High-resolution intensity profiles can be generated from X-ray diffraction films using a desk-top scanner and computer image analysis. The resulting intensity profiles have spatial resolutions equal to, or exceeding that of modern powder diffractometers — at a fraction of the cost. This technique provides an economical way of preserving the information stored in libraries of old (and deteriorating) powder diffraction films. The same technique can also be extended to permit quantitative analysis of single-crystal diffraction films.