Microfilm Digitization & Conversion: How It’s Done and Why Do It

Microfilm Scanning Services

In the past, microfilm was frequently used for saving valuable storage space. Today though, DMS and cloud storage systems are the most common, as the combination of dropping costs and growing sophistication continues to make managing information more time and cost-efficient.

Watch the video or read the transcript to learn more about different microfilm types, how to use them, how they compare to digital storage systems, and how the microfilm digitization and conversion process works in this video.

What Is Microfilm?

Microfilming involves creating images of documents to store on photographic film.

With a shelf life of several hundred years and the ability to keep a lot of information in a small place, microfilm provides a sustainable storage option.

Microfilm’s Purpose

microfilm to digital conversion stores thousands of documents.Microfilm stores tiny micro-reproductions of document images via a film roll.

Storage capacities for microfilm range from 600 engineering drawings to 2,400 regular documents.

Because files are roughly 1/25 of their original size, microfilm is a top way to save valuable storage space.

Other Microfilm Types

Besides microfilm, there are several types of microform, including microfiche and aperture cards.

Microfiche

Microfiche stores documents on a flat 105 x 145mm film sheet as opposed to a film roll.
Typically, images are 10 x 14mm and are organized as a matrix of micro-images on the sheet.

Aperture Cards

Aperture cards are hole-punched with a 35 mm microfilm chip mounted in the cutout space.
Because of their size, a card can only hold a single microfilm image. This makes aperture cards only useful to archive unique files like engineering drawings.

Microfilm Digitization Process

  1. An optical scanner captures the microfilm in its raw digital format
  2. The digital image is output in the desired format (JPG, PDF, etc.)
  3. An automatic optical character recognition (OCR) is applied for editing
  4. An electronic DMS integrates and indexes the new digital files.
  5. After extracting and converting files, mixed-media shredding ensures the safe disposal of old physical copies and that you remain compliant with all data protection laws.

Modern Space-Saving Storage Through Digitization

microfilm conversion and microfilm digitization allows for access to them from anywhere.Today, document management system software (DMS) and cloud storage is often the more viable option because of the growing sophistication of its technology and the dropping costs.

Compared to microfilm, scanning offers several additional advantages, including:

  • It’s faster and easier to retrieve and use documents in a DMS or cloud storage
  • The additional indexing and tagging options improve the managing and organizing of records
  • Replicating and distributing information is sped up since documents can be directly accessed and shared online unlike how microfilm first requires extracting and enlarging the information first

Get Microfilm Digitization & Microfilm Conversion Services Today!

To find microfilm scanning services and additional information to help with your conversion project, call Record Nations at (866) 385-3706, use the form on the page, or contact us directly using our live chat.

In just minutes, you’ll receive free, no-obligation quotes on microfilm scanning and storage services in your area from qualified experts.

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