Microfiche and microfilm are the preferred methods used to store images, blueprints, schematics, maps, and other important documents for an extended period of time. This microform technology makes it possible to reduce paper file storage, helping large businesses, banks, libraries, national archives, and government institutions to store large volumes of data. It’s a great way to preserve important information for the long term with a reduced risk of data loss.
But, how can you access data from microform? Nowadays, many companies require document storage, including text search capabilities, secure remote access to data from anywhere, and a near-infinite storage capacity. That’s why they use microfilm and microfiche scanners to create digital copies of their data. A microfilm backup can be stored in the cloud and used to restore your data if a catastrophe strikes. Digitizing microfilm provides easy access to your documents and provides a backup of your data.
Nowadays, the market is fully-fledged with microfilm and microfiche scanners, but only some of them are properly engineered, developed, manufactured, and supported to provide superior image quality in a minimal time. You must have questions in mind about how to digitize microfilm or which are the top In this blog, we’ll mention some of the best microfilm and microfiche scanners. Let’s take a look:
Microfilm and Microfiche Scanners [Updated List 2024]
Our mission is to provide the best technical scanning microfilm and microfiche equipment to the marketplace, enabling microfilm inventory to be preserved and converted and reducing document scanning prices.
If you want to retrieve images in high resolution and require data in less time, here are the best microfilm and microfiche scanners that are mostly used in the USA. Take a look at the followings:
The Mekel MACH7 Microfiche Scanner is a reliable and high-quality digitization product that creates superior images at high speeds. With its latest Mekel 2.0 update, the MACH7 is even better equipped to handle difficult films and produce stunning results. Whether you’re looking to digitize a large collection of documents or just a few precious items, the MACH7 is an excellent choice to digitize microfiche.
The MACH7 microfiche scanner is the industry standard for microfiche scanning, renowned for its automation, reliability, and ease of use. Its specialized fiche pick-up arm and batch scanning modes make it quick and easy to scan large volumes of microfiche records, while its full fiche pre-scan feature ensures that all images are captured at the first pass.
Features
< Manual and/or automated microfiche loading and unloading
< Intelligent single-pass pre-scan locates all images of various sizes in seconds without the need for presets/wizards
< Unmatched throughput speeds of up to 200 images per minute whether scanning grayscale, bitonal or dual grayscale/bitonal
< Full fiche or title bar scan with no loss in overall throughput
< Real-time image sharpening and enhancement performed in hardware
< Scans all standard aperture card and fiche types including COM and jacket
< Up to 600 dpi true optical resolution
ST Imaging is a world-renowned manufacturer of top-of-the-line microfilm scanners and other scanning solutions for micrographic collections. These systems have revolutionized the way industries such as banking, engineering, manufacturing, medical and legal operate.
Basically, the ST ViewScan products allow you to scan roll microfilm, microfiche, color film slides and negatives, and opaque card and microcard media using a PC. You can then view, fax, email, or print the images that you’ve scanned. These products are specifically designed for use in library environments and offer compatibility with secure network environments, ease of use, and clear images.
The high-quality zoom and focus lenses on this scanner produce consistently clear images whether you are scrolling or zooming. With the ability to scan higher to smallest images found on microfiche sheets, you can always expect sharp and easy-to-read images that are properly oriented, focused, and vibrant.
Features
< Produces crisp and clear HD images, even while browsing
< You can Browse, Print, Save or Share beautiful 18-megapixel images.
< Equipped with a 9-megapixel black and white image sensor or an 18-megapixel color image sensor.
< From 35 mm roll film to small images on microfiche, users will see focused and vibrant images.
The FlexScan system is a versatile and high-performance solution for scanning roll film, microfiche, or aperture card scanning. This system makes it easy to convert large volumes of data into digital format, making it more accessible and easier to use.
The FlexScan microfilm scanning solution is a complete package of hardware, software, training, and support to give you the best solution for the conversion of your microforms to the highest quality digital images possible.
