Category Archives: Microfiche scanning

Convert Microfiche to Digital Images (PDFs, TIFFs, JPGs)

Did Your Reader Printer Break?

When should one convert microfiche to digital images, such as PDFs, TIFFs, or JPGs? How about right now! Just recently the Mt. Vernon Clerk and Recorder office has suffered extensive water damage, and their microfiche machine no longer works. Generation Imaging has received numerous inquires from many government entities, school systems, and insurance companies that were using reader printers or Canon scanners which broke down.

If they don’t convert microfiche before an accident or mechanical failure, they would be unable to service the public or digitize the data. The huge advantage of using a microfiche scanning service bureau is that a company like Generation Imaging can convert microfiche to digital images much more quick than a slow reader printer or Canon scanner.

convert microfiche to pdfGood Microfiche Scanners

G.I. uses NextScan high speed microfiche scanners to convert microfiche to PDF, TIFF, or JPG, at various DPI, bi-tonal (black and white) or grayscale. Images can be converted through OCR (proprietary software) or indexed by directory or at the filename level. In other words, G.I. can create an image retrieval format for you to match your existing organization or create an entire new way to organize your images.

The key to avoiding disasters and getting involved in the tricky business of disaster recovery is to be proactive. The first step is to convert microfiche to digital. You may be surprised just how affordable the cost of microfiche scanning is with Generation Imaging.

Go Digital

The benefits of digitizing fiche are numerous: increased productivity, easy file transfers via e-mail, internet, FTP, networks, and printing; and the ability to copy images quickly.

Governments, private organizations, and individuals (researchers, veterans, genealogists, hobbyists) that have fiche should convert microfiche to digital images as soon as possible. CONTACT US

Free Microfiche Service Sample Test

At Generation Imaging, we are doing all we are able to to assist our customers take care of their microfiche conversion projects. As a part of our efforts, we have now established a free no obligation testing process, where we take a sampling of your microfiche conversion project and perform a microfiche conversion simulation test, identical to what we’d on the real job.

In other words, if you send us your entire project, we will scan a representative sample of the project by selecting microfiche to digitize and email the images for your approval.

microfiche free

This check has many benefits. It gives our buyer a good understanding of what the final microfiche conversion product will be, it allows us at Generation Imaging to correctly time the process for each particular project, and offers our prospects the opportunity to make changes to assure that the final product will be exactly as wanted, and is totally free.

Another vital issue we consider valuable to our clients is the cost of finishing the microfilm conversion project. It will likely be difficult to discover a microfiche conversion center that may match the prices or services supplied at Generation Imaging. We have thought about all variables to assure that we are able to provide top quality and greatest service. To do this, Generation Imaging makes use of top of the line microfiche conversion equipment, capable of producing optimum quality images at top speed. In addition, we are in a position to produce any kind of image file format at varied resolution. CONTACT US

Convert Genealogical Microfiche to Digital Image

microfiche genealogy digitize

Digitizing genealogical records– it is easier now than in the past to find information about your ancestors. Many organizations are collecting genealogical information for research reasons. In spite of this, finding your family history may not be as easy as you would like. Original certificates of marriage, divorce, birth, death and other historical records, may be found in their original paper format. Generation Imaging are experts at converting historical records from microfiche archives, microfilm archives, or original paper form, to a digital format, such as PDF, TIFF, or JPEG.

There has always been an interest in people looking their ancestry information. Years ago we could only get genealogical information that had been passed down from family members. Many people have spend countless number of hours gathering information to build their own family tree. But many times this information was very limited in-spite of their efforts.

Companies that offer genealogical records to individuals that are looking for family history are looking for ways to provide more information for you. If you have records on microfilm or microfiche cards, and you need to convert these archival records to a digital format, contact Generation Imaging. We also scan paper documents and aperture cards. In addition, we can perform OCR and create searchable PDF files. This can allow individual to look up names, dates and other information. We can convert all types of hard copy records to digital format and help you build a digital automated system. Using this method, Genealogical Research Institutions are becoming more efficient than years ago.

We recently converted old newspaper records from 35mm microfilm to digital format for an out of state genealogical records institution. In this particular case, the microfilm had information that dated back about 100 years. Before the conversion took place, people had a very difficult time finding valuable information that was stored in the microfilm. It is easy to assume that many people got frustrated and did not find all they were looking for. We were successful at digitizing and creating searchable PDF files that can now be easily search. In an automated system, records can be found by typing a name into a field and the system locates all the records that have that name . This automated process is usually more efficient at locating records when compared to a person searching through thousands of documents. In addition, the time savings when using an automated system is huge. This time savings and efficiency may turn into a win win situation for everyone.

