use mirror behind 6x6 negs on flatbed?

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40oz

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I have an opportunity to pick up a slightly used flatbed scanner for cheap. The only issue is, I only need it for my 6x6 and 6x9 folders. It has a cutout in the top cover for 35mm negs, with just a shiny piece of metal for a backing. This leads me to believe I can use a small mirror as a backing for scanning MF negs. Anyone tried this? I would prefer to avoid buying essentially the same scanner just with a larger cutout for much more money if I can get the same effect with a mirror or other shiny surface.

Anyone have experience with using a flatbed scanner for MF that wasn't specifically designed for such?
 
wow never tried that. you're still gonna get neuton's rings all over the shop though. I've been spending ages trying to elevate a piece of glass enough to flatten a neg without the rings all over the print. If I had a mirror I'd try that out though
 
I can't see that working very well if at all. First you are getting a reflection exposure off the film, then you have an illumination problem as the light source is not at the optical aperture (angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection), and then because there is a depth between the film plane and mirror you will have a problem getting something sharp out of it. I also doubt the illumination would be strong enough to be able to give any diascopic (transparent) illumination - density effectively doubles as the light passes through the film twice. That also increases contrast, but the reflective exposure will wash that out.

Naturally, there are overhead projectors, but they cannot project slides. The overhead projector does not use a simple mirror, but a Fresnal mirror. And if was so simple to scan film, there would not be transparency adapters for flatbed scanners - why build a light source when you can just fit a mirror?
 
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yeah, never gonna work. I was operating under the theory the light source was merely reflecting off the "shiny metal" (which turned out to BE the light source lol). Kind of like holding a slide or negative up to a light, in some bassackwards manner. I wasn't sure the mirror would work, but now I know it definitely won't. I even tried just to prove it lol.

Oh well, nothing lost.
 
40oz said:
Anyone have experience with using a flatbed scanner for MF that wasn't specifically designed for such?
Click to expand...

I wish I had read this before I left home this morning, 'cuz I have a flat mirror that I could have brought in and tested.

I'm posting a link to the thread I started a while back on scanning a negative with a flatbed scanner that is not intended to scan negatives. I tried using a bright white sheet of paper behind the negative. (Yes, the lid is white, but it's scuffed and stained from use.)

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9818

As you can see, I got so-so results.

I'll try it again with a mirror and report what I get.
 
40oz said:
I have an opportunity to pick up a slightly used flatbed scanner for cheap. The only issue is, I only need it for my 6x6 and 6x9 folders. It has a cutout in the top cover for 35mm negs, with just a shiny piece of metal for a backing.
Click to expand...

How about trying with a larger piece of shiny metal instead of a mirror?

Cheers,
/Anders
 
What about a mirror covered in that 'translucent' scotch tape? The stuff used to simulate ground glass...

Just a thought,
Kent
 
kmack said:
I found a site with instructions for a "BackLighter" I have not tried it yet. Seems to make sense in a way.
Click to expand...


I´ve been visiting this site, and it really makes sense. I´ve tried all other methods to use my flatbed to scan old 6x9 and smaller slides without any result other than showing that I´ve spent my time.
I´ll try this design with a sheet of thin aluminum, folded and lightly sanded to diffuse light.

Hope this one works well. I´ve too many old slides and negs to scan and save.

Ernesto
 
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