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Negative Scanner

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Negative Scanner

  • Big Fella
    Participant

    Hi all,

    I have just been given a load of old negative by a family member and need to get a negative scanner. I would welcome members views or experience of using these scanners. There is a load of them available but I don’t know if there is better quality ones etc. Also I have a flatbed scanner, is there some way of using this to scan negatives?

    All comments welcome.

    Stephen.

    damien.murphy
    Participant

    What’s the end result, Stephen ?

    If you just need images for the web/ small prints (6*4, for example), a flatbed is probably your best option in terms of cost. If you want to make large prints, a dedicated negative scanner is what you need.

    Not sure about using your existing flatbed, that’s something you may need to look into. Generally flatbeds that can scan negatives use a diffused light source in the lid of the scanner to shine light through the negatives, so they can be scanned.

    I have a flatbed for scanning film myself, a Canon 8800F which set me back about €200- 250, but mainly use this for scanning negatives for web-proofs of negatives, and to scan contact sheets and prints when I start wet-printing.

    A big factor for you though, will be scanning speed, as scanning negatives can be quite a slow process. If the negatives are colour negatives, then make sure you get a scanner with digital ICE, or its equivalent, as this will automatically remove scratches from scans of colour negatives (but not black and white negatives),

    Hope this helps,

    Damien

    jb7
    Participant

    How many is a load, and what format?

    Scanning in quantity is drudge work,
    and there are places that do it for you for not much money-
    1000 5mp scans off 35mm for €100, for example…

    damien.murphy
    Participant

    Wow, that is cheap.. does that involve slave labour ? :)

    jb7
    Participant
    damien.murphy
    Participant

    Wow, I’ll say it again – that is cheap! :)

    Big Fella
    Participant

    Thanks for the feedback men, I didn’t realise that I could get somebody else to do this for me. If that’s all it costs to do 1000 35mm negatives it certainly throws a whole new light on the subject.

    Thanks again
    Stephen.

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