C41 Dev and Scan

[bmattock]

If the currency calculator is right, then $2 US = $2.38 Canadian. I might try skipping the CD next time and see if it results in better condition negs as you have suggested but when it is included for the smae price it is hard to resist. To put it another way $3.44 CAD = $2.94 US. There seems to be great variences on what is being charged for similar services in different parts of the globe but then that is no surprise either.

Bob

Bob, I'd say that if your highest-rez scans don't show problems with scratches and dust and etc, then you probably won't gain anything by not scanning. It has just been my experience that for me, it was a night-and-day difference. In retrospect, it seems obvious to me now that a mechanized system that drags the film strip here and there for enlarging, scanning, and etc is more likely to damage the negs in a variety of ways than simply taking the negs out of the soup, drying and cutting them and putting them into sleeves.

I got so tired of spending hours in The Gimp (or PS Elements before that) to try to remove scratches, thumbprints, dust, and so on - on a single frame of film, just to make it useable.

And I could never explain why the process was damaging to the film when talking to the photo shop operators and managers - after all, a 4x6 print would never show the damage - even an 8x10 optical enlargement can blur tiny damage until it is nearly invisible. But if you scan at nearly 4,000 dpi and look at 1:1 views, you see it. If you crop much and then print, you see it. And it was driving me crazy.

Anyway, it works for me. You might give it a try at some point if you like.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[bmattock]

Jon

I think you and Bill are talking about two different levels of scanners. I realize Europe is more expensive but a scanner like a Minolta 5400 II is more than a Minolta similar to what Bill uses ( sorry forgot the model Bill). I am just thinking of the apples to oranges thing maybe happening here. No matter which model the cost will be more in Europe but not by that margin, I hope.

Bob

I use the Konica-Minolta Scan Dual IV, which I paid just over $300 US for a year and some odd months ago. It is now just over $200 US. I used to use the Minolta Scan Dual III, which I also found acceptable (I got a defective one, and later sold it).

The Scan Elite 5400 II is currently about $500 in the US. I am contemplating it, although at present I cannot afford it - if I am going to shoot film for stock, I may need it.

However, I must add that I am entirely satisfied with my scans from my SD IV. I have printed at 20x30 from 35mm negs - and the results were eye-popping. Hey, I won a contest that paid the cost of the scanner in the first place, so how bad can it be?

If a $200 US scanner costs 750 Euros, I feel very bad for you guys, seriously!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Last week I was looking into a Nikon Coolscan V or a Minolta 5400. Both are about the same price. £450 - £500.

 

[bmattock]

Last week I was looking into a Nikon Coolscan V or a Minolta 5400. Both are about the same price. £450 - £500.

Yes, here they are $400 to $500 USD. So more where you are, by about 1.5 factor? But the SD IV is $200 here, so 300 Euros where you are?

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[Nikon Bob]

Last week I was looking into a Nikon Coolscan V or a Minolta 5400. Both are about the same price. £450 - £500.

I thought that the difference was too much and it appears that you are both talking about different models and their costs. There still is a healthy difference when you compare the Minolta 5400II at 450 GBP = $795 US and a US cost of $500.

Bob

 

[eIII]

walmart, $4.58 including tax for dev, index, cd. walgreens is another buck, no index. walmart also puts cd in a nice sleeve that fits in a 2 ring binder, making storage a breeze.

i had the KM IV, same as bill mattock, but i returned it. the results were better, but too time consuming for me. it all depends on your needs. photography is one of my many hobbies and time is an issue. my enjoyment comes more from being out in the field composing and taking pictures, not editing photos.

plus, my old imac has no burner and i like having the cd's as my backup. i edit and resize in batches and do minor adjustments so not a lot of time is invested if my hard drive crashes.

obviously my approach wouldn't work if i was being paid for my work or maximum quality is the desired goal. for what i do i feel i get 80% of the results in 10% of the time and that makes me happy.

billy

 

[mac_wt]

When comparing US and Euro prices, don't forget that most Euro prices include 21% VAT. That pays for our social security system, public transport,... (remaining as positive as possible here ;-))

Wim