A Few Flip Pal Suggestions

After my first onsite  Flip-Pal scanning experience, here are a few suggestions:

• Have plenty of batteries. Have twice what you think you will need (and maybe more). 
• Scan the backs of pictures if names are written on them. In one way it's faster than taking notes, gets information accurate and gives you time for something else.
• Consider taking a scanning buddy with you. The scanner is not difficult to use or learn to use. My mother scanned the smaller pictures for me that did not need any stitching, upside down scanning, etc.and that could be scanned by simply laying the picture on the Flip-Pal and hitting scan. I scanned the larger items and the ones that required later stitching. This freed me up to discuss pictures and other ephemera with the relative whose pictures were being scanned. 
• Practice more than you think you need to if you've never done "onsite scanning" before. Practice one more time than that if you don't have any idea if you will ever get back to the person's home again. 
• Encourage the person to locate and review the pictures before you get there. This will get their mind "running" and give them extra time to remember and organize materials. If you have to do it "cold," that's the way to go, but if they've looked over things a few times they are liable to "remember more" when you actually are there for the actual scanning.
• Back up your scans before you perform any stitching, cropping, etc. You want to make certain you actually have scans when you get home.
• Offer to share what you have or send them scans that you make.

This post is:

http://rootdig.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-few-flip-pal-suggestions.html

A Nice Stitching Job on the Ufkes Brothers Picture

This image has been optimized for web display, but the original scan was done at 600 dots per inch. It was on my  Flip-Pal  by creating two separate scans and stitching them together. I don't think the "seam" is visible at all--the "light" areas on the back are also present in my original. The scans have not been altered except to be stitched together. It's my last "practice" attempt before an actual trip to scan photographs tomorrow. It is always good to practice and know how use the equipment.

This photograph is of the seven Ufkes brothers--sons of Johann and Noentjelena (Grass) Ufkes. Based upon the ages, it was probably taken in the 1910s--most likely somewhere in Hancock County, Illinois, where the family was living. I am fortunate enough to have one of the originals of this photograph obtained from my grandfather John H. Ufkes, whose father is shown in the picture. I'll have to update this with a list of who is who in the picture--although it's been published several times with individuals identified.

We'll have a longer post with my suggestions for using the  Flip-Pal , including a few minor things to keep in mind and watch out for. But I have been very pleased with the performance of this little piece of equipment.

No more picture posts for a while!

-----------------------------------
Note: I am an affiliate of the Flip-Pal manufacturer. However, I am not compensated for any review other than readers who choose to make purchases through affiliate links on my site---and my  Flip-Pal  and bag were not provided to me by the company.

My First Flip-Pal Stitching Attempt

Note: All images on this blog post are (c) 2013 by Michael John Neill--using them on your own site without permission is 1) theft; 2) dishonest; 3) lazy; and 4) admitting that you are related to the Trautvetter family and to me--I'd think twice about doing that!

This is a photograph of the certificate (in the frame) that I decided I would use as my first attempt at "stitching" with my  Flip-Pal . Keep in mind that I'm not an expert yet. This photograph was taken by my daughter Katherine with her cellphone camera. It's not the best picture, but gives an idea of the entire certificate--and the crease and tear that are a part of it.

The Flip-Pal is not big enough to scan the entire image, so I took several scans of it. The four images below are ones I took of the left hand side of the document--they are sideways in this blog post.

There were four more images from the right hand side which I'm not including in this blog post in the interest of space.

Using the "stitching" program that comes with the  Flip-Pal ,  I simply "chose" the eight images after opening the software and the software automatically merged the images together, with this result:

The black squares are due to operator-error, not the  Flip-Pal  scanner or the software. The one in the upper right hand corner is because I did not place the scanner in the extreme upper right corner when I did my initial scan of that region and ones in the bottom corners are because my final scan was only of the seal.

I had difficulty getting the "edges" of the certificate because it was in a frame and I rotated the scanner for the scan of the seal so that I could get more of it. It is very easy to accidentally hit the scan button accidentally when using the scaner.

I'll continue practicing, but this is really easy to use. The stitching is automatic and the software comes right with the scanner. The cover of the scanner comes off and it is used upside down when making scans of items this size that have to be stitched together.

-----------------------------------
Note: I am an affiliate of the  Flip-Pal  manufacturer. However, I am not compensated for any review other than readers who choose to make purchases through affiliate links on my site---and my  Flip-Pal  and bag were not provided to me by the company.

My First Flip-Pal Use: Scanning a Picture of a Portrait

My Flip-Pal has arrived and I must say that I do like it.

My experimentation so far has been limited to scanning photographs smaller than 4 inches by 6 inches. It is easy to scan images and scan at 300 or 600 DPI. The images save easily to an SD card. I had no trouble using imaging software to view, crop, and work with the images. The cover comes off relatively easily (follow the directions which are included) and it is easy to "flip" the  Flip-Pal over and scan something is in a book or is larger than 4 by 6, but which has a usable image within those dimensions.

Flipping the Flip-Pal over allows you to see exactly what you are scanning---the bottom is clear as well. There is not much "technical" to using it. To be perfectly honest, the only directions I read were the ones about how to get the lid off so one could flip it over to scan. Easy to turn on, easy to scan--hit that green button. Some of the pictures I had would have fit on the scanning surface, but I found I preferred using the scanner upside down. I could then see the image that was being scanned and make certain I had not accidentally cut anything off.

I still have not "stitched" together an image from several scans of a document that was larger than 4 by 6 inches. That is on my list and we'll blog about it when I've had a chance to do that.

This scan was made from a picture of the photograph that was given to me by a cousin. So this is a scan of picture of the original picture.

George A. and Ida (Sargent) Trautvetter family, about 1915.

I was pleased with how this scan (made at 600 DPI turned out). I was also impressed with how easy the Flip-Pal made the whole scanning process.

I did purchase the carrying bag that is available for the  Flip-Pal . One can do without it, but it's the right size for the scanner and there's a pouch/pocket on the side which is where I'll slip the instructions, the extra batteries, and the flash drive that has the stitching software and instructions.

Overall, I'm happy with my purchase. I'll be honest, I don't buy many genealogy gadgets and technological items as it can run into money fairly quickly.

---------------------------------
Note: I am an affiliate of the  Flip-Pal  manufacturer. However, I am not compensated for my review other than readers who choose to make purchases through affiliate links on my site---and my  Flip-Pal  and bag were not provided to me by the company.

I'm Getting A Flip-Pal

I have finally decided to purchase a  Flip-Pal  for my own personal use.  We will be occasionally blogging about my use of the scanner as well as my opinion about how it works and what my experience with it is.

I've decided to use it simply for its portability. I have one relative who has pictures of relatives that I do not have that I'm hoping to scan. My mother also has some pictures that I would like to scan as well, although she does have a scanner with her computer. The sooner I scan these materials, the better.

Disclosure: I am an affiliate of the company that sells the  Flip-Pal --full disclosure here--so I will make small commission on sales you make if you click on  Flip-Pal  links on my site. However, posts will not be glorified ads for the  Flip-Pal  as those sorts of posts irritate me and I'm certain irritate readers as well. The intent is to allow readers to see how I'm using it and how it works for me. There will be no "copied and pasted" press-releases or company-created promotional as a part of any blog posts. 

Time Moves On

I am in the boat that I am assuming readers are. I have materials that have not been converted to digital format and the longer I wait to do that, the greater the chance something happens to the items and they are gone forever. I encourage readers to convert materials they have to digital format--whether you use the equipment I do or you use something else. Just do it.

And new images always make good fodder for post topics. 

Stay Tuned!