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Your printed photos are irreplaceable — and they're fading every year. Scan5 digitizes photo prints at up to 1200 DPI, preserving every detail so your family memories stay vivid for generations to come.
Consumer flatbed scanners and phone camera apps produce inconsistent results — uneven lighting, color casts, barrel distortion, and low resolution that can't capture the true detail of a printed photograph. At Scan5, we use professional-grade flatbed scanners calibrated for accurate color reproduction and sharpness at every DPI level.
Each photo is scanned and reviewed by our technicians for accurate color, proper exposure, and faithful reproduction. Gentle tonal adjustments are applied where needed to ensure your digitized prints look natural, sharp, and vibrant.
Printed photographs fade, yellow, and lose contrast over time — especially when exposed to light, humidity, and fluctuating temperatures. Color prints from the 1960s–1990s are particularly vulnerable, with many showing significant fading within 30–40 years of printing. Scanning preserves the image as it exists today — and with 300–1200 DPI resolution, the digital version can be reprinted at larger sizes without quality loss.
We handle prints of all sizes, from wallet-size snapshots to 8×10 portraits and larger. Standard prints are scanned at 600 DPI by default, with 1200 DPI available for maximum detail and enlargement potential.
Higher resolution means more detail, larger reprint potential, and better preservation. Choose the option that fits your needs.
Great for digital sharing, social media, and screen viewing. Files are smaller and faster to upload or email. Suitable for most everyday photos.
Our most popular option. Captures fine detail, allows reprinting at the same size or slightly larger, and balances file size with quality.
Maximum detail capture — allows significant enlargement without quality loss. Ideal for portraits, rare photos, or any print you want to reprint at a larger size.
Old prints can be brittle, stuck together, or damaged. We treat every photo with the care it deserves — and we have solutions for difficult situations.
We use flatbed scanning techniques that minimize contact and stress on delicate or aging prints. We'll never force a bent or fragile photo and will document any pre-existing damage.
We analyze each scan for accurate color and exposure, applying gentle corrections to restore natural tones and contrast without over-processing.
Once your prints are digitized, choose how you'd like to access and share your photos.
From shoeboxes of snapshots to professional archives, we've digitized millions of photos for Chicago families and organizations.
Bring us your shoeboxes, envelopes, and stacks of prints. We'll scan and organize everything so your family history is safe and accessible forever.
Historical societies, schools, and businesses trust us to digitize large print archives with care, consistency, and competitive pricing.
We understand how personal your memories are, and we treat them with the utmost care. Your photos, tapes, and videos are always secure with us, and we never share them with third parties. Your physical items are kept safe in our climate controlled inventory room at our office building with 24/7 monitoring.
We scan prints of virtually any size, from tiny wallet photos and 3×5 snapshots to standard 4×6 and 5×7 prints, 8×10 portraits, and larger. Contact us for very large format prints.
600 DPI is our most popular option and works well for most prints — it allows reprinting at the same size or slightly larger with excellent quality. Choose 300 DPI for digital-only use (sharing, screens), or 1200 DPI if you want maximum enlargement potential or have very small prints with fine detail.
Photos are delivered as high-quality JPEG files by default. TIFF (uncompressed) is available for archival or professional use — contact us to discuss your needs.
Group prints into labeled sets (by year, event, or family member) in Ziplock bags or envelopes. Remove any rubber bands or paperclips. Large, disorganized collections may incur a small labor fee for sorting and cataloging.
Yes. We scan photos in any condition and apply gentle color and exposure corrections as needed. Severely faded or damaged prints may benefit from additional restoration services — ask us about options.
Drop off at our Chicago studio (4001 N Ravenswood Ave Suite 502-B), schedule a courier pickup, or ship your prints to us with a prepaid UPS label we'll provide on request.
Most projects are completed within a few days to two weeks depending on volume. Rush service may be available — contact us to discuss your timeline.
Yes. Volume discounts are available for large collections. Contact us with an estimate of your print count for a custom quote.
Don't let your family photos fade away. Let Scan5 digitize them before it's too late.
