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

[pushto1600]

I'm absolutely in love with my Nikon Coolscan V. Looking into maybe getting the CS 5000 so i can scan whole rolls. also looking into something like an 8000 for medium format as well.

 

[vagab0nd]

I recently picked up an Epson 4990. I'd planned on picking up a Minolta Scan or Coolscan as a dedicated 35mm scanner (I've had both before) but once I got the inside of the top and bottom glass cleaned - there was some light fogging - I've been more than pleased with the results on 35mm and see no need for a dedicated 35mm scanner. After some practice and trial and error in Epson scan, it takes me about 5 minutes to adjust the tone curves and start the scanning process for 24 35mm frames.

 

[webOSUser]

I am scanning 120 B&W film with an Epson V600 right now.



It works well enough for 120, but scanning a roll of 35mm is painfully slow. I have a D750, 100 macro lens, and a light box for dSLR scanning. The two issues that I have with dSLR scanning is film holder, some of my 35mm cameras have a non-standard frame size, and inverting the B&W scan.


Steve W

 

[Pál_K]

I switched from a Plustek 7600i to an Epson v800...

I am quite pleased with the Epson, other than it seems to capture vastly more dust than the Plustek (as others have pointed out, having perspex backed film holders makes static a real pain).

Using Epson v800 w/ Silverfast. Still learning to get better results and struggling to cope with dust.
Ok results so far.

I'm disappointed with my V800 because of the dust. I clean the glass on the bed, on the cover, and on the film holders and my scans are still filled with dust. The negatives themselves are perfectly clean.

I've been told that the infrared dust removal doesn't work with B&W; it doesn't work with color either, apparently. I have the software that came with the scanner - EpsonScan and Silverfast. Not one speck of dust is ever removed.

If I could solve this issue, I'd like the scanner and use it more often.

The scan quality for 35mm and 120 is fine. I bought the scanner simply because I have so many negatives that I can't print them all. My intent was to scan and them have them in electronic form for review, but now I see that will take forever.

A detailed comparison and review of the V700 vs V800 I read a few years ago provided good evidence the fancy film holders on the V800 are not an improvement.

https://www.filmscanner.info/en/EpsonPerfectionV800Photo.html

 

[Deleted member 65559]

I scan the page of negatives or the contact sheet with a loupe or my eyes for the right image to print and then put it into the enlarger and make a print. Pretty simple, always a good result.

🙂..... me too... no contacts... just the negs.

 

[Rayt]

Nikon LS5000ED with Nikon Scan. It still works!

 

[phrons]

Use my xt2 with m42 Fujinon macro lens

 

[telenous]

I have used two scanners for years, the Coolscan 5000 and the 9000. The first one died on me a couple of years ago, the second still goes strong. I've just acquired a reasonably decent, full-frame, digital camera and if push comes to shove I 'll use that too in a copy stand.

 

[markjwyatt]

My images are scanned by The Darkroom, and some of my older negs are digitized using my Fujifilm XT-2 on a Durst slide copier and an enlarging lens.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Omega B66

Chris

 

[Erik van Straten]

I stopped scanning my negatives. I did not like the results: too flat, too gray and all that dust.

However, I very much like the results of my scanner (Epson V600) when scanning prints. The silver-gelatine prints should be good dry and flat. This takes about a week. Then the dust can wiped off with a microfiber cloth. Flattening can be done with a Seal press, this takes about 90 seconds.

LeicaM2/Summilux35mmf/1.4/TMY400/AdoxMCC110

Erik.

 

[Anthony Harvey]

Thanks Erik. May I ask what size prints you use when scanning them?

 

[Erik van Straten]

Thanks Erik. May I ask what size prints you use when scanning them?

The paper size is 17,8cm x 24cm, an European standard. I always print the full frame. There is a white border around the image.


Erik.

 

[Tom R]

I use a Plustek 8200ai (?). For B&W, 3600 or 7200 dpi to 16-bit greyscale, for color Adobe RGB. Ingest in Photo Mechanic, Post process in Affinity and/or Capture One.

Keep it simple.

 

[cjm]

Started out using a Plustek 7200. Got into medium format and started using a V500 for all formats to simplify things. Finally took a chance on DSLR (FF, 24mp) scanning earlier this year and have not looked back. My 35mm scans are high enough quality that I no longer feel the need for a larger negative.