Features
< Flexible media scanning: film, fiche, aperture Cards
< 100% reliable high-speed image capture
< Pristine high-resolution images
< Allow for the simultaneous capture, index, audit, and output enabling optimal film processing performance
All within one unit, the ScanPro All-In-One converts entire microfilm collections including 16mm, 35mm, fiche, jacketed fiche, and aperture cards and performs on-demand research. The ScanPro i9500, the ScanPro 3500, and the ScanPro 2500 are all All-In-One converter scanners for digitize microfilm and microfiche.
With its motorized AUTO-CarrierTM, you can read, scan, print, and convert your images with remarkable speed and accuracy. Featuring both a roll film and fiche conversion unit and an on-demand unit, the All-In-One is surprisingly affordable. With the All-In-One scanner, you can scan all types of film on your desktop.
Features
< Fast, real-time digital feed from the camera to the PC using a USB 3 interface
< High-resolution images in TIFF, PDF, Searchable PDF, and JPEG formats
< Optical Zoom Lens 5x to 105x, Digital Zoom 5x to 1575x
< Automatic high-speed scanning including larger-size formats
< Easy 1-click save and print to multiple file formats
< Fastest word-searchable OCR software
SunRise has designed a modular scanner that can scan film, fiche, and aperture cards simultaneously. The SunRise 3-in-1 base unit can be used with either the Roll Film, Fiche, or Aperture Card modules, allowing it to scan any film type at high speeds without the need to purchase additional scanners. This is the ideal solution for customers who need to scan multiple microfilm types, but not simultaneously.
Features
< 3-in-1 modular design – uniform procedures for all film types
< Rollfilm, Fiche and Aperture card microfilm types
< Highly efficient, power saving, low noise
< Optical Zoom supporting 2,000 to 20,000 DPI
Choosing The Right Microfilm Scanning Partner For Your Project
As we know, microfilm and microfiche were known as one of the best options for backing up critical data, accessing information, and reducing the need for papers. However, retrieving images from these microformats is a quite time-consuming process.
This is where eRecordsUSA comes up with some advanced solutions, where they use effective scanner systems (Mekel Mach 7 Scanner) to scan hundreds of images per day. We handle the film conversions in a secure and state-of-the-art micrographics laboratory in our conversion center in Fremont, CA.
We have a team of proficient and experienced who also assist their employees with high-quality document scanning & Imaging services in San Francisco CA. Our dedicated team uses the necessary equipment (Mekel Mach 7 Scanner) to handle microfiche and microfilm scanning projects.
You can count on us to capture high-quality digital images along with accurate index information no matter how much film-based media you have. We complete all microfilm and microfiche conversion needs of our clients on time and within budget with our unique experience, specialized equipment, and proven microfilm & document imaging processes.
Our mission is to provide the best microfilm and microfiche scanning services on the market. It’s our commitment to continually provide the most innovative, state-of-the-art services to our customers. Regardless of our client’s needs, we have a solution to fit your requirements and your budget.
Need more assistance ? to receive a free quote Call +1.855.722.6669
Microfilm and microfiche are methods of storing digital records, and important documents in a readable manner to save paper storage space. Nowadays, different corporations and organizations are preferring to use various methods to scan and store documents, images / blueprint scanning.
Digitizing microfilm doesn’t only improve the accessibility of your stored documents but also enables you to create a backup of your data in the cloud.
Are You Thinking of Digitizing Microfilm? This guide provides all the information required for proper microfilm digitization.
What is the Best Way to Digitize Microfiche And Microfilm?
The digitization of microfilm and microfiche data requires special equipment and expertise to ensure that the digital reproductions are of the highest quality and clarity. Strict quality assurance protocols must be followed throughout the process to maintain the original readability and clarity of microform.
Your images need to be transferred into a digital format and properly indexed and categorized so that they are easy to access and use. This means accurately transferring key identifiers, such as the text from the microfiche title area, roll, and frame numbers, or data extracted from the images, into image metadata.
Are You Considering This Process Complicated?
Worry not! Hiring professional microfiche & microfilm scanning services like eRecordsUSA will ensure that your archive is converted into a variety of popular image digital formats, which can be stored in your current cloud storage system. If you don’t have a cloud storage system, we can set one up for you. You also have the option to receive your files on an encrypted USB thumbnail drive.
