The great TP film scanner test

Mahoneyd187 said:
It'll be nice to see side by side, the same shots, with different scanners. I can't find anything else like it on the web and considering it's a pretty basic comparison, I'm surprised.

Really looking forward to Rob's wet printing too, I'm not sure I've EVER even held a wet print, let alone one of my own shots (y)

We all know scanned negs take quite a bit of tweaking to get spot on....bare that in mind when you see my poorly exposed muddy b&w negs please :D lmao
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http://www.largeformatphotography.info/scan-comparison/
 
excalibur2 said:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/scan-comparison/
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Oooh nice :) though it states "Therefore there was no attempt to compare colour rendition, which is heavily influenced by the operator and the choice of scanner software"

At least we are only comparing consumer grade scanners, so are able to standardise using readily available software. Which means our test should actually be more accurate as far as genuine fair comparison goes. As long as we all use the same software, same settings, same crop, and try to maintain consistency in setting black/white points, then we're all good (y)
 
Mahoneyd187 said:
Oooh nice :) though it states "Therefore there was no attempt to compare colour rendition, which is heavily influenced by the operator and the choice of scanner software"

At least we are only comparing consumer grade scanners, so are able to standardise using readily available software. Which means our test should actually be more accurate as far as genuine fair comparison goes. As long as we all use the same software, same settings, same crop, and try to maintain consistency in setting black/white points, then we're all good (y)
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That is if everyone uses vuescan...
 
menthel said:
The problem is that it adds in another layer of variables. What program you use to PP, how much you do etc. I think keeping it simple at first is the best thing. Remember, as we have the tiff files we can put together the shots post processed at a later date to see how things polish up.
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True but with the same neg being used if someone can produce a magnificent result from say a V500, he can teach us how he did it. ;)
 
excalibur2 said:
True but with the same neg being used if someone can produce a magnificent result from say a V500, he can teach us how he did it. ;)
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By scanning flat and working on it in photoshop/lightroom is the advice I keep getting...not sure whether it's correct but hey.
 
menthel said:
That is if everyone uses vuescan...
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That's definately preferable don't you think? Additionally anybody using different software will still be useful, i.e. a v750 scan from vuescan vs v750 scan via silverfast
 
Mahoneyd187 said:
That's definately preferable don't you think? Additionally anybody using different software will still be useful, i.e. a v750 scan from vuescan vs v750 scan via silverfast
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Agreed. If only because I don't want to spring for silverfast or ever see its awful UI ever again!
 
menthel said:
It would need to come from a half decent scan in the first place! :p ;)
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On quite a few shots (not cropped) and viewed on a monitor....the scanned shot on my 2480 looked similar as the same neg scanned with my V750...this was the start of my disillusionment with flatbed scanners for 35mm. :cautious:
 
excalibur2 said:
On quite a few shots (not cropped) and viewed on a monitor....the scanned shot on my 2480 looked similar as the same neg scanned with my V750...this was the start of my disillusionment with flatbed scanners for 35mm. :cautious:
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Which is something I hope we will prove either way, especially as we have people using dedicated film scanners. I do tend to suspect my 9000f is a real stinker though...
 
Mahoneyd187 said:
By scanning flat and working on it in photoshop/lightroom is the advice I keep getting...not sure whether it's correct but hey.
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That's cheating :LOL: but hey we don't each have a drum scanner so in using cheaper scan methods we are only putting back what we lost. ;)
 
menthel said:
Which is something I hope we will prove either way, especially as we have people using dedicated film scanners. I do tend to suspect my 9000f is a real stinker though...
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Well the flatbeds can achieve about true 2480dpi (quite a few agree with this inc myself), so to see a difference on crops any scanner would have to be better than this...although the better flatbeds should pick up more detail in shadows etc compared to a cheap flatbed.
 
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Mahoneyd187 said:
Really looking forward to Rob's wet printing too, I'm not sure I've EVER even held a wet print, let alone one of my own shots (y)
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If there a few you like i would be happy to do a couple of decent size prints for you :) 8x10 or maybe 16x20 ;)
 
robhooley167 said:
If there a few you like i would be happy to do a couple of decent size prints for you :) 8x10 or maybe 16x20 ;)
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Now that's awesome!! I'll hold you to that!!
 
robhooley167 said:
As long as you buy the envelope :p it's practice for me :)
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Literally an envelope? Or is that something mystical and darkroom related? Lol
 
Mahoneyd187 said:
Literally an envelope? Or is that something mystical and darkroom related? Lol
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A bog standard envelope :p well, big enough to fit a 16x20 wet print in :D
 
Mahoneyd187 said:
Can you d&b and retouch? ;)
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Don't push it ;) I'm no Gene Nocon, i do have his book though :D

If its no rush i might as well bring them to the london meet
 
There doesn't appear to be a dedicated 120 scanner.
Somebody will have to come in with a 4000dpi Coolscan, Minolta or Microtek if the 2480dpi is fixed res for both formats.
 
robhooley167 said:
Don't push it ;) I'm no Gene Nocon, i do have his book though :D

If its no rush i might as well bring them to the london meet
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That makes me nervous lol,better make sure it's a good shot then hadn't I!!!
 
I think my minolta only goes to about 1200dpi :) you get around 6-8mp from a 35mm frame from memory.

I would say though if we want a fair test then all use the same set of negs. I'd probably run a whole roll of the same image of for the purpose then everyone can have a near as identical frame with out having to wait for the same strip to be mailed from one to another. All use Vuescan as it should be capable of working with everything and as for settings I'm open to suggestions but we could all use a common setting and all upload to a flickr or similar.
 
