Polaroid still offers its dust removal software, free:
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:
"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."
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