Is there a film scanner that you load and walk away?
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philipus
ʎɐpɹəʇɥƃı&
How long does an iQsmart take to scan 36 frames?
btgc
Veteran
I'm fed up with scanning 36exp rolls with manual feed scanner. I've lurked with this idea and I'm planning to divide scanning into two stages:
1. scan all strips laid on glass of flatbed scanner to have index scan
OR
have printed index of A4 size (for commercially developed film do this when developing to minimize amount of scratches and finger marks).
Evaluate index scan or print, narrow selection and evaluate candidates with loupe/reversed lens. Select ones to scan.
2. Now scan few keepers at highest resolution and quality - yourself or commercially.
As one photographer said, novices can be happy to have single keeper per roll. Mature photographers have to have 1 keeper per 50 centimeters of film, that's roughly about 3 keepers per 36exp roll.
DNG
Film Friendly
Haven't scanned any 35mm rolls, yet... I have scanning a bunch of 4x5 negatives from WWII (1942-1945)
I have the holders that came with it. do you mean a glass on the bottom bed over the negatives, or a ANR Glass Holder?
DNG
Film Friendly
I can always "de=select" any I don't want to scan, so only the 3-10 will be scanned regardless where they are.
Depends on what you photograph.... With Urban and Rural rolls.. I have 5-8.. more documentary than anything else... Plus I have time to frame, etc... = more keepers
With Street Photography, many be 3-6 per 36 roll.. less time to frame, but, you must know where to stand, ahead of time, if you are wanting a certain BG. Or with, "On the Go" or "As you Walk" = less keepers. But, always look 100 feet ahead and all around, looking for an opportunity as you get closer..This gives you time see where you want to be standing or stooping.
With Family, maybe 6-10 per 36x.
dizzyg44
Newbie
I'm sure others wouldn't like my workflow, but I batch scan with vuescan on a PI 7250 Pro 3 (aka Reflecta RPS7200) at 7200 downsampled x2 to give a 3600 DPI.
I simply just lock exposure, let it rip and go do something else for a few hours, whole roll at a time. When I get back to it, I'll delete the ones I don't want. As long as your film is good and clean and you line up the first frame well it feeds very well.
I simply just lock exposure, let it rip and go do something else for a few hours, whole roll at a time. When I get back to it, I'll delete the ones I don't want. As long as your film is good and clean and you line up the first frame well it feeds very well.
68degrees
Well-known
DNG
Film Friendly
I have no AN Glass , and tomorrow, (Friday the 12 of April) I will develop a roll, and scan it with the supplied holder. It looks like it should hold them flat enough. My Plustek 35mm 6 frame holder has a similar arrangement. And Tmax dries pretty flat as it hangs in a humid bathroom.
The Holders have a set of holes at the top that is read first, and tells the scanner what Holder is being used... a very ingenious idea... similar to the Leica Coding as far the simplicity... The Leica uses electrical feedback determined by a white and black spot code
The Scanner uses a code like Braille, but in light dot patterns.
It does have to have enough contrast I would think with Glass to see and frame all the images.
The Holders have a set of holes at the top that is read first, and tells the scanner what Holder is being used... a very ingenious idea... similar to the Leica Coding as far the simplicity... The Leica uses electrical feedback determined by a white and black spot code
The Scanner uses a code like Braille, but in light dot patterns.
It does have to have enough contrast I would think with Glass to see and frame all the images.
Bob Michaels
nobody special
Why not just skip step #1 and edit directly from the negs on a light box. There will be more data in the actual negs than from any scan. The fact that it is a negative image is simply not a problem except for those who are convinced that it will not work before they ever try.
btgc
Veteran
I'm still attached to idea that low-res index is useful to find specific image in archive. Say, I need image with a woman feeding gull, I know I have such one, but....which roll?
OK, if I remember approximate year and film type, that will help to narrow my search. I dig out binder and start going through pages.
If I have index scans, I do same on files and pinpoint exactly one roll, which I look up by unique name (folder name, which is written also on film sleeve).
Then I can evaluate film and select most appropriate exposure (if I made several of them).
Do you really go through binder inspecting each of sleeves? What I'm missing or doing extra?
Photo_Smith
Well-known
I do what Bob does, just get the sleeves. I have thousands so they are all indexed and at the front of each box is the film number i.e 17/2/1984 which is written on top of the sleeve and also on the back of any prints.
Following the number is a description of what is on the film, camera used and mostly developer and EI.
I can tell find any picture I've ever taken based on the number:
Meet 16/2/1986 (2)
Quickly checking my files I can see it was taken with a Canon F1 on Tri-x rated at EI800 developed in Ilfotec HC.
If you're not as ordered as I've been since the 1970's then you may wish to have index or contacts with the film
DNG
Film Friendly
After I scan the Negatives I like with my Plustek 7300... and after I edit them, I make Printed Contact Sheet in FastStone Image Viewer... very easy....And you add the Full Computer location URL in the footer.
I have Archive holder that also allow an 8.5x11 in separate slip, that can hang in a file draw as an option or 3 ring binder....
Similar to above method...On the Negative Archive Header I put:
- Subject
- Location
- Date
- Camera
- Lens
- Film Type
- Developer
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
The Mediax WorkScan 3600 pro, aka Reflecta ProScan 3600 (Link to test report in German), or Microtek 3600. It's a 2004 scanner and has Pacific Image Enterprise hardware inside, but apparently it delivered all the promised 3600 dpi, or at least came close! Unfortunately, Dmax was a bit limited.
Not sure how easy it would be to find one, though.
