Hi Everyone

I really struggle to get time on the fiche readers in my library and anyway they make me feel sick so I have tended to avoid buying fiche which is very limiting. So I HAD to find an alternative.

The OHP didn't work (!) so I am now using a 35mm film/negative scanner and I am very pleased! Ok pretty slow and a bit fiddly but better than the library.

It is a Konica Minolta Dimage Scan Dual iv which we bought for my Mum about 3 years ago to scan negatives it cost nearly £200 then but I think they have come down in price a lot.

There is a holder designed to fit 35mm film so I have cut up the fiche!!!! I experimented with the last, incomplete row figuring I could always tape it back. Taking each row of fiche and sticking "Magic" selotape on each side, with a bit of trimming it fits the holder nicely.

The scanning is a bit slow and I had to go back as the pages don't perfectly fit the dividers of the film holder. But the result is worth the effort I have lots of lovely JPEG files that read beautifully with a bit of zoom.

From a quick look at the first batches I don't think I have the solutions to my brickwalls but you can't have everything.

Hope someone finds this helpful.

Sarah