You’re in the market for digitization services. You’re tired of the awesome photos of your 70s stache going to waste in analog purgatory, so you want to get them loaded onto your computer for the cascade of Facebook and Instagram likes they’re likely to garner. That’s awesome, and we support you.
Searching around the web, you’ve likely seen a few different places that seem to do the same thing. Costco has a service, Scan Cafe has a service, and then there’s Southtree too. Choices are great.
But you don’t know anything about digitization.
So how do you choose what the right service is for you? That’s where we come in. We’ll help you compare the services that Scan Cafe and Southtree provide so that you know which one is going to take care of you, your privacy, and your memories the best.
|
Southtree |
Scan Cafe |
|
|
Only 1 Company Touches Your Stuff? |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Membership Required? |
No |
No |
|
Packaging Materials Included? |
Yes |
No |
|
Film Formats Accepted |
Regular 8, Super 8, 16mm |
N/A |
|
Tape Formats Accepted |
VHS, VHS-C, Hi8, Video 8, Digital 8, Mini DV, Betamax, Micro MV, PAL |
VHS, S-VHS, VHS-C, Hi-8, Digital 8, Mini DV |
|
Pictures Accepted? |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Step-by-Step Tracking? |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Optional Thumb Drive Included? |
Yes |
No |
|
Customer Service? |
Provided by knowledgeable Southtree workers in Chattanooga, TN |
Yes, provided by Scan Cafe Employees |
|
USA Today Recommended? |
Yes |
No |
When it comes to comparing Southtree with Scan Cafe, there are some things to keep in mind. They’re not exactly the same service. Scan Cafe specializes in digitizing photos and slides, while Southtree digitizes basically everything. Since both services are a la carte, you only pay to digitize what you need.
Since Southtree can digitize videos, photos, and even audio recordings, I’d give them the slight nod in who I’d use.