Use a flexocare envelope, its made of tough cardboard, it bends but it won't fold or crease..
 
puggie said:
I think my minolta only goes to about 1200dpi :) you get around 6-8mp from a 35mm frame from memory.

I would say though if we want a fair test then all use the same set of negs. I'd probably run a whole roll of the same image of for the purpose then everyone can have a near as identical frame with out having to wait for the same strip to be mailed from one to another. All use Vuescan as it should be capable of working with everything and as for settings I'm open to suggestions but we could all use a common setting and all upload to a flickr or similar.
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Are you sure ?, I can't find a Minolta dual that scans 35mm @ less than 2400
 
Hi

I have a Nikon Coolscan V if that is any use in this test.
Have hardly used it so am happy to join in as it will make me plug it in!

Cheers
 
bambam said:
Hi

I have a Nikon Coolscan V if that is any use in this test.
Have hardly used it so am happy to join in as it will make me plug it in!

Cheers
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I will add you to the list!
 
You can put me down for a Nikon Coolscan IV, Coolscan 9000 and and Epson V750, but I don't use Viewscan. Nikon's own supplied software for the Nikons and Epson's software for the V750 due to Silverfast faffing about de-registering the software from previous owner.
 
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RaglanSurf said:
You can put me down for a Nikon Coolscan IV, Coolscan 9000 and and Epson V750, but I don't use Viewscan. Nikon's own supplied software for the Nikon's and Epson's software for the V750 due to Silverfast faffing about de-registering the software from previous owner.
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Thanks Nick. I think everyone will be interested in the 9000, it is the 'daddy' of home scanners after all and can do mf too if I remember rightly!
 
put me down with my epson 4870 photo

flatbed, 35, MF, LF

£35 second hand on ebay :D
 
menthel said:
Thanks Nick. I think everyone will be interested in the 9000, it is the 'daddy' of home scanners after all and can do mf too if I remember rightly!
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Its the daddy of MF scanners, the 5000 is the daddy of 35mm, nobody would spend double the money on a 9000 to only ever scan 35mm..:)
Somebody else here has access to a 9000 too, and there is an 8000, an Artixscan 120 and a scan multi pro, all daddys, I just can't remember who is running them.
I kinda think there is a flextight as well....:shrug:
 
menthel said:
Thanks Nick. I think everyone will be interested in the 9000, it is the 'daddy' of home scanners after all and can do mf too if I remember rightly!
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You do remember rightly, it's a bit of a beast.
 
joxby said:
Its the daddy of MF scanners, the 5000 is the daddy of 35mm, nobody would spend double the money on a 9000 to only ever scan 35mm..:)
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Unless you wanted to scan Kodachrome Slides using Digital ICE4 which was only ever implemented on the 9000 and actually works properly on them.

I could 'borrow' my dads scanner next time I go home from uni but its an ancient Canon Lide 80 (amazing, it does 2400dpi max optical!!) from about 10 years ago and only does 35mm so I wouldn't expect any good results. Probably the most cumbersome procedure ever: put negatives in holder, place film adapter unit over frame 1, scan, move FAU to frame 2 and repeat. Basically it takes forever.
 
Icing on the cake would be a member who has access to a drum scanner at work, this would be the standard for other scanners to get near..otherwise is like all of us owning 2nd class lenses not knowing how good they are (whether it be resolution, bokeh or pop) and happy in our ignorance, until someone produces a crop/full shot from a top lens....and the wows are posted :)
 
I think most of us are aware how lacking our scanners are compared to a good drum scanner! All I need is one, small lottery jackpot...
 
How long does a drum scan take?

If I had the money for a drum scanner I'd be shooting with a Hasselblad H4D-200MS, and I'd have a darkroom, best of both worlds! Lol. One day.....(read; never gonna happen)
 
menthel said:
I think most of us are aware how lacking our scanners are compared to a good drum scanner!
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Well I don't know as to me my shots scanned either by Asda or by myself look great on a computer screen when you can only post max about 1000pixels...but what do I know if I don't belong to a camera club or whatever ;)

BTW I was testing my lenses and used the V750 and found with the good lenses it was difficult to see the difference as the V750 wasn't good enough....and the crop would be a picture of about 10ft wide so here are a few examples to show the best I could get out of this scanner (mind you another person might get even better).

Hexanon 50mm f1.7 the view:-
hex50mm21000px.jpg


crop
Hex50mmcrop.jpg


Yashica 135mm f3.5 ML
Yas12561000px.jpg


crop
jjpg031crop.jpg
 
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excalibur2 said:
Well I don't know as to me my shots scanned either by Asda or by myself look great on a computer screen when you can only post max about 1000pixels...but what do I know if I don't belong to a camera club or whatever ;)

BTW I was testing my lenses and used the V750 and found with the good lenses it was difficult to see the difference as the V750 wasn't good enough....and the crop would be a picture of about 10ft wide so here are a few examples to show the best I could get out of this scanner (mind you another person might get even better).

Hexanon 50mm f1.7 the view:-
hex50mm21000px.jpg


crop
Hex50mmcrop.jpg


Yashica 135mm f3.5 ML
Yas12561000px.jpg


crop
jjpg031crop.jpg
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I spent ages looking at the bottom crop, trying to see where it is in the full shot. Then I figured out, one is mirrored to the other ! LOL
 
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