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Microfiche & Microfilm Scanning

We specialise in the scanning, conversion, copying, and digitisation of your invaluable microfiche and microfilm archives. Harnessing the power of cutting-edge technology, we seamlessly transform your analogy records into digital formats, ensuring the preservation and easy retrieval of your vital data in today’s digital age.

Microfiche Scanning Services

In today’s digital era, the need to convert microfiche archives into easily accessible and sharable digital formats has never been more critical. We’re proud to offer affordable microfiche scanning and digitisation services to our global clientele. Here’s how it works:

  • Scanning: Using advanced microfiche scanners, we capture high-definition images from various microfiche types.
  • Indexing: For easy access and organisation of digital files, we use a systematic indexing method, naming files based on the fiche header details or the content within the documents.
  • Flexible Output: Depending on your needs, we can provide these files in multiple formats, including Text Searchable PDFs (Using OCR), TIFF, and JPEG.

Types of Microfiche We Handle: Whether it’s 16mm microfiche commonly used for A4 documents, 35mm ones for drawings and newspaper archives, COMBI types favoured by local authorities, or COM formats for financial records and catalogues, we’ve got you covered.

microfiche scanning

Microfilm Scanning Services

Our Microfilm scanning service offers high quality conversion to digital formats. Capable of scanning a variety of microfilm types, we meet diverse digital transformation needs.

Utilising our specialist microfilm scanners, we produce high-resolution images from microfilm reels. Subsequently, these images are digitised using optical character recognition (OCR) software, which extracts and identifies text from the images. The resulting digital versions can be saved as Text Searchable PDFs, TIFFs, JPEGs, and other formats. Our services are suitable for various microfilm formats such as:

  • 16mm Microfilm (commonly for A4 documents)
  • 35mm Microfilm (for larger items like drawings, plans, and newspaper archives)./li>
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Document Scanning Process
The document scanning process
What we do with your documents
  • Collection

    We provide a secure collection of your documents from anywhere in the UK within 24 hours or as convenient for you as well as we can supply storage boxes and assistance with removing and boxing up your files.

  • Conversion

    We scan and convert all types and sizes of documents to a digital format of your choice such as PDF, PDF Searchable, TIFF, JPEG, Microsoft Word and Excel.

  • Delivery

    We deliver your digital data on a secure storage medium of your choice such as CD, DVD, USB, secure FTP or fully managed Pearl Cloud document management system.

The Process in Depth

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Our Value Added Services

OCR

Using OCR technology, our microfiche and microfilm scanning services enhance searchability and save both time and costs. OCR extracts text from scanned images, allowing users to effortlessly search for keywords. This eliminates manual data entry, streamlining document management and ensuring efficient, cost-effective results.

Indexing

Proper indexing is essential for easy document retrieval. Our detailed approach incorporates key details like the document title, reference number, associated name and address, and date, etc. This thorough indexing provides a clear snapshot of the document metadata, ensuring users can swiftly locate required information.

Third-Party

Whether you’re integrating into the Planning Portal or Microsoft SharePoint, our tailored import service ensures a smooth transition. We’ll digitise your microform media to ensure all pertinent metadata, like title, reference number, and date, is accurately migrated. With our expert guidance, you’ll not only save time but also ensure the consistent quality of your crucial data.

Shredding

After scanning, the microfiche and microfilm media becomes redundant, making secure shredding essential. This process guarantees confidentiality, diminishes potential risks of GDPR breaches, and declutters your office space. Overall, transitioning to digital and discarding the obsolete medium streamlines records management.

Nationwide document scanning services
Nationwide

Across the UK, our scanning services reach every corner. Wherever you are, we deliver high-quality expertise directly to you

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Turnaround

Our efficient process ensures fast turnarounds, meeting your scanning needs promptly

Scalability

Our services are scalable, catering to both small and large-scale scanning projects with equal efficiency

Our Wide Range of Microfilm and Microfiche Conversion Services


16mm microfiche

16mm Microfiche

Roughly the size of a postcard, 16mm microfiche is often used to store A4 documents and will have around 5 or 6 rows of negative strips, each containing 60 to 70 pages when full.