Process of Digitizing Microfilm
Digitizing data from microfilm and microfiche isn’t a complicated process. But, there are some basic items that you must have. Here are the followings:
The microfilm roll, microfiche, and aperture cards that you want to digitize
There are different forms of microfilm. Here are the following types that you can digitize easily:
16mm Microfilm: There is a 16mm microfilm, which has a height of 16mm and a length of varying lengths. A reel holds it.
35mm Microfilm: Microforms like this come in the same shape and size as 16mm microfilms, but they have a 35mm height instead.
Microfiche: Instead of being spooled on a reel, the image frames are on a sheet, similar to 16mm or 35mm microfilm. It is typically 105mm x 148mm in size.
Our Services of Digitizing Microfilms: Technical Specifications
During the digitization process, our microfilm digitizing company uses the following standards:
Scanning Resolution: We usually prefer 400dpi, but can also go up to 600 dpi on demand.
Color Tones: We do Bitonal and Grayscale scanning.
File Formats: We digitize microforms data in PDF, TIFF, and JPEG forms.
Special File Formats: We use PDF/A with OCR, MS Word, XML, and CSV.
Image Processing: We do cropping, deskew, contrast and brightness adaptation, and polarity inversion.
Benefits of Microfilm and Microfiche Scanning
Many Federal agencies or government agencies are converting microfilm to digital format for creating searchable databases. Partnering with professional document scanning services like eRecordsUSA can help digitize all types of microfilm and microfiche data to PDF, TIFF, and JPG formats.
As a result, it improves accessibility to historic archives and preserves the original records safely. In addition, it’s possible to produce a comprehensive, keyword-searchable, and digital archive.
Here are the key benefits of microfilm and microfiche scanning. Take a look:
Helps reduce costs by freeing up space previously reserved for microfilm reading rooms
Helps you save money on microfilm reader repair or replacement
Reduces the wear and tear on microfilm and microfiche
Makes data available to patrons and library staff 24/7
Increases the lifespan of the documents
Lowers the cost of usage and production
Improves storage efficiency
Helps to keep the records safe from natural disasters like flood, hurricane and other events
Converting Microfilm to Digital – Step-by-Step
If you have made the decision to digitize your microfiche, here are the following steps that you must take into account. Planning ahead of time makes scanning your microform data easy.
Step 1. Analyze The Amount of Microfiche You Need Scanning
It’s important to get a general idea of the amount of microfiche you need to scan for your project. This will help you set expectations for both the total cost and the amount of time needed to complete your document scanning project.
If you’re unsure about the exact number of images, that’s okay.
Step 2. Determine the Condition of Your Microfiche
The clarity and quality of a scanned image are limited by the condition of the source material. To get an idea of how well your microfiche will scan, sample a few random images before starting the document scanning process.
Generally, microfiche has a long shelf life when stored in the proper conditions and is generally quite resilient. So, take a look for water damage, discoloration, or other deterioration that can lead to unexpected problems later on.
Step 3. Understand Your Requirements
How are you going to use your digitized images once the document scanning is completed?
Some prefer to use microform data for backup/archival purposes, requiring only digitization and storage. In some cases, it may be sufficient to simply scan microfiche images and store them as digital files. However, in other cases it may be necessary to use optical character recognition (OCR) to extract data from a scanned document and store it in text form, integrated with a document management system.
Understanding the use cases for your data can help you make sensible choices when planning your microfiche scanning project and help you avoid unnecessary costs.
Step 4. Decide on Budget
Budgeting is critical when it comes to project costs. Give yourself a bit of leeway, especially if you have made some guesses about the volume of scans you need to perform. It’s not always possible to complete large scanning projects all at once. Due to this, organizations with limited budgets frequently complete the scanning process in phases. In this way, the project can be divided into several smaller, more digestible pieces.
In order to reduce the financial impact of digitizing massive microfiche libraries, you should spread out your project over a longer period of time.
How Much Does Microfilm Digitizing Cost?
There are many factors that can alter the cost of a microfilm digitization project. In order to get the most accurate estimate for your desired project, make sure to consider all aspects with your potential partner. This way you can be sure you’re getting the best value for your money.
