Scanning 127 Film on Epson 4990

[Dave Jenkins]

My Epson Perfection 4990 Photo scanner does a great job with 120 and 4x5 film; however I have some 127-size family negatives from the '60s that I would like to scan. I have film holders for the other sizes, but not for 127. Any suggestions about how to get good scans from these negatives will be greatly appreciated.

 

[sreed2006]

Use the 120 holder, but just fill in part of the hole with something. Cut a piece of cardboard or construction paper, or whatever flat material you have that is the same thickness between the glass and the bottom of the film as the 120 holder. Cut the cardboard as a mask to put on one side of the film opening of the holder.

Make the mask wide enough so that the 127 fits, with one side on the holder, and the other side on the cardboard mask.

I've done that, and gotten acceptable results (not fantastic, but acceptable). If the film curls up, you will need a way to keep it laying flat - removable tape can be used successfully.

Here's a scan from a Yashica 44A on an Epson 500 using that technique.


Louisiana Mansion by sreed2006, on Flickr

 

[sreed2006]

I left out some details - the above scan was made with the Better Scanning 120 holder for the Epson V500, with the anti-newton glass holding the negative down. The negative was Efke R100 film, which curls up tighter than a steel coil, so even with the glass on top, it took some extra weight to keep the negative flat. I used square steel tubing at each end of the glass. That caused the lid to raise up, but it worked.

 

[dfatty]

fwiw, i recently noticed a new seller of film holders on ebay, who happens to sell a 127 film holder for the 4990. i noticed because the seller's products are affordable, not $80+ each like another seller i've noticed in the past. i haven't tried this new sellers product, but feedback is good.

 

[Dave Jenkins]

Thanks, guys. Dean, do you have a link to that eBay site?

 

[dfatty]

here you go:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/127-film-ho...803?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f420e400b

 

[Dave Jenkins]

Looks pretty good. Thanks, Dean.

 

[sreed2006]

Yes, thank you, Dean. I looked at the seller's site and am impressed with how well he describes the products and why they are designed the way they are. Looks like an honest, decent business he has going. And the price is right.

My method has been frustrating - his holders look like a much better solution.

 

[dfatty]

you're welcome, dave and sid. if one of you buys a film holder, please report back. it does seem like the seller has given thought to the design.

 

[Dave Jenkins]

I ordered a 127 film holder. It hasn't arrived yet, but when it comes I will let you know how it works.

 

[Dave Jenkins]

I received the 127 film holder and tested it with one of my old 127 negs. I found that I got results that were as good or better by just laying the negative on the glass of my Epson 4990 scanner. I'll do some more tests, but at this point it looks like the film holder is going back.

 

[dfatty]

interesting result, dave. otherwise, is the film holder okay?

 

[Dave Jenkins]

Yes, it's okay. Just a couple of pieces of plastic which probably cost about two cents to make. Seems a little flimsy, but it does the job. I think I'm going to keep it. I've been scanning some 127 negatives from 1968, none of which are very sharp anyway, since they were made with a Brownie reflex with a shutter which was starting to go bad. I made the scans at 3600x3600 pixels, which is optimistic. They should print okay at about 5x5 inches.

Our son Don was born in June, 1968, and realizing that the Brownie was giving up the ghost, I looked around for another camera and got a 126 Instamatic. That, strange as it may seem, was the beginning of my career. I bought the August, 1968 issue of Popular Photography, which was followed by more magazines and more and better cameras, and now, here I am, still working, but winding down a 45-year career as a commercial and wedding photographer.

I'm going to order a 126-format negative holder so I can scan some of those 126 negatives.

Here's a scan from a 127 neg using the film holder in my Epson Perfection 4990 PHOTO.