Why would I want to digitise my old photographs?

Digitising your old photos means you can share them with the people who were there at the time, no matter where they are today — and ensures your family's history lives on for future generations, even those not yet born. Physical photos fade, get lost, or are damaged. Digital copies last forever and can be accessed from any device.

How do I get my photos to Vintage Photo Lab?

Throughout the UK we collect via overnight courier and send you everything you need, including an Apple AirTag so you can track your photos in real time. For London, the M25, and within 30 miles of our office in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, we offer free doorstep collection by our own driver.

Which areas does Vintage Photo Lab cover?

Our photo scanning service covers the entire UK. Standard orders use an overnight courier with an Apple AirTag tracker included. Customers in London, the M25, or within 30 miles of Marlow, Buckinghamshire, can use our free personal driver collection service.

Will my photos be safe?

Yes. We have been operating since 2012 and have never lost a single photo. We never allow customers to send photos by post — we centralise all collections and returns. All UK courier shipments include an Apple AirTag tracker, and London collections are handled in person by our own team.

Can you keep my photos in order?

Yes. Anything that arrives in an obvious batch or ordered in a particular way is kept in that order and returned the same way. You can pack different batches in envelopes or zip-loc bags and write a brief description — we will use this to name your digital folders.

Should I choose 300dpi or 600dpi scanning?

300dpi produces high quality scans suitable for reprinting at the photo's original size. 600dpi offers more detail and protection against pixellation if you scale images up, but files are much larger and scanning takes longer, hence the additional charge. If you are unsure, call us and one of our experts will advise you.

Do I need to count my photos before sending them?

No. Our scanners count your photos as we process them. For a ballpark estimate, a shoebox packed end to end holds around 1,000 photos. If you would like a quote, send us some smartphone photos of your collection and we can advise.

What size photos can you digitise?

We can digitise photographs of any size. Our standard loose photo pricing covers photos up to A4. Anything larger is processed on a flatbed scanner at album pricing (up to A3). For anything larger than A3, please get in touch for a quote.

How long will my order take?

Typically your photos are scanned within 1–3 days of arriving at the Lab. Turnaround times can vary depending on how busy we are. If you are working to a deadline, please get in touch and we will do our best to expedite your order.

Can I bring my photos to you in person?

Yes, by appointment. We are located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. Get in touch to arrange a time and we will provide the full address details.

Should I write on the back of my photos before sending them?

Please do not write on the back of your photos. New ink can transfer from the back of one photo onto the front of the next, causing marks and streaks that are difficult or impossible to fix and can damage both your photos and our scanners. Old existing annotations are fine.

I am worried about the content of some of my photos — is that a problem?

Not at all. Most photo collections include holiday high jinks and a smattering of nudity. We have seen it all before and our technicians are focused on the scanning quality, not the content. If you are concerned, just get in touch.

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Vintage Photo Lab

Shoebox Essentials Collection

£120.00

Sale Sold out

Tax included.

Resolution (for loose photos & albums only) 300dpi 600dpi

Product variants

For smaller orders spanning a number of different photo formats but which still fit inside a shoebox, this is for you. The cost covers you for the price you pay with any additional scans billed for pro rata upon completion by invoice. Most importantly, your order should fit inside a shoebox which for this service we ask you to provide. If you're really stuck we can send you a box for a small fee.

Collection and return

This is a fixed price service and includes free home collection and return via overnight UPS courier. We will send you everything you need including pre-paid shipping labels, an Apple AirTag for digital tracking and a UPS shipping mailer. All we require you to provide is a suitable box for your photos which, in turn, you place inside the mailer. An old shoebox fits our mailers perfectly and if you are stuck with this we can send you one for a small fee.

Scanning included

The cost of your online order is fully deductible against your final bill. Processing fees additional to this amount are billed pro rata using the rates on our prices page. You always pay the most economical rate for the number of photos or films you have of each media type.

What you 'get'

Every item is digitised and provided as an individual JPEG image file (MPEG4 for films). All images are rotated to the correct orientation ready for use on all your digital devices. Access to your scans is available as soon as we finish your order via a link in an email from which you can view and download your photos in full resolution. Every order comes with a 120 year archive quality DVD for safekeeping.

Good to know

Any batches you create are clearly maintained in sequentially numbered folders so you can easily locate photos. Please avoid 'micro-batching' as this causes significant delays to processing. Orders with multiple micro-batches of less than 20 photos per batch may be liable to a small surcharge/ handling fee.

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