35mm scanners

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Carl
Edit My Images
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I'd like to ask a couple of questions please, about scanning negatives into the computer. I know nowt whatsoever about them.

Firstly, are there scanners available whereby you can scan a strip (6 frames) in one go, or does each frame have to be scanned individually?

Secondly, once the images are uploaded, can you make adjustments to the picture (if required) just as you can with images uploaded from a digital camera? I'm assuming you need the necessary Photoshop software?

Forgive me for asking what are probably daft questions, but as you can tell I still print the old fashioned way and I enjoy it very much. However I've been toying with the idea of trying out some scanning one day and was wondering how good they were.

Thanks very much.

Carl.
 
They are very good now and many can do a strip of six. You will still need Photoshop or something similar to work on the files.

And you will probably be disappointed compared with printing them properly.


Steve.
 
They are very good now and many can do a strip of six. You will still need Photoshop or something similar to work on the files.

And you will probably be disappointed compared with printing them properly.


Steve.

Thanks Steve. I don't intend to stop darkroom printing, but I do have absolutely loads of negative files containing images that I haven't printed yet, so I was thinking of maybe scanning a few of them just to see how it goes. I'm not exactly very savvy with computers anyway, so I'd probably make a hash of it in any case. :thinking:
 
I'd say that scaning with something like the Canon 8800F/Epson V500 would provide a decent enough form of proofing - a good way to have a good look at the image at a decent size, and in fairness, would be perfectly acceptable for prints 6"x4"/7"x5" - yes - doing a proper darkroom print would provide better ultimate images for the big stuff.

Of course the other thing is, if you have a situation where you need to deliver 10 identical prints of something, then a scan, retouch on the computer and inkjet printing will be consistent. I don't think I ever managed to get 2 copies of a image out of a wet darkroom that were identical (especially if the image needed any dodging/burning) - That may well be part of the joy of wet-printing, but when a client wants identical :shrug:
 
Don't get a Plustek !!

I bought a Plustek 7600 SE i costing around £230. It sounds similar to what you have described but you have to physically push the negative holder through the scanner one cell at a time. Also the actual scans are RUBBISH they are FAR FAR FAR FAR worse than a £35 scanner scanning the actual photograph! I went back :)
 
The 2 flatbed scanners I mentioned have negative carriers that will do a strip of negs - I know that the Canon will actually do 2 strips of half a dozen images at once - though if you use silverfast, it may well sit and churn at them for 20-30 minutes or more, depending on the processing settings.
 
Thank you very much BigYin and Cowasaki for that. :thumbs:

The amount of images I could scan in one go was something that would have concerned me. The flatbed scanner you mentioned sounds ideal. I recall a scanner at Jessops where it appears you had to move the neg carrier one step at a time, so I wouldn't be too keen on that. I'll take a look at both the Canon and Epsons, so thanks again - much appreciated.
 
I was told to buy an Epson V700 or V750 I think they were. To get a seriously good neg scanner costs BIG money.
 
I use an Epson V700 flatbed scanner which produces excellent results. It can scan up to 12 X3 5mm mounted slides at once, or 24 35mm negs at once ( Four strips of 6) and comes with digital ice technology which is incredibly good at removing dust and scratches from negs.

Once you've scanned the negs you can import them into whatever image editor you use -Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro etc, and process them just like you would a digital image. Scanning large numbers of negs can be tedious but the V700 is pretty quick and makes relatively light work of the job.

Epson V700 Review

Example scans in this thread
 
I use an Epson V700 flatbed scanner which produces excellent results. It can scan up to 12 X3 5mm mounted slides at once, or 24 35mm negs at once ( Four strips of 6) and comes with digital ice technology which is incredibly good at removing dust and scratches from negs.

Once you've scanned the negs you can import them into whatever image editor you use -Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro etc, and process them just like you would a digital image. Scanning large numbers of negs can be tedious but the V700 is pretty quick and makes relatively light work of the job.

Epson V700 Review

Example scans in this thread

That's great. Many thanks indeed for the links and for your advice there CT, I do appreciate it. Well it looks like Epson's are highly regarded; as well as yourself, BigYin and Cowasaki have recommended them and I like the idea of scanning more than one strip at a time.

Last night I was digging out some negative files (around 100 sheets in each) going back to the 1980s, and as there are so many strips I haven't printed other than a contact sheet, I thought of perhaps scanning them instead. At least that way, I can view the pictures on the computer even if I only end up printing a few of them.

Like I mentioned earlier with Steve, I would still carry on with darkroom printing for the enjoyment I get out of it (as well as the frustration from time to time), but I was thinking a film scanner & printer would make a nice addition and maybe help with the backlog of films I've accumulated.

Thank you again to everyone for your help and advice. I am grateful. :thumbs:

Carl.
 
An example of dust removal with digital ice in this thread Carl.

CLICK
 
An example of dust removal with digital ice in this thread Carl.

CLICK

Excellent. Thanks CT for pointing me to that thread. I must say your comparison shots using Ice and the same shot prior to dust removal do show what can be achieved with this scanner. However, it's mentioned Ice doesn't work too well with black & white, so I guess I'd have to do just a normal scan without Ice. I'd say about 90% of my negatives are b&w.

Cheers CT. :thumbs:

Carl.
 
Well to be honest Carl that spotty neg was an extreme test, I literally kicked it around the floor before I scanned it. It is impressive, but it really, really slows down your scan times, so for the odd spots you're likely to get on most scanned negs I'd prefer to just touch them out in editing anyway.
 
Well to be honest Carl that spotty neg was an extreme test, I literally kicked it around the floor before I scanned it. It is impressive, but it really, really slows down your scan times

I think you did the right thing showing an extreme example, at least it demonstrates what the scanner is capable of. I appreciate it would take longer to do, but I've spent many an evening in a darkroom and only coming out with a couple of prints that I was happy with, particularly when there was any burning or dodging to be done, so time isn't always an issue for me. :D
 
i had 300 slides scanned cleaned and repaired..by others
painless and for a one off just over the cost of a scanner

some printers scan??
 
Also apologies for jumping in on the thread...

But I use an Epson V300 to scan 35mm slides....but I am never sure what resolution (dpi?) to use. Anybody got any tips?

I can reccomend this scanner by the way!!

Cheers

John
 
Also apologies for jumping in on the thread...

But I use an Epson V300 to scan 35mm slides....but I am never sure what resolution (dpi?) to use. Anybody got any tips?

I can reccomend this scanner by the way!!

Cheers

John

Not sure what the V300 will do, but I tend to do a preliminary scan 35mm at 800 dpi, just to proof things, then do a working scan at 3600-4800dpi of the one's I want to print etc. on my Canoscan 8800F.
 
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