How do you scan your 35mm B&W film?

[Bruno Gracia]

I'm with Godfrey, and very happy with the V750.

 

[dof]

I take a combination approach:

Every roll gets scanned by a local lab at a resolution that allows for decent 4x6 prints. Those scans, when imported into Lightroom effectively become contact prints, only much larger of course. I typically print the ones I like best and get a feel for how they look on paper at that size.

Over time I edit, keeping notes on which negatives I want at higher resolution, or a difference in the scan exposure. After gathering up a number of keepers, I rent time on an Imacon scanner at a local rental lab. There I typically scan at the highest res available.

Overall it's been a good approach - it provides flexibility and ease of working with my negatives while minimizing the time spent to initially see all of them. The time commitment and deep expense go mainly into just the best of the best.

 

[DNG]

I use a V700 in 16bit Gray Mode for B&W
48 bit for Color slides or negatives
35mm at 3200dpi-3800dpi
larger between 2200-2800dpi

I use Epson Scan also..
I do most of editing in Lr 5.x and PS14, just a little tweaking in Epson Scan..
Epson Scan with the supplied carriers allow for automatic framing of each neg/slide, and with 12 negs/slides per scan... that saves a ton of time!!!

 

[cabbiinc]

For a fast scan I use my Nikon LS-2000. For a larger more detailed scan I use my Canon FS4000US for the higher native dpi. For larger than 135 film I use my flatbed. Yes I'm very happy with the results.

 

[heller]

I scan on Hasselblad Flextight X5.
www.scanningfilm.com

 

[jhalmu]

For 120mm I use Epson V600 and Betterscanning anti-newton holder. For 35mm I use Plustek 8100. Software is Vuescan + PS + LR. For colorfilm, which I not do very much yet, I have Color Perfect waiting.

 

[Stuart John]

Here are a few from my "D800 Scanner" Film APX100 stand develop for way too long unfortunately.

 

[AndersG]

For 35mm film I use my old (for digital gear) Canon 30D with a EF 50mm f/1.8 II and an extension tube. The magnification doesn't match completely so after cropping I have about 5Mpixels left. That is more than enough for my "contact sheet" register and web use. I use VueScan for processing 30D RAW images of negative film.

Should I want one of my film images on paper I'd be inclined to try wet printing again - but currently I have that gear packed away.

 

[Brian Atherton]

I voted send my away, but also I use a flatbed scanner (Epson V500).

Not having dedicated processing facilities at home, for my new work I send my films (B&W) to be developed and high resolution scanned. For my archived own developed films I use the V500 using Epson software, which, while not ideal - they come nowhere near the quality of the profession scans - suits my needs.

Here in the UK I use AgPhotoLabs for processing. I have no connection with the company, except as a customer.

 

[Tokoza]

I voted send my away, but also I use a flatbed scanner (Epson V500).

Not having dedicated processing facilities at home, for my new work I send my films (B&W) to be developed and high resolution scanned. For my archived own developed films I use the V500 using Epson software, which, while not ideal - they come nowhere near the quality of the profession scans - suits my needs.

Here in the UK I use AgPhotoLabs for processing. I have no connection with the company, except as a customer.

I found the Epson sofware sufficient with v500. And I can’t really see the need for multi sampling with this scanner (a possible option with Vuescan) and with other a flat bed scanners, because of the additional image blurring that is given. When a negative is read with multiple scans the starting point for each scanning is slightly different. With a dedicated scanner this difference should become greatly reduced.

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Nikon Coolscan 8000, for 35mm and medium format.
Below a scan from a 35mm neg:

 

[whited3]

I digitize my 135 negs with my dslr as a handful have mentioned. I definitely like the results. Details being: Window light; Tripod; Canon slide duplicator for FL Bellows; Canon FD 50mm f3.5 macro @ f8; whichever extension tubes to get the correct magnification; 1ds mk2 @ 100 or 200 ISO. Shooting in manual, I set up my exposure & focus one time, hand hold the duplicator to my lens (yep, that's right), and blast through a 36 roll at a leisurely 15 or 20 minutes (includes fully enjoying my negs for the 1st time too).

I find it's typically quite easy to contain & center the entire histogram of a B&W negative in camera using window light. C41 is more tricky due to the orange film base typically resulting in blown reds and/or underexposed blues (net effect is harsh correction in post). I solve this by lighting off of a royal blue backdrop (again from window light) typically resulting again in fully contained & centered histograms. I thought about rigging up some dedicated setup with a speedlight, but I find the above so easy to set up and tear down I just don't care to change.

Having captured the above in raw, I am quite comfortable inverting and post processing. Minimal cropping (pixel loss) is needed, shadows and highs are nice and malleable, film grain is nicely resolved. Color correction was troublesome at first, but after having adopted the blue backdrop trick, it's a snap.

No idea if this is the best way... I am just really comfortable and familiar with the whole workflow so it's great for me. That and I only needed the macro lens, tubes, and slide duplicator - less than $100

 

[Brian Atherton]

I found the Epson sofware sufficient with v500. And I can’t really see the need for multi sampling with this scanner (a possible option with Vuescan) and with other a flat bed scanners, because of the additional image blurring that is given. When a negative is read with multiple scans the starting point for each scanning is slightly different. With a dedicated scanner this difference should become greatly reduced.

To be clear Tokoza, I don't multi-sample.

My biggest issue with the V500 is getting negatives flat using the supplied flimsy plastic carriers. I suspect I should invest in glass carriers, which at some point I may do.

Also, I might try a SLR/macro lens set up, which brings me to the other bane of my life: speed. With V500 I find scanning time-consusming and boring, which is now why I send my films away.

While on the subject of scanning, I have to say the posted drum scans on the drum scan thread, especially large format, are absolutely gorgeous. Thanks for sharing them.

 

[fuji645]

I use a Microtek i900 and SilverFast for 35mm and 120 but I checked the Nikon Coolscan since my equipment wasn't listed.

 

[John Bragg]

I use a Plustek 7400 and I am more than happy with the results.

 

[quicksilvermike]

I used Epson V600! Very reliable!!!

 

[van_d]

^ Ditto. Except mine seems to act funny with slide film. But I don't shoot slide film anymore, so it makes little difference for me.

 

[lukitas]

the poll is incomplete.

I use a D3100 clamped to the stand of an enlarger.

 

[maxwell1295]

Pakon F135 + dedicate XP laptop...this is easily the best purchase I've made for 35mm film, including any of the cameras I've bought.

 

[srmulcahy]

I use a Plustek Opticfilm 8100 with Vuescan. At the start of each roll I scan an area between the negatives and lock the film exposure. For Arista Premium 400 in XTol this has been consistently an exposure value of ~1.49. From there the scanned negatives look great and I usually just adjust the curves and contrast in Gimp.