How to Convert 35mm Negatives to a CD

Archive your 35mm negatives on CDs to save space and preserve memories.

Many seasoned photographers have countless boxes of 35mm negatives stacked in their closets. While these films hold a slew of cherished memories, they take up a lot of storage space and are inconvenient to view. You can have the films converted to CD at your local photo lab, but the processing fee for multiple discs can become expensive. In order to transfer the negatives onto your computer, your flatbed scanner must be able to scan transparent materials, such as film and slides. It should also include a plastic adapter to hold the film in place on the scanning glass.

Things You'll Need

• Negative scanner
• Film adapter
• Canned air
• Microfiber cloth
• Blank CD-Rs

Instructions

1. Connect the scanner to your computer and install the bundled software.

2. Open the scanner's lid and remove the film adapter. Place the film strip in the holder, close it and return it to the scanning glass.

3. Close the lid and press the "Scan" button. A window with several scanning options such as media type (35mm film, printed picture or document), file type (.PNG, .JPEG) and save location (My Pictures, My Scans) will appear. Make your selections and click "OK" or "Scan" to begin scanning.

4. Insert a blank CD-R into your computer's drive once scanning completes. Choose "Burn Files to Data Disc" from the prompt that appears. An empty disc folder will open after you name the disc.

5. Open the save location you chose in Step 3. Select the images you wish to burn to the CD, and drag them into the empty disc folder.

6. Repeat Steps 2 through 6 for each strip of negatives you wish to transfer to the disc.

Tips & Warnings

• On Mac computers, burn images by dragging and dropping the files onto the blank CD-R's desktop icon.

• Because scanners vary in design and operation, refer to your owner's manual for specific instructions regarding your scanner.

• Keep a store of blank CD-Rs on hand if you will be scanning a large amount of negatives.

• Clean any dust or dirt from your negatives with canned air and a microfiber cloth prior to scanning.

References

• HP: Scan 35mm Photo Slides and Negatives
• Gongol; How to Burn Photos to a CD; Brian Gongol