Contacting us for your microfilm or document conversion needs is easy.  We are equipped to quickly and efficiently convert your genealogical records for you. Old documents that are kept on microfiche or microfilm, or are in paper format, require an expert to carefully and safely digitize the information. We use the latest technology to scan records. We have converted 35mm microfilm, 16mm microfilm and other types of documents for many years.

If you have millions of vital records that need to be digitized, or if you just have a couple of rolls of microfilm or a few microfiche cards, we can help you decide the best way to digitize the images, and we can provide you with the best options for you historical records. CONTACT US

Before You Buy a Microfiche Scanner

Things to Know Before You Buy Microfiche Scanners

buy microfiche scanner

Microfiche Scanners are Like Cameras

Before you buy a microfiche scanner, it is important to know how a microfiche scanner works. Some concepts between a digital picture camera and a microfiche scanner are similar. Microfiche scanners also use a digital camera to produce an image from the microfiche card. A microfiche scanner also has a lens system to project an image to the camera. Light from a light source passes through the microfiche cards. The image that reaches the lens is transferred to the camera .

From this point of view, a microfiche scanner is straightforward. Frames from a microfiche card are digitized with a microfiche scanner. Once the digital camera collects the image, it generates a digital image that can be viewed and stored in a computer. The microfiche scanner is a high speed camera that results in digital images from microfiche cards.

Microfiche Scanners Use Special Software

Most microfiche scanners are designed to move through the grid guide of a microfiche to catch each frame as a independent image. The systems are designed with tools that allow operators to locate each frame from the microfiche. Frame location is a term used to describe this method. Scanners need to have various methods available to deal with different microfiche formats. To learn all the distinctive methods of a microfiche scanner, it sometimes takes years of practice.

One of the primary steps in setting up a microfiche scanner is to regulate the frame detection. Digital images of each frame are formed by the microfiche scanner as it locates the frames on the microfiche. The light that passes through the microfiche and reaches the microfiche scanner camera, is transformed to produce a digital image. Scanning systems should allow operators to make alterations to maximize the quality of digital image produce. The best possible quality can be achieve by an experienced operator that has the skills needed to operate a good microfiche scanner.

The position of the microfiche scanner camera is very important for various reasons. Advanced microfiche scanners have options available so that an operator can adjust this position. The correct modifications to the system are imperative to focus the image properly and to project the image at the accurate magnification.

Should You Buy a Microfiche Scanner?

If you are researching to buy a microfiche scanner (from NextScan, Sunrise, Mekel, Ristech, Wicks & Wilson, etc.), you can confirm with us for more significant information. If you are comparing the options between buying a microfiche scanner and outsourcing the project, we can assist you with critical information.

Take advantage of our experience converting millions of images and ask us about it. Buying a microfiche scanner is a giant investment and you may want to get informed as much as possible before you make the final decision. The understanding that we have gained, having used some of the most advanced systems in the market to convert many microfiche projects, is information we can share with you to help you make the best decision. CONTACT US

Cost to Scan Microfiche: What Questions to Ask?

Microfiche Scanning Cost

If you are looking for microfiche scanning prices, including a case study which compares four microfiche scanning companies, click here. If you want to learn about which questions to ask to get an accurate microfiche scanning quote, read on!

microfiche scanning price

Here is a list of microfiche scanning questions to help with pricing:

What type of microfiche needs to be scanned?

The different types of microfiche are COM fiche, jacketed fiche, step-and-repeat . You can take a ruler and measure the film width if you are unsure of roll film size.

Do the images need to be indexed?

Generally clients just need virtual folders named by reel number or microfiche header label, however other times they would need data entry from fields, like SSN, Names, or Case Numbers.

What is the preferred file format?

Group IV TIFF, PDF, JPEG, Uncompressed TIFF, bi-tonal images, greyscale images, multi-tiffs, multi-PDFs, searchable OCR PDFs, or another image format? (Most clients used bi-tonal tiffs, but in recent years PDFs have become more popular). One more thing to consider: if your client is already using a document management system or you have your own document management software, you must comply to the requested file format. What is the output media? CD, DVD, external USB hard drive, FTP, or flash drive are all options.

What is the microfiche canning turnaround time?

When does the microfiche need to be shipped back, and at what priority? Can the microfiche be released all at once or in waves? Is there a deadline to deliver the images?

The crazy thing about the microfiche scanning industry is that there were no true standards. However, it does help to perform this information gathering task for many obvious reasons. Generation Imaging can assist you with free microfiche scanning quotes, and scan microfiche at the most competitive pricing rates in the industry. CONTACT US