Drum Scans — when image quality is important. Yes, we still do them!

Drum scans are great when you want the best quality for posters, large displays/banners, wall murals or outdoor boards. Or if you, like us, really appreciate and prefer the look and feel of analog film color for any kind of project.

Drum scanners record much finer detail. The scans are known for their clean noise-free shadow areas with excellent detail pulled from the darkest areas, even beyond what is visible under a loupe on a light box. Films are typically mounted in a fluid or oil bath during scanning, which helps create a very clean image. Fine scratches and other unwanted surface details are eliminated.

You provide the transparencies or negatives, and scaling info or layout (QuarkXPress or InDesign); we take it from there. You’ll receive professional color image files, saving you prepress costs and possible aggravations at press time. These scans are completely adjusted and optimized, ready to use for your final output.

If you like, we can also send accurate CMYK proofs from our proofing system with images placed in your picture boxes just as they will print. We normally prepare all images to the final size/resolution to properly sharpen/brighten them. Specific retouching requests or revisions are no problem, handled at our regular modest hourly rate.

Other Photoshop tasks are available from Colorprep: digital camera image prep for press, general retouching, compositing multiple images, color changes, clipping path work, silhouettes, vignettes, background changes, realistic shadows, enhanced grayscale conversions, process colorizations, portrait enhancements, historic restorations, and so on.

We are able to transfer files via US Mail, FEDEX, on CD, or through our FTP site or yours. Your satisfaction is always guaranteed—you would never have to pay for any work that you’re unhappy with.

Click to download our drum scan details/pricing (PDF). Please note that Colorprep scan pricing is based on the actual cropped image size as it will be used, so you do not pay for full-frame scans when not needed. This saves money. We don’t normally crop in on any images unless they are very large or use less than half of the frame. Quantity discounts available.

To order now, or just get a firm scan price from your specs: please click here.