Old negatives to Scan

[mihunter]

I recently inherit a number of old photographic negatives that are odd
sized. Several hundred.

I'd like to scan the negatives to see if I can use any of the photos
for genealogical research. The negatives are varying size, they aren't
35mm but much larger.

Can someone recommend a moderate priced scanner that I can get a
reasonable view of what these negative contain. If I decide that I
find worthy negatives I can always bring them to a professional studio
for replication.

I've seen lots of 35mm scanners but I need a special scanner for this
project.

Michael

 

[Lotas]

If you want moderate price & quality, then go get an Epson 4870/4900 or
Canon 9950f.

regards.

 

[Hecate]

I recently inherit a number of old photographic negatives that are odd
sized. Several hundred.

I'd like to scan the negatives to see if I can use any of the photos
for genealogical research. The negatives are varying size, they aren't
35mm but much larger.

Can someone recommend a moderate priced scanner that I can get a
reasonable view of what these negative contain. If I decide that I
find worthy negatives I can always bring them to a professional studio
for replication.

I've seen lots of 35mm scanners but I need a special scanner for this
project.

Try an Epson 2990. It's moderately priced and for bigger negs you
don't need the extra "dpi" of the bigger Epson scanner.

--

Hecate - The Real One
(e-mail address removed)
Fashion: Buying things you don't need, with money
you don't have, to impress people you don't like...

 

[JimL]

I like the Epson 4180 flatbed.

It scans at 4800 dpi and it scans 4 slides or 8 negatives at a
time.

And it is much faster than previous models. Your preview is
available almost immediately.

Of course you have to clean slides regardless. And you have some
control over your environment. A hepa?? filter in the room will
remove virtually all the 'stuff' that falls on your equipment.

 

[CSM1]

I recently inherit a number of old photographic negatives that are odd
sized. Several hundred.

I'd like to scan the negatives to see if I can use any of the photos
for genealogical research. The negatives are varying size, they aren't
35mm but much larger.

Can someone recommend a moderate priced scanner that I can get a
reasonable view of what these negative contain. If I decide that I
find worthy negatives I can always bring them to a professional studio
for replication.

I've seen lots of 35mm scanners but I need a special scanner for this
project.

Michael

Depends on the size of the negatives as to what scanner is good and
economical.

If the negatives or no larger than 2 1/4 X 2 1/4 inches for the image area,
then there are several flatbed scanners that Canon and Epson make that will
work.

If the negatives are larger than 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 inches, then you would need a
more expensive scanner, that can handle 4 x 5 or 8 x 10 inch transparencies.

Again both Canon and Epson make flatbed scanners that will do the job.

Canon:
http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ProductCatIndexAct&fcategoryid=104

The CanoScan 8400F will do 2.6" x 9" (3 frames of 120 film).
The CanoScan 9950F will do up to 4" x 5" transparency.

Epson:
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/ProductCategory.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=-8172

The Epson Perfection 3170 PHOTO will do
2.6" x 9" Transparency Adapter built-in lid, 12 negative, 4 slide, 1 2-1/4"
or 120mm (medium format) capacity

Epson Perfection 4990 PHOTO will do up to 8" x10" transparency.
There are others in the Epson line that work also.

 

[tbl]

I recently inherit a number of old photographic negatives that are odd
sized. Several hundred.

I'd like to scan the negatives to see if I can use any of the photos
for genealogical research. The negatives are varying size, they aren't
35mm but much larger.

Can someone recommend a moderate priced scanner that I can get a
reasonable view of what these negative contain. If I decide that I
find worthy negatives I can always bring them to a professional studio
for replication.

For rough work, you can build a light box and use a digital
camera to photograph the negatives. It works good enough to help
you decide images' worthiness, and to catalog them.

 

[UrbanVoyeur]

For rough work, you can build a light box and use a digital
camera to photograph the negatives. It works good enough to help
you decide images' worthiness, and to catalog them.

You could also put them in sleeves and use a flat bed to make "contact"
sheets. A bit more work, but easier to view in the end.

 

[CSM1]

You could also put them in sleeves and use a flat bed to make "contact"
sheets. A bit more work, but easier to view in the end.

--

J

www.urbanvoyeur.com

The light box is a good quick way to decide if the negative is worth the
trouble to scan and reverse into a positive image. (Which the scanner will
do for you).

Plans for building a lightbox for about $50.
http://www.carlmcmillan.com/light_table.htm

Commercial model.
http://www.adorama.com/VRPLB12142W.html?searchinfo=light box&item_no=7

 

[Denis Marier]

I like the idea of a light box.
Come to think of it I still have an old one (aluminum on cardboard) that I
used to sequence my slides before inserting them in a carousel tray.
How do you use the digital camera to take a shot of the slide while it on
the light box?.
TIA

 

[CSM1]

Why would you want to take a picture of the slide, it is a positive image.
If you want to digitize the slide you need a film scanner.