Why do you scan?

[jordanstarr]

I scan to see if it's worth printing in the darkroom. I mull it over, edit it, adjust contrast to see what I like and use that edit as a "workprint" rather than spending an hour in the darkroom and using paper. I then load it onto my ipod and use it as my workprint in the darkroom to make larger exhibition prints. Also, I scan for my website, obviously.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Dave,

Lots of old negs and trannies from berfore digital. But in mono, wet printing is simply better.

Cheers,

R.

 

[TXForester]

I scan to share. I've printed a few things for work. I've made a few 4x6's to give away to some tree planters who don't have access to the internet.

 

[Nikon Bob]

"Just wondering why people feel the need to scan everything just as I wonder why people spray and pray tens of thousand of digital images when very few are all that is required. Also wonder why the average hobbyist doesn't think about the importance of a hard bound photo album to hand down to family or friends in the future."

When I shot film I did not scan every thing, I had the 1hr lab develop and give me a low rez CD. I used the CD to see which frames I wanted to scan at 5400 dpi. for printing. The low rez files were good enough for sharing on the web. Now I am mostly digital so I review the downloaded NEF files to see which I may want to print. Not much changed except I no longer need the mini lab. No I don't spray and pray with digital anymore than I did with film. The hard bound photo album is of little importance to me as we have quite a few from before and they just sit and gather dust so no loss there. If you think the future generations will cherish a hard bound photo album just look at how many are thrown out after somebody passes. If they have not got the time now they won't when your gone. As for a darkroom, I just don't want to be bothered with it and scanning was the only way to share on the net.

Bob

 

[robert blu]

As "pure amateur" shooting mainly film and printing inkjet scan is the necessary in between step. B&W I scan low res all the frames (it takes less than 1 hour for 36 exp), make a "contact" for archival purpose, and rescan high res only the frames I want to print (not many). I print mainly on A4 size paper, sometimes A3. Smaller color prints are made by the fotolab, which does not make only development.
robert

 

[Hiyawaan]

Scanning is part of the process for a film2digital workflow. I get much better results scanning my own image than I ever got from any lab because I know how i want the final image to look and I can coax more out of the neg. I try to only scan only those picture I want to print (A3) or share online. Having learned how to look at a negative I don't see the need to contact print.

 

[Jamie123]

Silly question. I scan in order to see what's on the roll.

Do I scan every frame? Of course not. Only the decent ones. If I had more money to spare I'd have contact prints made at the lab and then scan my selections. But alas that's not the case so I'm left doing all the work.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

For me, the images I like might be used in many different ways: Enlargement, photo card, stack of 4x6 prints, photo book, post on line, etc.

My master copy of any image is digital... Why? Because I do my PP in Lightroom or Photoshop; and because from the digital master I can easily make all the kinds of output I want. .

So, why scan? To put my film images into this digital workflow.

 

[SciAggie]

For me, the images I like might be used in many different ways: Enlargement, photo card, stack of 4x6 prints, photo book, post on line, etc.

My master copy of any image is digital... Why? Because I do my PP in Lightroom or Photoshop; and because from the digital master I can easily make all the kinds of output I want. .

So, why scan? To put my film images into this digital workflow.

What he said...

 

[Mcary]

What he said...

I'll second that.......

 

[Roberto V.]

I scan to share my photos online. I print a lot of my photos on 4x6. Some I print larger, 8x10 to 16x20. I literally have thousands of 4x6 prints, and I have thrown away around 300 that I didn't like to make space. I have a big wooden chest full of 4x6s. I have to buy a larger one soon.

 

[FormulaJay]

I have a very basic bathroom darkroom that I can setup when needed, and it is fun to set aside some time to make wet prints. I just came back from a long break away from any cameras, but even last year I found myself not using the darkroom nearly as much as I would have hoped. It is tough sometimes to set aside blocks of time large enough to be productive when you need to setup the darkroom and tear it down every time.

I scan as a quick and easy way to see what I have photographed. I do not make digital contact sheets as I would rather spend the time at the scanner working with only the "keepers". I use a Epson V500 and use the Epson software. I think the software works amazingly well as long as I adjust the scan exposure to each individual frame. I make sure the auto-adjustment, sharpening, ICE, etc. is all turned off and I adjust the settings for each frame and the $150 Epson delivers pleasing results. I have never scanned larger than 2400dpi as to keep my time at the scanner manageable and the files small.

I don't make prints from digital scans, but have thought about using the scans to make inexpensive 4x6 prints at home. It wouldn't be as nice as a wet print but I am sure I would prefer it to looking at my images on the monitor.

 

[RayPA]

I scan because I love film. But, I also actually enjoy scanning, because it gives me a little bit of the same feeling I had when I worked in a wet darkroom. There's a process to it (a bit of labor/skill/craft), and a level of proficiency and satisfaction (when I really nail a scan). I get to handle negatives, clean them, put them in the film holder, work some variables, make an exposure, and spot the results.



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