Digital ICE® for Slide Scanning

You asked whether Digital ICE® should be used on every slide. Below is our honest take based on years of high-volume scanning, including when ICE helps—and when it hurts.

What Digital ICE® Does

Digital ICE® uses an extra infrared pass to map dust and scratches and then “heal” those areas by interpolating nearby pixels. It can work well in some cases, but it softens detail and roughly doubles scan time because it requires two passes.

Why We Don’t Use ICE by Default

For large projects, across hundreds or thousands of slides, automatic ICE can reduce sharpness and slow throughput dramatically. It’s not practical—or cost-effective—to pre-inspect every slide with a loupe to decide which single images might benefit.

Kodachrome & Other Problem Cases

ICE can misread detail on Kodachrome due to that film’s unique dyes, and certain images (e.g., those weak in the red channel like underwater scenes) may be “fixed” incorrectly—sometimes even closing eyes or smearing fine texture.

Our Quality Approach

We prioritize sharp, natural results and consistent color. Our experienced Photoshop® technicians clean and correct every delivered image—efficiently—so you’re not trading away detail for automated dust repair.

See the Quality First—Free

We stand by our work. Send ten slides or photos and we’ll scan them at no charge so you can compare quality and decide for yourself.

Honest Value, Clear Pricing

We’ve built our service around value, speed, and transparency—no hidden fees, no gimmicks. We earn repeat work from families and institutions alike because the files look great the first time.

Bottom Line

ICE has its place for certain single-slide fixes, but as a blanket setting it can do more harm than good. Our workflow is designed to deliver sharper, more reliable results project-wide—without surprises.

Questions? Call 1-888-666-3468 or email us. If you’re ready to start, head to the Order Forms.