More efficient way of scanning

[Lauffray]

I have to say I'm not the most patient guy in the world but lately my V500 has been driving me nuts, not that it's bad, the results are usually very good, but the scanning is so sloooow, put in 2 strips, scan, open in PS, cut, crop, convert to BW, save.

Do you guys have a quicker way ? do you know scanners that scan frame by frame ?
I know I can scan faster with a lower res, but it's the overall process I find tedious

 

[david.elliott]

Are you scanning a whole strip at a time and cutting each photo out of that? Maybe I am not understanding your post.

I scan frame by frame on my v500, scanning each frame individually with vuescan. Put the strip in the scanner, select the frame I want and hit scan. Repeat as necessary. It is tedious and time consuming though. 😛

 

[Lauffray]

Yes it is. I use the epson holders which fit 2 strips of 6 frames at a time, scan the whole thing in one shot, then cut them up into 12 files. I don't know which method is faster

 

[david.elliott]

I'm fairly certain that both methods are slow slow slow.

 

[venchka]

I look at the preview of the entire holder. Zoom to images I want to scan. Set the window, set the sliders, start the scan. Watch TV. Come back when done. Open in Lightroom and adjust as required. My method for 35mm (slides & negatives), 120 and 4x5.

Wayne

 

[Lauffray]

Right, I could just scan the ones I want, but I like to have a full digital archive of the rolls. I usually browse the web while waiting for the scan, it's mostly the cutting up that's very mechanical.

 

[boomguy57]

Maybe I missed something, but when I use my V500, the software that came with it automatically recognizes the individual frames and lets me preview them prior to the actual scanning. Then I get each image as an individual file. The actual scanning isn't painfully slow, but it isn't quick either. But, it's the only scanner I've ever used, so perhaps it would suffer only in comparison.

My problem with the V500 is that I find the files that come from the scanner a bit...blah. I'd prefer not to do any (or at least do very little) post-processing on the images, but the V500 tends to lower contrast and bleach out colors a bit from my experience. I tried scanning into TIFF and then editing as I would a RAW image, but that was terrible. I've gone back to just JPEG again, but not 100% happy with it either.

 

[Lauffray]

That would be a great improvement actually ! I use the epson software too, hm...wonder what did I miss ? any special modes/options you enabled for this ? mind sending me a quick screenshot of what you use ?

 

[Bob Michaels]

............................... Do you guys have a quicker way ? .....................

Absolutely! But first you must acknowledge that you are not going to shoot 100 worthwhile photos per day and that only 2-3-4 are really worth doing anything with. Then review your negs on a light table. Edit critically. Then only scan the very best.

Evaluating a photo by looking at a neg is really simple. Unfortunately the editing is easier said than done. But it is a critical step one must eventually learn.

Not only will you save much time this way. Your photos will become better for the editing. And, you will not bore your friends and yourself by dealing with so many photos that the good ones are buried by the others.

 

[boomguy57]

I can try when I get home, but it might be a few days as I'm swamped. I always thought that was the default way to do it, honestly.

Maybe google might help? If not, I will try in the near future...in case this thread gets buried, you can get in touch with me via my blog (in my signature). Sorry!

That would be a great improvement actually ! I use the epson software too, hm...wonder what did I miss ? any special modes/options you enabled for this ? mind sending me a quick screenshot of what you use ?

 

[PrecisionCamera]

You have to select the thumbnails option in the Epson software, and then it will automatically recognize the individual frames. Unselect that option if you revert to scanning any medium format film however, as it will cause problems with anything other than 35mm.

 

[boomguy57]

My V500 recognizes the MF negatives/slides the same as the 35mm ones. How is it different on your end?

You have to select the thumbnails option in the Epson software, and then it will automatically recognize the individual frames. Unselect that option if you revert to scanning any medium format film however, as it will cause problems with anything other than 35mm.

 

[Lauffray]

But first you must acknowledge that you are not going to shoot 100 worthwhile photos per day and that only 2-3-4 are really worth doing anything with.

Oh absolutely ! When I scan everything it's when I want a complete archive of the roll, or to check technical development stuff.

 

[PrecisionCamera]

On my V500 it would always rotate my 6x7 images incorrectly and crop off the 7cm side edges. This may not be an issue if you are scanning 6x6, I honestly don't know. But as I remember on my scanner, this selection is how I was able to get individual frames as opposed to strips.

 

[Lauffray]

You have to select the thumbnails option in the Epson software, and then it will automatically recognize the individual frames. Unselect that option if you revert to scanning any medium format film however, as it will cause problems with anything other than 35mm.

Excellent, I shall try that ! thanks !

 

[PrecisionCamera]

Additionally, I am using an aftermarket ACR glass holder, so that may be another part of the issue on my end. Forgot about that one. 🙄

 

[Riverman]

Absolutely! But first you must acknowledge that you are not going to shoot 100 worthwhile photos per day and that only 2-3-4 are really worth doing anything with. Then review your negs on a light table. Edit critically. Then only scan the very best.

Evaluating a photo by looking at a neg is really simple. Unfortunately the editing is easier said than done. But it is a critical step one must eventually learn.

Not only will you save much time this way. Your photos will become better for the editing. And, you will not bore your friends and yourself by dealing with so many photos that the good ones are buried by the others.

bob's right. Editing is crucial. Treat scanning like printing and dark room work. I started scanning in 2010 and thought it would be cool to have a digital archive of everything I've shot. Soon quit on that idea. Now I scan only the images on the roll that i would print and hang on wall. Editing critically can be slow and difficult but it's much more fun than scanning and it's something you should be doing anyway, regardless of your scanning workload. As bob says, it improves you as a photographer. Scanning without editing does nothing for you as a photographer but it does waste time and wind you up. If you really feel a need to have a scan of everything, save yourself the bother and pay someone else to do it.

 

[steelydam]

I have the V500 too and agree the process is slow if you're trying to do entire rolls of 35mm. For a while I was doing digital "proof sheets" with it - scanning entire rolls two strips at a time with thumbnails box NOT checked. Then I'd take the 6 individual 6-frame strips and combine them in photoshop on an 8x10 or 8.5 x 11 background, then send to the local place to print for a few bucks. The time spent and mediocre quality made me realize that even though I dislike having to do them the old fashioned way in the darkroom, that was better for me. Like Bob and others mentioned, now when I scan I tend to just do the ones I can tell might be worthwhile - ends up being 1/3 the roll at most.

 

[Bob Michaels]

Oh absolutely ! When I scan everything it's when I want a complete archive of the roll, or to check technical development stuff.

How about saving the negs as the archive?

I get much more information from looking at the negs than I do a scan of the negs. The film shows me the grain, the sharpness, the raw tonality, the exposure; all of which get muddled in the scan. It is an original vs. second generation thing.