Prices can vary from project to project due to the uniqueness of each one. In saying that, some price ranges are listed below to provide you with an idea. Additionally, we’ve included ranges for microfiche sheets in case you want to digitize them.
The price of scanning microfilm for 100′ rolls is probably around $50-85/roll.
Digitizing microfiche will cost between $1.25 and $1.30/sheet for 16 mm and 35 mm.
A COM fiche costs about $3 – $5 per sheet (about 250-300 images per sheet).
Choose us for Microfilm to Digital Conversion Project
For digitizing the microform data, you need a microfilm and microfiche scanner. And, preferring to learn how to use such scanning equipment might take a long deal of time. That said, engaging with pros can handle the entire scanning process and deliver good quality results at reasonable costs.
eRecordsUSA is a leading document scanning company in San Francisco, providing microfilm and microfiche scanning services to several federal, historical, and government organizations for many years. Microfilm scanning is our specialty, and our sophisticated equipment and quality assurance procedures make us a great partner for your next project. Contact us and get a free quote immediately.
Document scanning is the process of converting paper documents to digital files so that these files become indexable, searchable and shareable online. This process is done in many companies by themselves by having their scanning setup used on a daily basis for the digital conversion of documents.
DIY document scanning falls short in several significant ways. The tasks like enhancing and editing old documents, formatting to adopt web pages, changing the page type (e.g pdf to word conversion), etc.
We are going to discuss in this post whether You Should Outsource Document Scanning Services or Do It In-House?
Outsource Document Scanning or Do It In-House
Document Scanning Company
Work Speed
High Speed
Quality
Superb as the company has hardware set up with high-end scanning machines
Project Control
Varies from agency to agency
Security
Less – as the documents are going out of the premises
Time
Lesser time required- as scanning companies have a setup for scanning and storage
Cost
The overall cost is almost the same as the in-premises scanning
In-House Document Scanning
Work Speed
Depends on manpower and setup
Quality
Moderate- it’s not possible to have a high-end setup considering the cost
Project Control
Full control as the work is done in-house
Security
Higher- as the documents are accessible only to limited people
Time
More time- as the dedicated staff is required to do the job
Cost
Bulk scanning cost will be more however, operational cost is lesser than outsourcing to a company
Document Management & Record Storage are must for any organization to have business sustainability. Data is an asset for any organization. Document storage provides a format that allows further meaningful use of data and information. Moreover, digital copies of documents help in making it sharable and searchable online.
From the above comparison , we can say that hiring document scanning services for your document scanning project is a better decision rather than having In-House document scanning. You can compare the document scanning prices of various companies and choose the best as per your convenience.
Benefits of Outsourcing Document Scanning
Professional document scanning companies in San Francisco, Bay Area provide a quick and efficient way of storing important documents. These agencies offer distinct advantages. Some of them include –
Improved version of digital documents
A document management system is a process of arranging data in digital files with enhanced quality. The focus is on creating an error-free document management system that is a fully automated version. The purpose is not just to scan the document but to make it easier for the company to get rid of hard copy or files.
Faster Audits, Discoveries, and Compliance
Document Scanning is useful for organizations that are subject to audits, discovery demands, and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) inquiries. Also, the bulk document scanning process saves money and gets your document management streamlined.
A scanning project executed by a document scanning company creates an index and evenly planned structure to provide a file structure that can quickly comply with industrial requirements.
Better Data Preservation
Agencies and libraries preserving historical data and sensitive documents get the advantage to scan and preserve old documents without any hassles. Also, digital scanning agencies have several methods to edit and enhance the quality of scanning old and fragile historical documents. Doing so will empower these Document Scanning Services Providers to digitize and share historical documents to the client with an ease. These delicate materials are difficult to preserve otherwise.
Disaster Recovery
Document digitization and presevation is the ultimate goal. There is no doubt about that. Natural calamities and man made disasters sometimes could destroy the old historical documents. It is impossible to restore such documents if they are not digitized.
If they are not digitized. If you are running an art gallery or a business that carries historical documents, then historical document scannig is must for your business.
The document scanning and digitizing process is a part of your business continuity plan. The scanning and storage service provided by professional agencies helps you maintain cloud-based data that is free from disasters.
