For a collection this large, a scanning service is often the most cost-effective and time-saving option. Community experience suggests ScanCafe can work well, and the main tradeoff is cost versus the many hours you’d spend scanning yourself.

If you want to do it at home, be aware that even good dedicated film scanners are slow. Users report that working through thousands of slides takes a very long time, even with quality scanners such as Nikon Coolscan models. Software like VueScan is commonly preferred for this kind of work.

If automation is the priority, a Reflecta DigitDia 4000/5000/6000 is one of the few scanner types designed to accept slide trays and run batches automatically. Its appeal is hands-off bulk scanning, and features like ICE can help with dust/scratch reduction. The downside is that these units can be hard to find and may still be expensive.

So the practical answer is: if your priority is lowest hassle and total time, use a service; if your priority is control and you’re willing to invest substantial time, look for a dedicated scanner—especially a tray-based model if you can find one.