Polaroid still offers its dust removal software, free: http://www.polaroid.com/service/software/poladsr/poladsr.html
Here's a suggestion on scanning large numbers of images from the most recent Inkjetart.com newsletter: "INEXPENSIVE SCAN OPTION: One of the inexpensive ways we've recently discovered to get quality scans is by sending your negatives or transparencies to a professional photo lab that has a Noritsu 3200 series scanner / printer / processor. These days, whether a photo lab receives digital files or actual film to process and print, the Noritsu can handle it all -- even medium film sizes up to 6cm x 9cm (2 and 1/4 by 2 and 3/4 inches), as well as existing mounted 35mm slides. When the lab receives film (processed or unprocessed), the technicians just run the film through the scanning module of the Noritsu QSS 3200 series. A whole roll of processed film can be scanned in only a few seconds, if only 4x6 prints are needed (each image is scanned to about 4.5MB). If larger prints are needed (the printing and processing unit can handle up to 12" x 36" enlargements), each film scan takes a little longer, but is still extremely fast. The scanner module portion is capable of scans up to about 50MB from 35mm film and about 90MB from medium format film (RGB, 8-bits/channel). Check out the Noritsu Web site for more info on this equipment: http://www.noritsu.com/ "We suggest you find a photo lab in your area with a Noritsu that is willing to JUST make scans for you (without photo prints, unless you want them). The average price we've seen for 50MB or higher scans from existing transparencies and negatives is about $10.00 if you only need one image scanned. If you have about 100 images to scan, the prices can average as low as $3.50 each! "Those labs with the older, QSS 2900 series Noritsu can only make scans up to 18MB, but we've seen some labs with this older serices offering deals as low $0.30 per scan when ordering 100 or more scans at a time! We tried this service and used these 18MB scans to make 11x14 prints that were very clean and tack sharp (the Noritsu scanning software includes Digital ICE for removing dust and scratches). Most of the labs will also charge you about $5.00 per CD-R (holding about 700MB) to transfer and store those scans. Some charge an additional $5.00 fee to print out an index of thumbnails or provide software to view thumbnails of the scans, if you want these options." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe by mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED], with 'unsubscribe filmscanners' or 'unsubscribe filmscanners_digest' (as appropriate) in the message title or body