> taking about 45 mins per slide for scanning, retouching and entering  
> its info into a database.

What sort of data base setup do you use?

> >Be aware that the technical knowledge and understanding of the so- 
> >called
> >professionals in town is non-existant.

> On the other  
> side of the fence, they'll be able to tell you all sorts of  
> interesting stories about their customers :)

Difference is, *they* get paid to know.

> The best method I can think of involves a digital SLR with  
> appropriate macro lens and a slide copier, although sensor crop- 
> factors can get in the way of this.

Do you have experience with this? With what slide copier?
Sensor aspect ratios would only add a black area in one direction, if
you frame it carefully. An ImageMagick loop should deal with that.

> Some scanner software is absolute crap at dealing with negatives.

Some scanner software is absolute crap. Often that applies to what comes
with the scanner.

> I hear Vuescan is quite good but I've not used it.

What do you use? I wouldn't consider anything less than vuescan.

> Get GOOD blanks - longevity depends both on the dye and the disc  
> manufacturing process.

True, but with current prices I have some doubts about anything GOOD
left. I'd turn that into get the best blanks you can find, i.e. good
brand names, not anything chain-rebranded, and burn each on different
media, and different media types, i.e. on a DVD+R and a DVD-R. In my
ad-hoc non-scientific estimation the risk of loosing fiels due to bad
media, bad burning, or bad storage is a lot higher than the risk due to
the house burning down.

Volker

-- 
Volker Kuhlmann                 is possibly list0570 with the domain in header
http://volker.dnsalias.net/             Please do not CC list postings to me.

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