The Best Scanners For 12×12 Scrapbook Pages Leave a comment

Physical photos were the norm until the last decade, and without a doubt, almost everyone who is above 10 years does have such photo memories lying around. If you are another couple of decades older than that, chances are you have much more than just memories. The most important occasions, such as weddings, vacations, holidays, get-togethers whatnot.

All captured in film and rendered as photos now are fading and ready for damage due to the aging of photos. Furthermore, if you have collections older than that, then those pictures are so fragile that you cannot even touch them without caution. Mostly if they were not correctly stored, the chances are they are already irretrievable. Subsequently, you might lose the legacy of your family history as they fade and become unidentifiable.

You may also like: The Ultimate Guide To Choosing A Scanner That Best Fits Your Needs

See more: Can You Scan Multiple Pages At Once

Why Do You Need To Scan Your ScrapBook?

This digital technology era has a feasible solution to preserve these treasurable captures for generations to come. You can do it by scanning them using the best scanner for 12×12 scrapbook pages. Also, storing these memories in a physical format will take up lots of valuable space. If you scan them, you can get rid of them or store them in a secluded place without fear of damaging them as you already have a copy.

Also thus scanned photos are available for digital printing and editing if necessary. You can enhance colors or remove unnecessary details and create copies as per your liking. Sharing them would be a breeze, and each family member can get a soft copy without spending a penny. These pictures stay safe and secure for years to come.

Though it has several advantages, scanning them is a wearying task. These scanners are larger than the commonly used scanners, and buying them, especially for a one-time update of photos, is a costly affair. However, if you are an art enthusiast who will be scanning their artwork or you still click your pictures in old cameras, then you may consider buying these scanners. Another instance is if you have a lot of scrapbook memories. Since this will be a one-time task, you can either outsource them or put in some effort and get the work done in the available flatbed scanner.

Here we are looking into three options.

• Buying a 12 x 12 or larger scanner
• Outsourcing the scanning services
• Working with an existing scanner

See more: Complete Guide On How To Scan Large Amounts Of Documents

Buying A 12 X 12 Or Larger Scanner

Large scanners are usually costly and require more space than regular scanners. Operating them is not as simple as anA4 sized flatbed scanner or an all-in-one device. You would not want to risk losing your photo if you do not know what to do if it gets stuck in rollers.

There are certain aspects you must consider before buying the 12 x 12 scanners. The Best scanner for 12×12 scrapbook pages should be simple to operate and have easy editing options.

Right-Sized Scanner

Standard sized scrapbooks are easily scannable on any of the scanners with a 12×12 size capacity or more than that. If your pages are larger, then consider the size accordingly. If your scanner can offer 1/8th inch larger space than your paper size, it will be capable of capturing the complete page without any cropping.

Software

The old photos might not be aesthetically doing well due to fading, scratches, or dust. It is possible to add little vibrancy to them using the right software. Even a third-party image editing software such as Photoshop can perform well in this aspect.

Scanners Suitable For Scanning 12 X 12 Sized Scrapbooks

Here are a few machines that will help you scan your scrapbooks. These devices are capable of completing your job and are also useful in doing several other useful tasks. Check them and choose the appropriate scanner that can serve you well.

Canon TS9521C All-In-One Wireless Crafting Photo Printer

This Alexa-friendly, 12 x 12 inches paper printable, all-in-one device is suitable for scanning and printing large-sized photos. Scanning of multiple pages is possible using the automatic document feeder and is ideal for oversized scanning along with booklet layout copy.

It comes with 5 inks with the ChromaLife100 protection, which does not allow the photos to fade for years. As it is wireless, you can also air print from a smartphone or tablet. It can also print from computers over Wi-Fi and from the memory card slot provided on the device. The display screen is large and clear for easy operation of the equipment.

Epson Expression 12000XL-PH Flatbed Scanner

The large format scanner with the scan is of 12. 2″ X 17. 2″ is capable of scanning several media, including slides, negatives, and transparency strips. It has brilliant detail and clarity as it uses 3.8 Dmax and the micro Step drive technology. You get a pretty much impressive resolution quality of 2400 x 4800 dpi with this device.

 

Colorful II imaging system enhances the color along with a superior experience of image processing. As its LED lamp warms up quickly you can be more productive. All these extra-ordinary technologies combine with Epson MatrixCCD technology give you vibrant results, making it the best scanner for 12×12 scrapbook pages.

This full-fledged scanner comes with technology capable of grain reduction, dust removal, fixing the photo color, and similar handy features. The transparency unit helps in scanning negatives and slides.

Epson Workforce Pro WF-7840 Wireless All-in-One

This all-in-one device with a scanner by Epson comes with a scanning area of 13″ x 19″. It is a high-speed printing device capable of 25 black and white ppm and 12 color ppm. Despite its speed, this device is heat-free. DURABrite pigments inks with ultra-instant dry feature offer high precision prints.

