way would be a high end scanner but you would need to send it to a proefessional. No idea what high end scanners scan at now but I had one which scanned at 4,800dpi and that was years ago.

Donnie Fisher · 15 Aug 2019 at 11:04

Take photos of them, it'll come out fine. I've done it with old photographs which I've then enlarged to poster size.

You won't need macro, just either zoom in from a distance or set the distance to something where the camera can lock focus and the photos are filling the frame fine.

I took bracketed exposures to make sure I captured the full range of the original.

Setup a simple rig to ensure that the photo and camera are held in the same place.

ttaskmaster · 15 Aug 2019 at 11:40

Steampunk · 15 Aug 2019 at 11:45

You can buy a new Canon flatbed scanner for £50 at RRP. That's the first one I looked at, other makes may be cheaper. I've seen cheaper brand name printer/scanners in various supermarkets on offer too.

bazzabear · 15 Aug 2019 at 11:52

You probably already know this, but make sure that any method you use doesn't subject the original to too much heat, or it can destroy the image.

Greebo · 15 Aug 2019 at 11:56

Canon CanoScan LiDE 220

Scans at 4800 x 4800 and is a current PC Magazine editors choice for flatbed scanner for archiving photos. Around £60.

Then you can edit and re-scan where necessary to get the best quality.

Donnie Fisher · 15 Aug 2019 at 18:21

All joking aside, a decent modern phone will be able to focus near enough at a resolution that beats the original scan print out. Plus phones have the tools to adjust the exposure too

i know nothing · 16 Aug 2019 at 03:10

bazzabear said:
You probably already know this, but make sure that any method you use doesn't subject the original to too much heat, or it can destroy the image.

So true, I believe the paper is akin to fax paper and heat sensitive.

Donnie Fisher · 17 Aug 2019 at 12:24

Yes, don't do what my friend did... Leaving it in his trouser pocket, washing it, then trying to take out the wrinkles by ironing it...