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Now available in the UK and Ireland, PictoScanner is a portable scanner that turns negatives and slides into digital images using any smartphone. Created by a Danish professional photographer, PictoScanner provides an easy way to bring old photos back to life. Purposefully low-tech, it is a carboard, AA battery-powered backlight that uses a smartphone camera and simple app to scan and digitise negatives and slides. It is available on Amazon.
Many people have taken up new hobbies over the last year or used the time to organise and declutter their homes. At the same time, the lockdowns have made many people nostalgic over thoughts of family and friends. Pictoscanner is a simply brilliant way to digitise images from film negatives, ideal for families with drawers full of forgotten images and a great last minute father’s day gift.
PictoScanner was created by Danish photographer, Simon Lautrop, as a response to the challenges of digitizing old photographs simply. When Simon’s mother passed away, he was left with boxes overflowing with old negatives and film: memories of his mother and his own childhood. Simon began a long process of digitising all the old photos but wanted to make it easy for others that didn’t have photography equipment.
“I wanted to create a device that would let everyone rediscover and enjoy their old photos. Smartphones have impressive cameras, so I decided to see if this could be useful to create my mini scanner. After many tests aiming at the quality I was looking for, I finally created the PictoScanner and I hope that this small and simple tool will allow people to revisit their memories endlessly,” said Simon Lautrop about his invention.
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PictoScanner - Scanner for Negatives Slides and Films - Uses... |
£23.53 |
Buy on Amazon |
How it works
The PictoScanner is fun and can be set up in seconds. The principle is based on a photographer’s light table, the LED backlight diffuses an equal light across the whole negative or 35 mm slide. [Note: it can also be used with a DSLR].
The PictoScanner app turns any smartphone into a scanner. The app will ask what you want to scan (negatives, positive colour or Black & White), the user then positions the camera lens of the phone on the small hole on the top bed of the PictoScanner and takes the picture. The negative or slide is then digitized and can be shared instantly.
The app also has editing tools and filters to modify the frame, exposure, contrast, saturation and temperature of the images.
Key features:
- Made of cardboard and folds nearly flat when not in use (40x110x150mm)
- Assembles in seconds
- Designed to be used with PictoScanner’s free Android or iOS app
- AA battery-powered
- Simple to use and does not require a computer or need to be plugged in
Where to buy: Amazon, priced at £39.90
Download app: Apple AppStore and Google Play
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I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-12-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
