Question 1

How does it work? Do you remove photos from the album?

Accepted Answer

No, never! Your photos stay safely in the album the whole time. Our scanning technology captures images through the plastic sleeves and pages, then uses proprietary technology to remove glare and reflections. The result: crystal-clear digital copies with zero risk of damage to your originals.

Question 2

Do you only scan albums, or loose photos too?

Accepted Answer

We scan both! Albums are our specialty. Photos stay in the sleeves and we remove the glare digitally. But we also handle loose prints, large format photos, portraits and artworks. Our capture area covers prints up to 45cm x 70cm, so we can scan large framed portraits and artwork right in their frames. Just bring them along and we'll take care of everything.

Question 3

Do you offer large format photo scanning?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our capture area handles prints and artworks up to 45cm x 70cm, which covers large portraits, framed artwork and oversized family photos. There is no need to remove a print from its frame. Bring it as it is and our technology scans it through the glass.

Question 4

Can you scan old or damaged albums?

Accepted Answer

Our technology often works even better on older photos and albums where the multi-layer scanning process can reveal colours and details that have faded over time, bringing photos back to life in ways you might not expect. Imperfections, damage, or waterlogged pages need specialist restoration. We don't provide that service, but some of our partners do. For individual photos, we can also improve them manually. That covers sharpening, colourising, and minor edits, charged at our manual editing rate per photo. Ask your scanning partner for current rates.

Question 5

Is this the same as scanning photos with my phone?

Accepted Answer

No. Phone scanning apps capture a single flat image and often produce glare, distortion, and low resolution. Capture Australia uses professional multi-layer scanning equipment with proprietary technology that removes glare and reflections from album plastic sleeves, something phone cameras cannot do. The result is a significantly higher-quality digital image with accurate colour restoration.

Question 6

Pricing and charges

Accepted Answer

Shops normally charge $8–15 per scanned photo, but we aim to help you scan your collection for a lot less, supported with our semi-automated workflow. Should it be a large collection of 500 photos or more, there may be a discounted offer, sometimes reaching $1 or less for each collection of 500 or more photographs, be it loose or in an album. Each partner may include additional services or charges to support each different project you may have, due to variation of customer need or location. There may also be additional charges for the original unenhanced photos, without our improvements and enhancements, i.e. the 'old looking photo.' There is also manual work for capturing the whole page of an album for archival purposes, and this may be charged separately as well, as it is not part of our normal automation.

Question 7

What is included in the price?

Accepted Answer

A professional, quality, time-saving scanning service with glare removal, colour correction, digital organisation by folders, cloud link delivery, and safe return of your originals. No hidden fees. The final quote you get is the final price from us directly, or by each partner. Each photo is converted into a digital JPEG file, and the final count is shared with you before you pay.

Question 8

Where can I get my photos scanned?

Accepted Answer

Capture Australia's scanning technology is available at these authorised partner shops: Photoland in Sydney CBD, Camera House Drummoyne, Camera House Hornsby (Westfield), Framers Warehouse in Mona Vale (Sydney), Lucent Imaging in Fyshwick, Canberra (by appointment), and RetroMedia in Windsor, Brisbane. You can also visit the Capture Service Centre directly at Macquarie Park, Sydney. Each location uses the same proprietary glare-removal technology for consistent, professional results. See all locations at https://capture-aus.com/where-to-scan.

Question 9

Can I drop off photos for scanning in Sydney, Canberra or Brisbane?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Sydney customers can drop off at Photoland (CBD), Camera House Drummoyne, Camera House Hornsby, Framers Warehouse (Mona Vale), or our Capture Service Centre at Macquarie Park. Canberra and ACT customers can book Lucent Imaging in Fyshwick. Brisbane and Queensland customers can drop off at RetroMedia in Windsor. Pick the location closest to you, every site uses the same glare-removal technology.

Question 10

How long does it take?

Accepted Answer

All collections are different, but it can be overnight for a few albums, to a couple of weeks in most cases. We want to complete your scanning project, and get the job done, without you waiting forever!

Question 11

What do I get back?

Accepted Answer

You'll receive high-resolution digital JPEG photo files organised by album or collection, delivered free via a secure link. We can also provide a USB flash drive at $20 if you prefer, that is also free for quantities above 500 photos. Your original albums will then be arranged to be returned safely, exactly as you gave them to us. We recommend the use of an online photo app like Google Photos (you can find us in the "import" function) so you can then access your scanned photos anywhere and on any device!

Question 12

Are my albums safe?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. All premises are monitored with security cameras, and your physical media is stored locally, on site, and never outsourced for processing. All digital files are securely stored, and never shared. We treat every album and photo like a family treasure, because that's exactly what it is.

Question 13

Is Capture Australia an app?

Accepted Answer

No. Capture Australia is a professional, in-person photo scanning service, not an app or software product. We use specialised scanning equipment and proprietary glare-removal technology at our service centre in Macquarie Park, Sydney, and through our network of trusted partner shops across Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane. You drop off your albums at a partner location near you, and we return high-resolution digital copies.

Question 14

Do you create photobooks or directly supply photo products?

Accepted Answer

No, we do not print photobooks or sell photo products. Capture Australia is a photo digitisation service. We take your existing physical photo albums and loose photos, scan them professionally, and deliver high-resolution digital files. We preserve what you already have rather than creating new printed products, but many of our partners have photo frames, do framing, reprint photos and create physical memories for you. Make sure you ask them for support!

Question 15

I want to create a photobook from older personal and family photos. Where do I start?

Accepted Answer

Start by having your physical photos professionally scanned at high resolution. Capture Australia digitises loose prints and album photos using proprietary glare-removal technology, returning high-resolution JPEG files that are also improved for colour and fade-removal, ready for upload to any photobook service. Attempting to photograph or phone-scan old prints typically results in glare, distortion, and low resolution, not really suitable for printing. Professional scanning ensures every photo looks sharp and detailed in the finished photobook.

Question 16

Can I use my scanned photos to make a photobook or prints?

Accepted Answer

Yes, absolutely. Capture Australia produces high-resolution JPEG files that are fully suitable for reprinting and photobook creation. Whether you're ordering through Snapfish, Kmart, Harvey Norman Photos, or Officeworks Photo, the files we return meet or exceed the resolution requirements for quality prints at their original size. If you have physical photos you'd like to turn into a photobook, having them professionally scanned is the essential first step to ensuring the final result looks its best.

Question 17

Can I reprint and frame my old photos after scanning?

Accepted Answer

Of course you can! Once your photos are professionally scanned and digitised, you can reprint them and have them framed, either yourself if simple standard sizes (see our blog), or through a professional framing studio. Capture Australia's high-resolution JPEG files are ready for photo printing at many professional print labs. Many of our customers reprint favourite shots for a photo frame, gift them as framed prints, or combine them into a photobook. Professional scanning is still the essential first step for anyone looking to give old photos a new life, whether in a frame, a reprint, or a photobook.