Frequently Asked Questions

Never. Everything is digitized by hand in my Colwood workshop. No mail-in, no third-party warehouse.

VHS, VHS-C, MiniDV, Hi8, Video8, Digital8, audio cassettes, 35mm slides, negatives, prints, film reels, CDs and DVDs. Not sure what you have? Bring it in — I will identify everything at no charge.

I give you an itemized estimate before any work begins. You approve first — no obligation, no surprises on the final bill.

A private link the whole family can stream from any phone, TV, or laptop. Ask me for a USB stick to keep and I'll load one.

Depends on the size of your collection. I give you a timeline with your estimate. Rush options available for gatherings or memorials.

Yes. I personally handle every project from start to finish.

I believe family memories deserve care and patience. Many of the items people bring me are irreplaceable.

I treat your memories with the same care I give my own. Items are kept organized in my home studio, digitized carefully, and returned to you as soon as the work is complete.

Not at all. I explain everything simply and can provide your memories in an easy-to-use format.

No. All work is done locally in my home studio in Colwood. Your items are never mailed away.

That’s very common. I can help you identify what you have and decide where to start.

You’re working with a real local person. Your items stay with me, and you can always speak to me directly.

Digital files are very safe when stored in more than one place. I can help you back them up so your memories are protected for generations.

Your files are handled privately and shared only with you. Any cloud links I provide are secure and not publicly searchable.

Yes. Digital files are easy to copy and share with children, grandchildren, or other loved ones.

If an item can’t be safely or successfully transferred, I’ll let you know before proceeding and explain why. Nothing is damaged or lost.

Yes. A small test is a great way to feel comfortable before doing a full collection.

Yes. Many people start with the most important items and continue over time.

No preparation is required. I’ll take care of organizing and labeling.

You bring your items to me by appointment. I digitize them carefully and return everything to you.

Most projects take about a week. Larger collections may take longer.

Home videos, audio recordings, and film reels are usually most time-sensitive. I can help you prioritize so the most precious memories are preserved first.

You don’t need to label anything unless you want to. I organize and number everything to match your digital files, making it easy to find each item.

Negative scanning is {price:negatives} per frame, and the price drops to {bulk:negatives} a frame once your collection passes {bulkAt:negatives}. Each frame is inverted to a true-colour image and corrected by hand — colour, exposure, and dust are worked frame by frame. Every job starts with a free estimate, so you will know the full cost up front.

Film transfer is {price:reels} per 50-foot reel, which is the small 3-inch reel most families have, captured frame by frame. For {bulkAt:reels} reels or more, it's {bulk:reels} a reel. Larger reels are priced by their length in 50-foot units. Every job starts with a free estimate, so you will know the full cost before any film is touched.

Slides are {price:slides} each, including dust removal and exposure correction, and the price drops to {bulk:slides} a slide once your collection passes {bulkAt:slides}. If the handwritten labels on the mounts matter to you, I photograph those for {price:slide-labels} each so the captions stay with the pictures. Every job starts with a free estimate, so you will know the full cost before I scan a single slide.

I inspect every reel before transfer. Reels that show signs of brittleness or vinegar syndrome are handled with extra care. I will tell you what I find before I start.

No. Bring the carousel as it is. I remove the slides, scan them in sequence, and reload them in order.

I scan at high resolution with multiple exposure passes, which captures detail in both highlights and shadows. The resulting files are suitable for large-format printing.

A standard 3-inch 8mm reel runs about 3 to 4 minutes at 18fps. A 5-inch reel runs 8 to 12 minutes. Super 8 runs similarly. I will log the estimated duration for each reel in your estimate.

Sometimes yes. I can often recover footage from partially damaged reels. I will tell you honestly what is and is not recoverable before starting.

Yes, with caveats. I can often improve faded or shifted slides in processing, but some color loss is permanent. I will note the condition of each batch in your estimate.

Turnaround depends on the quantity. A carousel of 80 slides is typically part of a 1 to 2 week project. Larger collections take longer.

You will get MP4 files that play on any device. They come on a private download link, and I can put them on a USB stick for you to keep.

High-resolution TIFF or JPEG files, your choice. Delivered on a private download link, or on a USB stick if you want one.

Your original reels come back to you in the same condition they arrived. Nothing is kept or discarded without your permission.

Scanning pages right in the album is {price:pages} per page ({bulk:pages} at {bulkAt:pages} or more), and everything on the page comes with it — captions, layouts, handwriting. If the album is coming apart anyway, I can take it apart and scan the photos individually at {price:album-dismantle} per page ({bulk:album-dismantle} at {bulkAt:album-dismantle} or more) — taking an album apart always costs less than scanning it whole. Oversized scrapbook pages are {price:stitch} per page, and for {price:extraction} a photo I can crop each picture off its page into its own file. Every job starts with a free estimate, so you will know the exact cost before I touch a single page.

I accept CDs and DVDs of all types: photo CDs from film labs, home movie DVDs, data backup discs, music CDs, and mini CDs and DVDs from older cameras. If you're not sure what you have, bring it along.

Most tribute videos run 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the number of photos and the music you choose. I can discuss length with you during the first conversation.

Yes. I work by appointment so I'm fully available when you arrive. Booking takes about two minutes using the form on the Start Here page.

No. I work from a high-resolution digital copy. Your original photo comes back to you exactly as it arrived.

No. Bring them as they are. I inspect every tape before playback and handle any cleaning or conditioning needed here.

Only if it's the right approach for that album, and only with your approval. Some albums are better scanned page-by-page. I'll tell you what I recommend and why.

