The ION Pics 2 SD is a slide to digital image converter with a top-loading port for converting your physical prints. Its decently large screen makes it easy to preview and convert your classic media as well as navigate its menu. The included SD card and standalone functionality allow you to start digitizing your memories immediately. While it’s a relatively inexpensive converter, it lacks a few features and accessories that may hinder your experience.
If your classic photo collection consists mostly of 35 mm slides and film, or of printed photos, the slide converter will work well enough for you. However, if you’re a classic film enthusiast and have boxes full of 110 and 126 film negatives or Super 8 film, this converter cannot help you. It comes with plastic frame loaders for your slides and film negatives, helping to hold them in place during the conversion process. The device digitizes your images with a resolution output of 10MP, which is low compared to the best slide to digital converters.
By far, the most impressive thing about the ION Pics 2SD is its large preview screen. It measures 3.2 inches and is the second largest screen of any converter we reviewed next to the Wolverine Titan, Having a large screen makes it easy to preview and edit your images, or to view all of them once you’ve finished converting them. If you want to transfer your newly converted images to your computer for safekeeping, or share them online, you can use the included SD card, or one of your own, up to 4GB. If you’re planning on digitizing a large quantity of images, you’ll have to pause frequently to transfer converted images to your computer and empty the card before continuing. The unit measures 8.7 x 8.2 x 5.8 inches and weighs 3.5 pounds, the second-largest converter we tested next to the Pacific Image ImageBox MF.
The slides to digital converter ships with a one-year manufacturer warranty. Should you ever have a concern or question about the product, you can contact the company’s customer support reps by either telephone or email. ION also hosts a variety of educational resources about the product on its website, such as a FAQs section and user guide.
Considering that the ION Pics 2 SD has “SD” in its name, we were disappointed to learn that it doesn’t allow for SD cards larger than 4GB. Additionally, we found its massive lack of format compatibility to be surprising, along with its low output resolution. However, if you aren’t too concerned with these features, and merely need a simple device to convert your physical prints or 35 mm media, this converter may be just the right choice for you, especially since it’s the second most expensive unit we reviewed.
