Key Takeaways
- HP FilmScan 5″ is a budget-friendly scanner suitable for DIY projects but only handles slides and negatives.
- ScanMyPhotos offers a full-service solution, digitizing large quantities of photos quickly and efficiently.
- When choosing between HP FilmScan 5″ and ScanMyPhotos, consider your volume of photos and urgency: DIY for a few, pro service for many.
- Both options aim to prevent memories from fading away; act quickly to preserve your photos.
- Cost-wise, DIY is cheaper for small projects (but the cost of the scanner should be factored in), while outsourcing is more efficient for larger collections.
HP® FilmScan 5″ vs. ScanMyPhotos: Which Is Right for Saving Your Photos?
Most of your life’s memories are still trapped in boxes. In fact, a new survey revealed that 96% of vintage photos, slides, and negatives have never been looked at again since they were first developed. That’s an entire generation of birthdays, vacations, and family moments at risk of fading away. Whether you’re considering the new HP® FilmScan 5″ Touch Screen Scanner or a full-service professional photo scanning service like ScanMyPhotos.com, the real takeaway is simple: digitize now before disaster strikes.
A closer look at HP® FilmScan 5″
The HP® FilmScan 5″ Touch Screen Film Scanner is compact, budget-friendly, and straightforward. It features:
- A 5-inch LCD screen for previews.
- Support for 35 mm, 110, and 126 film formats.
- A 13 MP sensor that interpolates up to 22 MP JPEGs.
- On-device color and cropping adjustments.
- A quick-load tray to speed up feeding slides or negatives.
At about $229.99, it’s attractive to DIYers. You control every step, and for small film batches, it’s fun and affordable. But remember — it only handles film and slides, not paper prints.
What ScanMyPhotos offers
ScanMyPhotos is a full-service photo archival solution. You pack boxes with prints, slides, negatives, or reels, ship them in, and the team digitizes everything. You can even upgrade to their ScanFast same-day scanning service. Add your own GPS tracker to your order to follow every step. It is returned along with your original photos.
- Handles thousands of photos at once, including entire households.
- Optional GPS tracking so you can follow your order’s journey.
- Add-ons like restoration and archival-grade upgrades.
- Featured on CBS Evening News for rescuing family archives.
- Trusted with institutional projects, including a 347,000 film negative preservation for a giant organization.
For families with boxes of old prints or anyone facing a looming deadline — like weddings, memorials, or storm season — this is the stress-free option. This profile provides additional insights into the most effective strategies for converting from analog to digital formats.
The competitor landscape
Other brands also fill the space:
Legacybox (also operates Southtree® and is licensed to use the Kodak Digitizing name) offers kits that you ship in, then wait for the digitized files.
iMemories® (which was recently acquired) is known for bundling digitization with subscription cloud storage.
Epson® scanners appeal to semi-pros who want higher-end DIY scanning gear.
But only ScanMyPhotos combines bulk scale, same-day turnaround, and disaster-preparedness practices like GPS shipment tracking.
Cost Comparison
HP FilmScan 5″: $229.99 one-time cost. Great for hobby scanning. This means you are spending hundreds of dollars before digitizing your first image.
ScanMyPhotos: Package pricing (e.g., $50 for 250 prints, ~$145 for fill-a-box). Factor in shipping, but also speed, and no labor hours.
Reality check: DIY saves cash if you have time and just a few rolls. For extensive or mixed collections, outsourcing is far more efficient.
Which Should You Pick?
Pick HP FilmScan 5″ if you enjoy DIY, have time, and only need to digitize a small set of slides or negatives.
Pick ScanMyPhotos if you have boxes of prints, deadlines, or want professional consistency and speed — especially if disaster preparedness matters.
Either way, the important thing isn’t which solution you choose. It’s that you do it now. Waiting risks becoming part of the 96% of families who never look back at their analog photos again.
FAQs
Does HP® FilmScan scan photo prints? No, only slides and negatives.
Can ScanMyPhotos deliver fast? Yes, choose their same-day services, and move your order to the front of the line.
What if I have a large photo archive to scan? ScanMyPhotos has managed projects ranging from a few images to substantial orders for museums and archivists, showing its capability to scale well beyond consumer services into B2B operations.