35mm microfiche

35mm Microfiche

This type of Microfiche is commonly used to store newspaper archives, birth and burial registers, and large format drawings or plans up to A0 in size. Each fiche contains 6 frames when full.

combi microfiche

COMBI Microfiche

This type of microfiche is created to combine both 16mm and 35mm frames and is used in local authorities’ planning, building control and highways departments.

com microfiche

COM Microfiche

Computer output to microfiche (COM) is a fiche used to store large amounts of data or reports from mainframes or corporate systems. Once full, it can contain up to 278 frames of A4 documents.

A reel of 16mm microfilm

16mm Microfilm

16mm microfilm is used to film and store A4/A3 documents and contains around 2500 pages. It also comes in a duplex format that contains double the amount of images.

A reel of 35mm microfilm

35mm Microfilm

Traditionally used to store large format of drawings and plans – when 35mm microfilm is full, it typically contains an average of 800 frames.

Medium Format

Medium format transparencies are commonly used to film large-scale plans, maps and fashion photography.

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Aperture card

Aperture cards store large images, such as engineering drawings and building plans. They have a 35mm frame and index information to describe the image.

Common Categories of Records Stored on Microfiche and Microfilm


Pension Records

We offer expert scanning of pension records usually stored on microfiche, delivering them as high-quality searchable PDFs. Each file is typically indexed by the member’s name, birth date, national insurance number, and other relevant data.

Planning Records

UK and European Local Authorities traditionally archived documents like Planning Applications on microfiche. Facing the challenges of this outdated method, many are now digitising their archives. Pearl Scan has aided several authorities in this digital transition.

16mm microfiche

Employee Documents

As maintaining microfiche readers has become less feasible, the shift towards digital records is evident for compliance and efficiency. We provide a dedicated service for converting employee microfiche into indexed, searchable PDFs, ensuring quick access.

35mm microfilm

Newspaper Archive

We transform newspaper archives stored on microfilm into organised, indexed digital PDFs. After digitisation, we apply advanced OCR, rendering these archives fully text-searchable. This enhances not only keyword search capabilities but also expands accessibility, enabling online viewing and offering additional benefits.

Ready to transform your archives? Start your digital journey today with our microfiche and microfilm scanning services
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Other Types of Transparencies and Negatives Scanning, Digitisation and Conversion Services

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Negatives

We use state-of-the-art specialist scanners to scan and convert 35mm negatives into high-quality image files, such as TIFF, Jpeg, and PDF.

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Slides

All types and sizes of slides scanning, such as 35mm standard slides, 35mm half-frame slides, and medium format slides can be scanned and converted to PDF, TIFF, Jpeg, etc.

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Glass Plates

Old glass plate photographs can hold valuable memories – we can scan and digitise them to various digital formats, such as Jpeg, TIFF and PDF, in order to preserve those memories.

aperture card

Aperture Cards

Large technical drawings and plans contained in aperture cards can be scanned and converted to high quality digital files, such as PDF, TIFF and Jpeg, as well as have metadata captured.

FAQs About Our Microfiche and Microfilm Digitisation Services

A microfiche is a small, flat sheet of film, typically measuring 4 x 6 inches, that contains reduced-scale photographs of documents.

A microfilm is a roll of film containing reduced-scale photographs of documents, allowing for space-efficient storage of vast amounts of information

The duration to scan microfiche or microfilm varies based on factors like material size, frame count, original quality, and desired resolution. While high-speed scanners can process up to 300 frames per minute, the digitisation process also involves image editing, metadata creation, and quality control. For an accurate time estimate tailored to your needs, it’s best to consult our professional scanning team.

Halogen and Pearl Cloud are our inhouse developed document management software solutions that can assist you in storing, searching, and retrieving large quantities of documents with improved performance, speed, and flexibility of content search using OCR.

No, there is no alternative spelling of “microfiche” in standard British or American English. However, it is common to see users misspell it as “microfiches,” “microfishce,” “micro fiche,” “fiche” or “microfich.”

Yes we do. We offer secure storage for your microfiche or microfilm at our facility and provide on-demand scanning when you need it. This approach not only saves you from bulk scanning expenses but also offers an economical solution, especially when budgets are tight or if there’s no need to digitise your entire collection.