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scanner

Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2004 6:00 am
by CarbonTerry
I have a collection of 8X10" negs fron the 1920's (over 1000).
I would like to find a scanner that won't run a jillion $$$$'s.
Anyone have any feedback?
Happy Holidays

Scan large format color or B/W negatives & transparencie

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 1:07 am
by Jack Rogers
Given the size and presumed resolution of the 8x10" negatives, it seems like any of the good flatbed scanners such as Epson's Perfection 3200 Photo should do an acceptable job for editing in any good photo editing program.

Scanner

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 2:06 am
by Susan E Hoffman
I have the Epson Perfection 2400, an earlier version and it cost me less than $100. It scans negs and trannies, and I've used it extensively for slides. It's not good enough for a professional job, but it's just fine for my purposes (web sites and publcaion in newspapers) and I've been impressed with how such a reasonably-priced scanner can generate such decent scans. Give the newer Epsons a look, at least!

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 4:17 am
by Photofix
Hi,
I use a Microtek Scanmaker 5900 and have had nothing but very good results. The user interface is easy to follow and it has several options for the user to use to adjust the image before it is scanned to whichever image program you use. You can save the settings and use them over and over if your going to be scanning a lot of pics like you will be doing.
Good luck with your project.
Photofix

scanner

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 2:05 pm
by vonorla
I am using HP scanjet 4470c. Cheap and god results also with negatives ad slides.

Negitives

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 5:58 pm
by Enchanted Shacara

Greetings:
I have the Lexmark Z75. I love it. It works so simple and gives excellant results. :lol:

Scanning 8x10" negatives

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 7:39 pm
by Anton Safer
I would agree that the Epson 3200 scanner is a good choice for this task.
Anyway the backlit area of this scanner will not really scan the whole area, just about 4x10", since it is dedicated for 2 parallel 35 mm film strips.
It might be wort to try another way to scan the neagtives:
put a white sheet of paper in between the nagative and the scanner cover, and scan the neagive as if it were a positive.
Then use the positive-negative inversion and picture correction facilities of picture processing software to adopt the positíve optimally.

Use a digital camera

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2005 2:23 am
by Lawrym
I have done many ancient glass plates with a Microtech E3 with a transparency back - cost lots of money. But gives excellent results.

To do large negatives like 8x10 cheaply, particularly if you are going to do 1000 I would borrow or buy a digital camera and build a simple light box or large slide copier. Just look at a slide copier at a photographic shop to get the idea. You can do it with cardboard boxes and masking tape.

At Christmas the Church wanted some large pictures (~A3) scanned they were amazed when I pulled out my digital camera instead of using my A4 scanner. They were very pleased with the results though. The only trick is getting the light even but not that difficult.

Scanning 10x8

Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 5:43 pm
by happyexpat
Hi I have a old Umax 2400s with a lid with built in light source which I have found fine for scanning large format.
But another way around your problem is to use a scanner with a smalller hood, make several scans of different sections of neg and join in photoshop ( or any editing program)

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 11:51 pm
by Guest
Thanks for the suggestions. trying to scan a neg on a conventional scanner just doesnt work well. I tried putting a mirror on the reverse side and got a "no go". Joining scans is ok for a few times but to do 1000 is reason to commiit suicide!!
I have tried the light box method but was not satified with the results.
All that aside, what kind of resolution should I aim for? Files could get immense quickly!!!