Introduction:
Millions, if not billions of files are stored on microfilm. From small-town newspapers to bank records, marriage and death certificates, hospital records, legal records, and more have all been stored on microfilm for over 100 years. If processed and stored correctly, the film should have a life of nearly 500 years. But storage of the microfilm can be challenging. If stored in a non-temperature-controlled environment with a high humidity, the cellulose acetate base of the film will begin to degrade causing what is known as vinegar syndrome, with its noticeable aroma. Documents residing on microfilm with vinegar syndrome will need to be digitized before the information decays to dust.
In the digital age, microfilm is a challenging medium. Even with new records being stored on microfilm for long-term storage, retrieving and digitizing microfilmed documents is a timely process. Using the proper equipment is imperative to completing a successful microfilm conversion project. nextScan employees have seen first-hand how a customer’s use of the wrong equipment has delayed and even stalled their conversion attempts. Learn from their mistakes.
The Challenge:
When it comes to microfilm scanners, there are two main types: conversion and on-demand scanners. Both are designed for specific jobs and use much different ways to capture the microfilm. They also have much different price points, with the conversion scanners costing much more than the on-demand version.
Customers that are looking to convert should use a microfilm scanner engineered and designed for conversion scanning. Unfortunately, there are businesses that market their lower cost on-demand style microfilm scanner as a conversion scanner causing confusion for many. And often, you get what you pay for.
On more than one occasion nextScan team members, while conducting installation and training on new nextScan equipment, have witnessed multiple competitive on-demand scanners already at the customer location, not being used. When asked why, a multitude of reasons were given. The speed of the operation was not realized, the workflow automation was not as expected, image quality was not satisfactory, images were being cut in half if not missed completely, and their labor costs for the conversion project skyrocketed.
Another challenge to consider when beginning a microfilm conversion project, is the style of microfilm. Microfilm can come in many different formats: simplex, duplex, and duo to name a few. If a scanner is not capable of scanning the entire roll of microfilm, end-to-end and edge-to-edge, there is high probability that information will be lost.
So what happens to the customer in the face of these challenges? Too often, they choose to save money up front on the less expensive scanner and the wrong equipment for their microfilm conversion project. Below is just one example of a customer who, after realizing that their first solution was not going to deliver desirable results, reached out to nextScan.
The Solution:
The business that was using multiple on-demand, area sensor scanners, was falling far behind in their conversion project. They were sold one FlexViewTM scanner, the nextScan entry-level conversion scanner to perform the work. After installation and training the customer was off and scanning at a much faster rate, with better images. Not long after, we received word that their project had been completed successfully, and they are receiving additional microfilm conversion projects.
Key Features:
nextScan microfilm conversion scanners utilize line-scan image sensors. This is a specialized image sensor that is calibrated to capture one line of pixels using a stroboscopic light path. This nextScan LED illumination system is called LuminTec®, which makes high speed capture with exceptional image quality possible. As the film continuously passes through the light field, the image is captured and formed by proprietary NextStar® software.
The continuous feeding of the film allows the user to continue to perform other tasks such as auditing, indexing, or preparing the next roll for capture. With the knowledge that every pixel will be scanned, the operator does not need to focus on each individual image being captured. This can be performed at a much faster rate in the post-scanning phase of the conversion process.
The on-demand microfilm scanner uses a much more familiar image sensor and area image sensor. These are similar to what you would find on your phone or digital camera. The area image sensor is best for still image capture. A stable light source passes through the film, through a strong lens, which is then captured by the image sensor. In order to convert a roll of microfilm, the user would have to employ a step and repeat process of capturing each frame individually.
Results:
Following up a couple months later, the customer was thrilled with their new microfilm conversion scanner. What had been months of headaches and failures with an on-demand scanner, was resolved using the proper equipment for the project – a nextScan conversion scanner.
While the attractive low-cost, on-demand, conversion solution looks good at the start of the project, the reality is there are often far more challenges to face, and possibly more money spent on more equipment, more labor, or possibly both, when choosing that low-cost alternative. Before initiating any microfilm conversion project be sure to understand the entire process from beginning to end and work with a microfilm conversion expert with decades of experience.
LuminTec, nextScan, and NextStar are U.S. registered trademarks, and FlexView is a trademark, of Digital Check Corp., the leading worldwide provider of check scanners and peripherals for the banking industry. nextScan is a division of Digital Check Corp. that provides world-class solutions in microfilm conversion and related software technology.