Many agencies still hold extensive archives on microfilm and microfiche. This page breaks down the microfilm vs. microfiche difference, outlines the risks of staying on film, and shows how microfilm digitization and microfiche scanning support a clean move to digital access.
Microfilm sits on a reel and holds thousands of images. Microfiche is a flat card with fewer frames grouped by subject or index. These basics help when planning microfilm digitization or converting microfiche to digital projects.
The microfilm vs. microfiche difference comes down to how each format stores and retrieves images. This is what separates them:
Reel Format
Holds thousands of images
Needs a film reader
Common in large historical archives
Stores fewer images
Needs a fiche reader
Common in indexed legal, medical, and agency files
Flat card format
Many agencies still manage records on microfilm and microfiche because these formats were standard for decades. Governments, libraries, healthcare groups, legal teams, and universities built extensive collections of film, and those archives still sit in storage today. This is why microfiche scanning and microfilm digitization remain common needs.
Aging microfilm and microfiche create real exposure for any agency that still relies on them. The following are the core risks associated with long-term storage:
Physical degradation over time
Reader machines break down
Compliance exposure
Slow record retrieval
High storage expense
Limited disaster recovery
Digitizing microfilm and microfiche removes daily bottlenecks and cuts long-term risk. Agencies gain fast access to files, better search tools, and stable retention across departments.
Fast digital access
Searchable files with OCR
Secure digital retention
Support for compliance needs
Easy sharing across teams
Lower long-term cost
RDS follows a clear, controlled workflow for every microfilm or microfiche project. Each step keeps your records accurate, organized, and ready for use.
Public agencies and enterprise teams work with RDS for reliable microfilm scanning solutions and microfiche scanning projects. We focus on accuracy, security, and smooth delivery.
High-resolution scanning
Secure chain-of-custody
Custom metadata
Government-ready practices
Large archive capacity
Fast turnaround
Scalable project management
RDS works with public agencies and institutions to digitize microfilm and microfiche collections at scale.
Modernize public archives by converting reels into fast digital access.
Move legal discovery files from fiche cards into searchable images.
Digitize county clerk and recorder archives for daily record requests.
Convert healthcare imaging records for secure digital access.
Turn university fiche collections into searchable research files.