 

The heavy-duty all-in-one device is reliable for extreme workloads as it has 50 sheet ADF and duplex auto-printing. It helps you be highly productive as it has the convenience of loading 500 sheets and no downtime. Advanced features such as touch screen control, app connectivity, Wi-FI direct, and Bluetooth operation make it extremely comfortable to use.

If you are planning on printing the book, then you need to find a photo vendor or a printer cum scanner. You might run into few doubts about what to expect while using this scanner for scrapbook digitization. A quick overview is provided below to help you with your doubts if any.

Now that you already know about a couple of printers cum scanners, you can learn about photo vendors in the next section. Consider the option that best suits you.

Scanning And Digitizing Process Outline

Before purchasing a scanner, here is an outline of the process you need to undergo if you choose to scan your books. Before you get started, let me disclose one crucial reason why people choose to spend money on these scanners for digitizing memories.

Because mailing the originals to a photo vendor might result in seeing their memories for the last time in case of a mishap. Meaning they will lose the originals and also not have a copy of it. This thought is dreaded by many and is the topmost reason why many do not opt for outsourcing this process.

Steps Involved In The Scanning Process

Scrapbooks have various elements to them along with just photos, and sometimes you might find scanning them to be tricky. Say you added a lovely decorative glitter to the page of photos as an element of interest. If not done right, it might come out awkwardly, destroying the beauty of the page. A little patience and trying various angles to capture it at its best will give you extraordinary results that closely mimic the original.

• Take time and do it slowly, trying to capture the most intricate details of each page. As you learn new techniques with each scan your work becomes more manageable. Make sure you remove the page protectors before you scan.

• The images scanned using the best scanner for 12×12 scrapbook pages should be imported into the image editing software. Photoshop has all the features you need for editing and is also available for a free trial for 7 days, even if you have no subscription. Clean up the images on each page for awkward marks, improve color, resize, and edit till you find them ready for printing.

• Set the optimum resolution for printing by checking the guidelines of the book printer’s specifications, and it should not be less than 600 dpi if you are self-printing.

• Remember, when you are making a book, you need odd pages and even pages. The binding area is on the right for the left side pages and vice versa. Make 2 folders by sorting all the left side pages and right side pages duly edited will complete the page preparation process.

• Now upload all the pages to the photo book software. Get them printed by a professional, or you can do it if you have the right equipment. Meaning the correct sized glossy paper, printer, and experience to handle them.

• Make sure to save the soft copy of the book you just made on a thumb drive to keep preserve them safely in case you need them in the future.

Check this video for a simple demonstration

Though modern-day scrapbooks are mostly digitized, still technology-shy people have their good old-fashioned scrapbooks. When you need to upgrade them to a digital soft copy, you can take the help of third-party sources that make your work easy by merely charging you a service fee. You just need to mail your copies to them and sit back and relax without the need to fiddle with the machines.

Service providers such as Costco Photos do everything related to photos.

Check out this video to know what it is like to outsource and what to expect in the process.

You need to keep the following points in mind before you select your vendor. Check and confirm if they offer services to match your book size. Make sure they give you a lay-flat option rather than a magazine-style so that you will not lose any valuable information. Flexibility to add or delete pages design-wise.

Working With An Existing Scanner

You already have a scanner and are not looking to invest any money in digitizing your scrapbook and have time to spare; you can go by this method. Also, you need to have a lot of patience with a passion for DIY; otherwise, you end up frustrated soon. Well, it might save your bank, but you need to sacrifice a few weekends to get this done, depending on the volume of pages you need to scan.

Now coming to the point, you will scan the large page in parts depending on the page size and scanner surface size. When choosing an area to scan, make sure that there is an overlap in the division for the Autostitch software to execute the join of the images into a single picture seamlessly.

It involves downloading the software, editing the picture parts for straightness, and then running the Autostitch after selecting the divided images. Once the join is complete, make sure to check and make final edits. Generally, this is a simple process but involves a lot of labor, and the work increases in a proportion of, no of image parts x 2 folds compared to a large scanner. I see that you get the importance of the best scanner for 12×12 scrapbook pages now, and otherwise, it is indeed a laborious task unless this work interests you, better not to get involved in this process.

Final word

Family photos are dear to every member. When you need to part with some of the scrapbooks when children move out, it’s like taking away something very precious from you. Though the pictures do rightfully belong to that person, you were also a part of it and shared a wonderful time. All those essential stories cannot just go away and leave you at a loss. Well, digital technology has an amicable solution where you all can be happy by digitizing those memories. Every one of you can have your copy to refer to whenever required.