Yes. Both Side A and Side B are transferred as part of the standard service. You'll get separate files for each side.

MP3 files suitable for phones, speakers, and streaming. If you need WAV files for archiving or editing, I can provide those too.

Yes. If you have home video on VHS, Hi8, or MiniDV, I can digitize it and include clips in the tribute video. That's often the most powerful part.

No. Bring them as they are. I handle the removal and return them to their sleeves.

I can work with them. These are the trickiest to handle and I won't rush them. I'll let you know what's possible before starting.

Bring everything in. I will identify what you have and tell you what each item will cost to digitize.

I use recovery-focused equipment that can often read discs that consumer drives can't. I'll tell you upfront if a disc appears too damaged to recover.

I'll tell you what I find before starting any work. Some tapes have recoverable footage even when they look damaged. Others may have sections that are gone. I'll always give you an honest assessment before we proceed.

I can repair rips, tears, creases, water stains, spots, and fading. Severe structural damage or missing image areas may limit what's possible. I'll give you an honest assessment upfront.

We can use a song that was meaningful to them, or I can suggest instrumental options. I'll walk through the options with you.

Hiss reduction is included with every transfer. I can also boost low-volume recordings. I can't recover audio that was never recorded, but I can often improve what is there.

Yes. Page-by-page scanning captures everything on the page, including handwritten labels, dates, and decorations, exactly as it appears in the album.

You'll get your videos as MP4 files, which play on every device, phone, tablet, smart TV, and laptop. They come on a private download link, and I can put them on a USB stick for you to keep. A big pile of tapes will not fit a stick, so those come on a portable hard drive instead, and I will tell you which one yours needs.

It depends on what's on the disc. Photo files come back as JPEGs or TIFFs. Video comes back as MP4. Data comes back as the original files. I'll describe the output in your estimate.

A standard restoration is typically ready in 1 to 2 weeks. Complex repairs take longer. I'll give you a realistic timeline with your estimate.

It depends on the size and type of collection. A small batch of photos or 5 to 10 tapes is often ready in a week. Larger collections take longer. I'll give you a realistic timeline at drop-off.

Usually yes. Scanning the original negative captures more detail and color range than any print. You may see detail in highlights and shadows that never made it onto the printed photo.

A standard stack of 10 to 20 discs is typically ready within a week. I'll give you a timeline at drop-off.

Yes. Just let me know who to expect. The estimate and updates will go to you directly.

A standard tribute video with 50 to 100 photos takes about 1 to 2 weeks from drop-off to delivery. I can discuss timeline if you have a service date in mind.

I can, though most families find a USB stick or a download more practical these days. A DVD player is getting as hard to find as a VHS player. That said, if you want DVDs, I'll make them.

A typical batch of 5 to 10 cassettes is ready within a week. I'll give you a timeline at drop-off.

Often yes. The older and more faded a photo, the less detail there is to work with, but I can usually improve it meaningfully. Bring it in and I'll show you what's there before committing to anything.

I scan at high resolution for detail suitable for large-format reprints. The exact DPI depends on the film format.

Loose photos are {price:photos} each, and the price drops to {bulk:photos} a photo once your collection passes {bulkAt:photos}. Album pages are {price:pages} per page ({bulk:pages} at {bulkAt:pages} or more), scanned right in the album so your captions and layouts are preserved. Delicate or antique photos that need individual flatbed handling are {price:flatbed} each, and oversized pieces are {price:stitch} per page. Every job starts with a free estimate, so you will know the full cost before I scan a single photo.

A standard album of 40-60 pages is typically part of a 1-2 week project. I'll give you a timeline at drop-off.

In two places. While I work on your collection, everything stays on my equipment here in Victoria. When your files are ready, I put a copy in secure online storage (the cloud) so your page works and you can reach everything from anywhere. If you would rather keep everything off the internet, just say so. I will deliver on a USB stick, or a portable hard drive if your collection is a big one, and store nothing online.

No. Bring the box exactly as it is. I'll sort and handle everything here. Some families have neatly organized albums; others have decades of photos jumbled in a shoebox. Either way is fine.

A typical shoebox of 200-300 loose prints is ready within a week. Larger collections or album projects take a bit longer. I'll give you a realistic timeline when you drop off.

MP4 files that play on any TV, phone, or tablet. Delivered on a private download link, with a USB stick to keep if you want one. You can share the link with family anywhere.

Your originals come back to you. Nothing is kept or discarded without your permission.

Your originals come back to you in the same condition they arrived. Everything stays in my Colwood workshop from start to finish. Nothing is ever shipped away. At pickup you get your prints back plus your digital files on a private download link, or on a USB stick if you want one.

A small collection of 5 to 10 tapes is typically ready in 1 to 2 weeks. Larger batches take longer. I'll give you a realistic estimate at drop-off.

Drop off your collection and I'll sort through it and send you an itemized quote by email, usually within 24 hours. You decide whether to proceed. If you'd rather not drop off sight-unseen, send me a description or a photo and I can give you a ballpark.

Your original tapes come back to you. Nothing is kept, erased, or discarded without your permission. If you want me to responsibly dispose of tapes you no longer need, I can arrange that too.

Every job is guaranteed. If the quality of any scan, transfer, or restore isn't what I said it would be, I'll redo it at no charge. No arguments, no fine print.

Projects start at $35 — that's a starting price, not a fee, and most collections come in well above it. And if your count lands just under a volume price, I bill you at the volume price, so you never pay more for bringing more.