It is open and can be combined with any other similar type of data. The agencies dealing with consumer services can have greater benefits from this. The data stored digitally is free from distracters and the backup of the same is always available on the cloud so even physical damages like fire or system failure do not affect the storage.
Data acts as a backbone for businesses. Today, business processes are governed by using data. There is always a need to refine the data and reuse it for business purposes. Advanced scanning techniques like OCR tools allow you to capture and migrate data as per the need of the organization.
Why Outsource Document Scanning Project From eRecordsUSA?
Initially, if you plan to execute the document scanning project, then considering the setup cost, manpower, and expertise required, it is best if you hire a Document Scanning Company in San Francisco Bay Area
Finally, when you are determined to execute your document scanning project, you need to outsource document scanning to a partner for quality work. You would like to check their previous document scanning work and would plan a way out to accomplish your scanning project.
eRecordsUSA is an ISO/ISMS Certified document scanning and digitization company in SFBay Area, Northern California. We provide state-of-the-art, affordable data entry and document scanning services.
If your company is seeking to Outsource Document Scanning Porject, then you can contact us for a free consultation.
OCR is used everywhere from data entry to license plate recognition. It has become a key tool for recognizing and digitizing handwritten journals and scanned documents without needing to retype. Using OCR, you can make scanned documents readable and searchable.
When you scan documents, normally, you create image based PDF files which are difficult to read and edit. Sometimes , the images are of poor quality. In these cases, you may wonder “How to convert scanned PDF to Word with OCR?”
The following post will guide on how to convert PDF to Word using OCR if you wish to edit scanned PDF files in Microsoft Word format.
Why Businesses Need OCR For Document Scanning?
By using OCR, you can convert a scanned copy of a physical document into an editable electronic document without having to manually retype the text. Automating this process makes it much faster.
Converts instantly – Acrobat uses optical character recognition (OCR) to convert scanned paper documents and images into editable PDFs.
Matches your fonts – Rest easy knowing Acrobat can recognize text and its formatting. Due to automatic font generation, your new PDF will match the original printout exactly.
Easy to integrate – Your new PDF can be used in other applications, making it easy to integrate into existing workflows. Simply cut and paste or export it to a Microsoft Word (DOCX) document, another Office file (PPT or XLS), or a plain text document (TXT file).
Perfect for archiving – OCR scanning helps you store the original look an feel of the document while restructuring and creating digital copies. As a result , you are able to create smart pdf copies that are searchable and shareable.
Is it accurate & When do I need to use OCR?
Most of the fragile documents , old newspapers, magazines and other historical document require a quality scanning and maintaining the legacy of documents. OCR scanners and tools help you scan such documents so that their digital copies are stored for future generations
For the poor quality images, large file formats, newspapers, magazines, historic data. OCR scanning is the best solution. Getting it done from a document scanning company will help you archive the information contained in images which is further shareable and editable.
What are the Types of Scanned PDFs?
Once the physical documents are scanned they can be stored in different digital formats. Word. and PDF are the most common formats. The PDFS for the simplicity are stored in three different forms and they are –
👉 Image PDFs – The most common type of PDF is an image PDF. A PDF file is created by scanning a hard copy document.
👉 Scannable PDF documents with searchable text – This scanned PDF document may contain hidden text.
👉 Scanned PDFs with Mixed Content – This PDF may contain both scanned photos and PDF elements generated electronically.
When you are willing to digitize one or two images and store a soft copy of that , you can use HD quality camera or high end mobile phone to scan the image but for bulk document scanning, OCR tools are the best fit.
You can opt for OCR Data Capture & Extraction Services which can help you create a database you want to get edited. Later you can store the scanned images as you wish.
The purpose of using OCR document scanners is to read the text contained in the images so that you can create editable documents. These documents can be further customized with newly created digital copies.
How does OCR document scanning work?
OCR scanners read and scan image-based files by analyzing each character separately. The Unicode thus created helps convert the data into readable forms. Text written in different languages, special characters, and mathematical data can be easily digitized using OCR document scanning.
Once your entire data set has been converted using OCR, you can easily search for a specific document or even a keyword across the whole set of documents.
