Archiving Photos digitally for safe deposit box?

[bobinbroomfield]

Hello,we have quite a few family photo albums as we all do. I have a large format flatbed scanner that I can scan complete pages from the albums as a single image. I would like to store the page scans, on flash drives, in a safe deposit box in case of fire or whatever.

Question:
How can I best insure the drives will be readable in the future. Not 100 years, maybe the next ten or so. Not knowing what technology will change.

Store in Jpeg or TIff formats?
Include image software on drives?
Include basic O/S of some sort??
Include a functioning USB device??

Thanks folks........

 

[bobinbroomfield]

Hello,we have quite a few family photo albums as we all do. I have a large format flatbed scanner that I can scan complete pages from the albums as a single image. I would like to store the page scans, on flash drives, in a safe deposit box in case of fire or whatever.

Question:
How can I best insure the drives will be readable in the future. Not 100 years, maybe the next ten or so. Not knowing what technology will change.

Store in Jpeg or TIff formats?
Include image software on drives?
Include basic O/S of some sort??
Include a functioning USB device??

Thanks folks........

What about a PDF format? Could I make a PDF document with a page for each album page scan? PDF is not a format that will be going away soon is it? Then I could combine text with the pix. Then each album could have it's own PDF file. I like it. Think it will work?
BIB

 

[popatim]

A loss-less format is suggested, such as tiff, png, psd (photoshop), and jpeg 2000. Most photographers I know also store their ' raw' camera data in addition to their finalized file.

Flash memory is not intended for long term storage and archival quality dvd's are suggested. If you still wish to use flash drive it is suggested you refresh the data every year.

as for what else to store. I would not bother with other software. In a year ther will be other versions of your image software, service packs for your os. In 2 years thee will probably be a new version of windows and new image software to go along with it...

I do like the 'include a functioning usb device' idea. Cudos!

as for the PDF's as long as you keep the images lossless I don't have an issue with it but what if down the road someone doesn't want your text on it? perhaps store 1 copy as original photos only and another as pdf with your comments.

 

[bobinbroomfield]

Popatim that's the advice I'm looking for. Thank you...........
I'll do the archival quality DVD's and PDF for background info, mostly for the Genealogists in the family. "Who is that standing next to Uncle Jim?" questions.
BIB

 

[popatim]

Thats one of the reason i liked you pdf idea!

 

[bobinbroomfield]

Best answer selected by bobinbroomfield.