There are a number of different options available for DPI. Below are our recommendations for different types of projects along with their respective pricing.

Pricing is based on the additional processing time required. For a full list of DPI options and their pricing, click here.

Print Photos - 600 DPI

600 DPI has no additional cost and it provides a high-quality scan for print photos.

If you plan to enlarge and re-print the images, we recommend 1200 DPI. Additional $0.40 per scan.

Anything higher than 1200 DPI for print photos is typically unnecessary. If you have specifications for a project that requires a higher DPI, please let us know and we can discuss further options.

Slides and Negatives - minimum 1200 DPI, maximum 4800 DPI

Slides and negatives are a smaller original so a higher DPI will allow for more flexibility with what you can do with the images in the future. To see an example, click here.

1200 DPI is an option for a solid-quality scan if you are viewing the images on your computer. Additional $0.45 per scan.

2400-4800 DPI provides a high-quality archive-level scan, we recommend this for clients that want high-quality archive scans and may pass the images along to others or re-print the images. Additional $0.85-$1.70 per scan.

Photo Albums and Scrapbooks - 600 DPI

Album originals are typically fairly large in size so similarly to Print Photos 600 DPI will provide a high-quality scan.

Rarely are photo albums and scrapbook pages enlarged and re-printed so a higher DPI is typically not necessary.

Looking for more details? These articles do a great job breaking down DPI.

Scan Your Entire Life - Q&A: What’s the Best DPI or Resolution to Scan Your Film Negatives?

Dijifi - The Best Resolution for Scanning Photos

How to Scan - Best Resolution When Scanning Slides Into Digital

A TIFF file is a large file(approx. 7x larger than JPEG) and does not compress the image. The larger, less compressed file can maintain the finer details of color, contrast, and sharpness. Best to use if photo editing.

A JPEG or JPG is a smaller compressed file. This kind of file takes up less space on a drive/cloud and is easy to use when sharing photos. Many sharing sites/apps do not allow TIFF files to upload. Best to use if sharing and basic printing.

Still unsure which file type is best for you?

Check out this blog post by Artful Printers, they do a great job of breaking it down.

Additional Pricing for TIFF files can be found here.

We recommend storing your project items in plastic bins if possible.

We ask that you organize your items with labels that state how you would like the files/folders on the drive to be labeled. These labels should be attached to the corresponding bundles as securely as possible to avoid them getting lost or mixed up or moved around during transport and processing. We do not recommend putting tape or Post-its directly onto the side of the items being scanned.

All documents need to have any staples, pins, or clips removed. We may remove any pins, staples, or clips during processing if needed. If a document or album page has post-its, tags, or other items adhered to them we will scan the page as is.

We offer free pick-up and delivery for projects of $750+. For all projects under $750, there is a pick-up/delivery fee.

• Washington DC; Silver Spring, MD; Chevy Chase, MD; Bethesda, MD - $35

• Montgomery County between Gaithersburg and Bethesda, MD; Arlington, VA - $55

• North of Gaithersburg, MD; Alexandria, VA - $100

We have a $100 project minimum. The project must have enough items to meet the $100 minimum, all projects with under $100 of items will be charged the $100 minimum.