What is Capture Australia?

Capture Australia is a photo digitisation service that scans printed photos and albums using proprietary glare-removal technology. We work with a network of partner shops in Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane. Customers drop off their albums or loose prints at a local partner shop, and the shop handles the scanning before returning the originals safely.

Where do I get my photos scanned?

Capture Australia operates through partner shops in Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane. You bring your albums or loose prints to the nearest partner location, leave them for scanning, and collect them once the job is done. Visit captureaus.com/where-to-scan to find your closest shop and its opening hours.

What technology does Capture Australia use to remove glare?

Capture Australia uses a proprietary 8-layer glare-removal process. The scanner captures multiple exposures of each photo through the album plastic sleeve, then processes those layers to strip out glare and reflections. The output is a clear, detailed digital copy, produced without ever removing the photo from the album.

Do my photos need to come out of the album?

No. The scanning technology works through album plastic sleeves and pages, so your photos stay exactly where they are throughout the process. There is no risk of tearing, bending or damaging the originals at any point.

What sizes of photos does Capture Australia scan?

Capture Australia scans printed photos across a wide range of sizes. Small wallet prints, standard 4x6 inch and 5x7 inch photographs, 8x10 portraits and larger prints up to and including large format scanning of framed portraits and artworks, with a capture area of up to 45cm x 70cm. The proprietary scanning equipment is physically installed at each partner shop, built specifically to handle this full size range without removing photos from their sleeves, albums or frames. The same 8-layer glare-removal technology applies at every scale, so the digital output is sharp and consistent whether the print is a pocket-sized snap or a large framed portrait or artwork. Slides, negatives and film require different equipment and some partner shops like Photoland, Camera House and Retromedia offer these services. The wider Capture group covers those formats outside of Australia at capture.com and capture.hk.

How are my digitised photos delivered?

Once scanning is complete, your photos are delivered as high-resolution digital files on a USB drive or via a secure online downloadable link. Confirm the delivery method with your partner shop when you drop off your photos.

Is Capture Australia listed in Google Photos?

Yes. You can find Capture Australia in the Google Photos app import function. In the Google Photos app or website, tap the '+' button, select 'From other places', then choose 'Digitise physical photos' to find us. After we deliver your files via USB or downloadable link, you upload them to your Google Photos account yourself through the app on your own device.

Is the scan quality consistent across all partner shops?

Yes. Every partner shop uses the same Capture Australia proprietary scanning workflow and glare-removal technology, so the output quality is consistent regardless of which location handles the job. Each photo goes through the same multi-layer processing at every shop.

How much does photo scanning cost in Australia?

The cost depends on your situation: the partner shop you use, the size of your collection, whether you need express turnaround, and whether any additional manual steps are involved, such as archival full-page captures or handling unusually fragile prints. Our semi-automated scanning workflow keeps the baseline cost low, because the technology does the heavy lifting on each photo rather than requiring hour-by-hour manual labour. Different partner shops run their own promotions from time to time, and larger collections can qualify for better rates. The best way to get an accurate figure is to contact your nearest partner shop with a rough count of your photos and albums.

The Hidden Costs of Not Preserving Your Memories

From Kodak to Cloud: The Hidden Costs of Not Preserving Your Precious MemoriesDiscover the hidden costs behind traditional film photography—from camera purchases and film rolls to development, printing, and storage—that can add up to nearly $2,000 over 20 years. Learn why digitising your photos with services like Capture offers a smarter, safer, and more affordable way to preserve your family’s priceless memories for generations to come.

From Kodak to Cloud: The Real Cost of Holding on to Your Memories

Remember the joy of popping in a roll of Kodak Gold, Fujifilm Superia, or even a snazzy Agfa Vista? Whether you were capturing a sunburnt day at Bondi, Grandpa’s 70th, or those legendary school footy matches, back in the day snapping photos wasn’t the expensive part. It was everything that happened after you pressed the shutter.

Film Photography: The Price Tag Behind the Memories

Let’s pull back the curtain on the true cost of keeping your memories pure and physical, even before we talk about scanning:

The Camera Itself
Entry-level models like the trusty Pentax K1000 or the iconic Olympus OM-10 could easily set you back $100–$300. High-end SLRs? Sky’s the limit!
The Film
Each roll of Kodak Gold 200, Fuji Velvia, or Ilford HP5 (for the arty types) cost anywhere from $11 to $17, sometimes more when imported. So, capturing a few dozen precious shots a year over two decades?
40 rolls x average $15 = $600
Development & Printing
The developing process was never cheap.
- Processing a 36-exposure roll: ~$10
- Prints (even just 4x6s): Up to $15 per set, per roll. Double that for enlargements. Those Instamatic summer sunsets belonged on display!
40 rolls x $10 = $400
40 sets of prints x $15 = $600
Albums & Storage
Albums ranged from budget to premium, averaging about $30 each. Add sleeves or boxes for the overflow.
Albums x 2 = $60
Storage extras: $40
Loss, Damage, Restoration
Photos in old plastic sleeves suffer fading, sticking, or warping. Between lost moments and restoration, a conservative estimate over 20 years is $50, sometimes much more for priceless images.

If You Did the Maths…
Total cost just for shooting, printing, and storing those memories could stretch beyond $1,850, and that's without tallying up enlargements, extra sets, hidden costs, or those rolls lost to the sands of time!

Why Digitise? Why Now?

Today, services like Capture Australia offer peace of mind. Instead of letting photos gather dust (or get nibbled by your neighbour’s dog), scanning is:

Affordable compared to reprinting or replacing lost originals.
Permanent: digital is safe from moisture, mould, fading, and fire.
Accessible: share old birthday snaps within seconds, no rummaging required.
Restorable: basic restoration brings colours and clarity back, includes in Capture's patented solution.
Space-saving: free your cupboards and garage space and relive more moments.

Don’t Let History Slip Away

From Kodak days to the digital cloud, your memories deserve to be restored and shared!