As the cost of OCR technology decreases, it is becoming a more reliable document scanning method adopted by top-rated document scanning companies. AI techniques, increased processing speeds, and advanced editing and storage software are added advantages along with OCR scanning. OCR technology is aiding the conversion of global businesses, R&D data, mining data, and other types of unstructured data.
We efficiently use OCR scanning for providing high quality pdf to word conversion. We offer complete data management services in a cost-effective way. If you are looking for document scanning options for your company or agency, reach us for the advanced OCR scanning services! You can rely on our services!
Microfilms are rolls carrying data in image form. The conversion method is used to store sensitive and important data. This data has historical importance.
Microfilm storage techniques are used to store large volumes of data in compressed format. This method reduces the cost of physical storage ensuring an easy and handy data access.
A drive is attached to a PC to read data from the Microfilm. Microfilm technology has advanced over the last decade. It brings new opportunities to store the historical data of large volumes in the form of images of compressed size.
However, image quality is the major consideration during the entire conversion process.
Here in this post, we are discussing the effective and high-quality conversion of digital images into microfilms. Let’s learn about the process in detail.
Why convert digital images to microfilm?
Many cities, county, and state government departments are now opting to create an alternative file format other than digital copies for a safer side. The confidential or important data is stored in the form of microfilms as a backup copy.
Historical records and confidential data storage is a sensitive issue. That’s why after the advancement of digital technologies, a physical copy is still in use.
Microfilm creation is a cost-effective, relaxed and simple method. That’s why this alternative storage technique is popular. The readability of the data is clear and there is an easy method to convert the microfilms back to digital copies.
Benefits of Converting Digital Images to Microfilms
There was a time when the microfilms storage method was at the peak of its popularity due to its versatility and longevity. With the evolution of digital copies, it has become a secondary storage technique. Digital methods such as OCR scanning and cloud storage are more prevalent.
With a reduced risk of data loss, microfilm storage offers various benefits and they are:
They are easy to manage so businesses don’t have to worry about losing the data.
Hard copies can store large image formats in a compressed way maintaining the quality of the image. The natural compression techniques used in microfilm conversion are quite useful for large files such as engineering drawings.
If the purpose of data storage is to just preserve data for archival purposes, microfilm is still a cost-saving method.
Steps to convert digital files into Microfilms
Identify the digital files (formats like PDF, JPEG, etc.) that need to be converted to microfilm.
Create a logical order to convert the images and check their readability.
Once the digital images are ready, pick up a microfilm writer of high-quality supporting a microfilm roll with 16 or 35mm dimensions and start the exposure process.
Once the data reading is completed, send the microfilm for processing. The processing step is done using chemical exposure.
Once the images are stored in film, the film is checked for quality issues.
If all goes well, you have completed the microfilm conversion project.
Hardware required when converting digital files to microfilm
With the advancement in microfilm creation technology, archive writers directly convert digital documents to microfilms. The labor, time, and efficiency in this case increase.
All you need to do is to find a company nearby to do the job efficiently. The entire conversion process is done in two ways:
Roll Film Microfilm Writer – This is specially used for microfilms of 16X 35 mm size. The roll saves compressed images with HD storage.
Microfiche Writers or Com Machines – Com machines are used to create rolls and cards both. the reduced to fit in size techniques naturally compresses the images.
Why choose an ISO-certified scanning agency for the digital conversion of microfilms?
Microfilm conversion is done using writing and digitizing techniques that require expert-level skills and hands-on training. Therefore, it is vital to choose a company doing the microfilm creation work exclusively.
The scanning and digitizing companies have dedicated teams of experts to create microfilms. However, there are a couple of factors involved in converting digital images into microfilms.
Digital to Microfilm conversion is also termed ARCHIVE WRITING. At eRecordsUSA, we offer this service using advanced technologies The high-speed archive writers provide high volume film generation with reduced time.
All microfilms created by us are following the ANSI, AIIM, and ISO standards. Creating microfilm from digital files and images is an activity done by disaster management departments because these films are the easiest way to store data for a longer period. For archival microfilm creation or microfilm to digital file, conversion, you can approach us for reliable, cost-effective service.
Contact us today to learn more about the conversion of your electronic files to archival microfilm.
