The short answer: There is no magnet. A "magnetic" album is a card page coated in strips of adhesive under a plastic sheet, usually PVC. Over the years the adhesive hardens, the sheet bonds to the front, and the photo is trapped between the two. The Library of Congress lists sticky magnetic albums and PVC sleeves as harmful to photographs. The rule: a photo that comes free easily is taken out; one that resists stays put, and we scan the whole page as it is at 5.5 ₪ per page.
These albums sold by the million from the 70s to the 90s. Open one today and the sheet no longer parts from the photos.
What is a "magnetic" album, and why is there no magnet?
The name was marketing. What holds the photo is pressure-sensitive adhesive in strips, plus a plastic sheet that clings over it. The adhesive was never meant to last fifty years: it hardens, yellows and stops being removable.
What do the adhesive and the sheet do over decades?
The Library of Congress names sticky magnetic albums and PVC sleeves as harmful and recommends acid-free sleeves instead. Colour prints of the 60s to 80s (C-41) are the weak link anyway, their dark fading accelerated by heat and humidity — a magnetic album in a loft combines all of it.
Why must you never pull a stuck photo?
Pull a stuck photo and whichever layer is weakest gives way: the back stays on the page, or the gelatin emulsion tears and stays on the sheet. Conservators (AIC) describe forced dry separation as tearing the emulsion; the accepted method is controlled humidification — a conservator's laboratory work. So: no pulling, no wetting, no heating.
How do you know whether a photo can come out?
Lift the sheet and gently raise one corner. If it rises on its own, the adhesive has dried and the photo can be scanned loose. If it holds, even at one corner, stop.
| Album or sleeve type | What it does to the photo over decades | Remove? | How we scan it |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Magnetic" — adhesive strips + PVC sheet | Grips the back, bonds to the front (Library of Congress: harmful) | Only if it comes free by itself | Whole page through the sheet, cropped into files |
| Clear PVC sleeve | Bonds to the print surface (Library of Congress: harmful) | If it slides out easily | Slid out; if stuck, scanned through the sleeve |
| Photo corners | Print sits free | Yes, gently | Loose print, or the page if captions matter |
| Acid-free sleeve | Library of Congress recommendation | Yes | Loose print |
How do we scan a magnetic album?
The page stays whole, sheet and all, on an Epson V850 Pro flatbed, the industry standard — automatic feeders jam on old card prints. It is scanned at 600 dpi or more, and we crop each photo into its own file, plus the full page with any captions. The price is 5.5 ₪ per page including the cropping; photos that came free are 0.89 ₪ each (0.79 ₪ from 1,000), minimum order 150 ₪. Since 2006 more than 5,000,000 frames and photos have passed through the studio. Details on the photo, slide and negative scanning page and in what photo and album scanning costs.
Where do the photos go afterwards?
Not back into the album. The Library of Congress advice: acid-free sleeves or boxes, no PVC, at 30–50% relative humidity and no more than 21°C. Photos still stuck stay on the page, and the album moves somewhere cool and dry; see where to store tapes and film at home. Names and dates from the captions belong inside the files — see the AI-era photo scanning guide.
A magnetic album with the photos stuck fast? Don't pull — bring it to us closed.
We send couriers to your door anywhere in Israel, in both directions. Small jobs are usually ready within about seven working days, large ones within about 21, and the first minute is on us — you see how your photos come out before you decide. You can also drop off in person: the studio at 9 HaMa'ayan St., Rishon LeZion, 5 Lisin St. in Tel Aviv, or Mitzpe Hararit in the Galilee. Call 03-5610368 or leave your details on the contact page. What each service includes is listed on the price list (Hebrew).
Frequently asked questions
Can I try to take a photo out myself?
If it rises on its own — yes. If it holds, even at one corner — no. No water, no heat, no blade.
Does a scan through the plastic sheet come out well?
When the sheet is clear and clean, in our experience it is close to a direct scan; a yellowed sheet gets colour correction.
How much does scanning a magnetic album cost?
5.5 ₪ per page including cropping; loose photos 0.89 ₪ each, or 0.79 ₪ from 1,000; minimum order 150 ₪.
What should the photos be stored in after scanning?
Acid-free sleeves or boxes, no PVC, at 30–50% relative humidity and up to 21°C (Library of Congress).
