In the digital world, today’s version of the photo lab is often a photo kiosk. Typically found in super markets, drug stores and other retail establishments – kiosks are a great way to print digital photos directly from almost any digital media. They are convenient and easy to use for the most basic and even some advanced features like creating cards, calendars, and photo books. Some kiosks even include photo scanning functionality to enable old photo digitizing and basic enhancements.

So if you’ve already decided not to buy a photo scanner, how to decide when a photo scanning kiosk is a good alternative to using a photo scanning service ? Here are some general rules of thumb to help you decide.

When to use a photo scanning service

- When you have more than 50 to 75 photos to digitize

- When your original photos require advanced corrections and enhancements

- When you really need a slide scanning service to convert slides to digital

- When you really need a negative scanning service to convert negatives to digital

- When you want different file options for digitizing photos

- When you want a quality guarantee and customer support from imaging experts

When to use a photo kiosk for photo scanning

- When you have just a few photo prints to scan for quick reprints or photo products

- When you have only photo prints to digitize (no slides or negatives)

- When you have the time to do the scanning yourself

Some photo scanning services also offer photo printing, but if not, a photo kiosk can be a great way to print newly digital images from a slide scanning service. Simply take the photo scanning service DVD or CD disc and use the kiosk for reprints and enlargements.