Not sure how easy it would be to find one, though.
edge100
Well-known
1. Flatbed scan at low res (my 9000F can do 6 35mm frames)
2. Plustek scan the keepers (usually no more than a few per roll)
As was mentioned, step 1 can be skipped if you audit your negs first on a light table (assuming you have one).
2. Plustek scan the keepers (usually no more than a few per roll)
As was mentioned, step 1 can be skipped if you audit your negs first on a light table (assuming you have one).
Bob Michaels
nobody special
I edit very critically. Editing goes far beyond technical and includes factors such as if an image will fit into a final limited number of images in a series. When I select an image for scanning, I am committing to making a proof print. So I am never looking for a generalized image. Final selection for an exhibit is usually made from proofs laid out on a big table.
The subject or series plus date is always noted at the top of the Printfine sheet holding the negs. The images selected for scanning are indicated. This mirrors what I used to do with contact sheets in the darkroom.
I never note what lens / camera body was used, f stop, shutter speed, or other technical details as none of that is important to me.
The scan TIFs, adjusted Photoshop files, and a small JPG are all organized in sub-directories on my HDD.
The actual negs are stored by subject or series. But I have never gone back to pull a neg after I scan it in the last 10 years because of the effort I put into editing and organizing.
DNG
Film Friendly
I agree with Bob, If your scanner can scan multiple negatives at one time, Then just Prescan the max amount allowed (6 or 24), and just uncheck any that don't make the cut.
The V700 will just scan the checked ones, no mater where there are. ...it makes a new pass for each negative.
The Nikon may have this option also at 6 at a time in the preview area.
The V700 will just scan the checked ones, no mater where there are. ...it makes a new pass for each negative.
The Nikon may have this option also at 6 at a time in the preview area.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Recently, I've taken up using my iPad as a lightbox, and the iPhone with inverted screen as a loupe.
Strips of six negatives are mounted in the Minolta ScanDual IV holder, placed on the iPad and I can instantly check which negatives are worth scanning. This is even faster than the preview mode in the Minolta scanner software.
If later on I disagree with my selection, I can easily ditch the scan in Lightroom and free up hard drive space on the network storage.
Sometimes the need arises to have a sort of contact sheet of the negs that made it into Lightroom. It's handy to have it when I want to send a quick overview to somebody, or when I want to show or assess the shots later without having to bring them all.
I simply create a screen shot and import that into Lightroom, have it stored in the same folder as the files that it represents. In the case below, I've made another screen shot and uploaded it here, to show the final result. All files in a single picture are shown in the imported screen shot below.
Can't get it any easier than that.
Strips of six negatives are mounted in the Minolta ScanDual IV holder, placed on the iPad and I can instantly check which negatives are worth scanning. This is even faster than the preview mode in the Minolta scanner software.
If later on I disagree with my selection, I can easily ditch the scan in Lightroom and free up hard drive space on the network storage.
Sometimes the need arises to have a sort of contact sheet of the negs that made it into Lightroom. It's handy to have it when I want to send a quick overview to somebody, or when I want to show or assess the shots later without having to bring them all.
I simply create a screen shot and import that into Lightroom, have it stored in the same folder as the files that it represents. In the case below, I've made another screen shot and uploaded it here, to show the final result. All files in a single picture are shown in the imported screen shot below.
Can't get it any easier than that.
DNG
Film Friendly
@Johan
Good idea. I have a light-box, but never thought of using a Tablet with a Flashlight (White Screen) as portable light-table...
You still have to pre-scan all 6 negatives, and de-select later...?
You just know in advance, which ones to scan.
Good idea. I have a light-box, but never thought of using a Tablet with a Flashlight (White Screen) as portable light-table...
You still have to pre-scan all 6 negatives, and de-select later...?
You just know in advance, which ones to scan.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Following my own advice, I easily found a Mediax 3600PRO online in the Netherlands, for only EUR 35, shipping included!
I'm using it to pre-scan my backlog films now, loading it up takes a bit of effort but once it transports film to frame no.2, you know it'll be okay 😱.
It scans slow on a USB 1.1 connection (108 mins for 36 frames) but I don't have to be around and can see later what's on the roll.
Seems it's an acceptable scanner for B&W, not so for color film since it introduces a lot of noise into the image. Which is easily cured in Lightroom when it's B&W film. Pretty nice!
Once I've tackled the backlog (30 rolls to go, and more to develop) I might put it in the attic, just to be sure that any future backlog will not take up as much time as the current one did...😀 I'm not shooting as much as I did before anyway since the arrival of the GXR's so I guess I'll be fine...
I'm using it to pre-scan my backlog films now, loading it up takes a bit of effort but once it transports film to frame no.2, you know it'll be okay 😱.
It scans slow on a USB 1.1 connection (108 mins for 36 frames) but I don't have to be around and can see later what's on the roll.
Seems it's an acceptable scanner for B&W, not so for color film since it introduces a lot of noise into the image. Which is easily cured in Lightroom when it's B&W film. Pretty nice!
Once I've tackled the backlog (30 rolls to go, and more to develop) I might put it in the attic, just to be sure that any future backlog will not take up as much time as the current one did...😀 I'm not shooting as much as I did before anyway since the arrival of the GXR's so I guess I'll be fine...
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Nope, that's the beauty of it! I can select the frames I want scanned in the software, so it's real easy.
Just cut six frames, put them in the holder, pre-select, load the holder, select the frames I want, and fire the scanner up.
Direct selection of the keepers of a roll, without having to scan all six in a strip.
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