Digital BW, The Print

> I have two questions about how to get my old B&W negs ready to print 
> digitally:
> 1.  A camera shop guy says I can't make contact sheets on an inexpensive 

> scanner because they only have one light source and all I'll get is 
> the center third of the negative strips. Anyone out there scanning neg 
strips 
> for contact sheets?

Depends on the scanner! There are several out there that offer film 
scanning on the entire area of the bed.

> 2. The same camera shop guy said the Nikon V scanner isn't acceptable 
for 
> B&W because of the light source. He says I have to have the Minolta 
5400, 
> which is $300 more, of course. Is he right? I want to scan B&W negative 
film 
> and some color slides. I want to make 13 X 19 prints.

Hmmm...."camera shop" guy, eh? All I can say about that is bring some film 
in and try both. Any reputable camera guy should let you do this so you 
can form your own opinion of which is "better".

I have  seen some scans off of the new Epson 4870 flatbed scanner that 
were pretty darn good...at least good enough to make me re-think my 
opinion of flatbed scanners for scanning film. Coupled with SilverFast Ai 
it is one of the more economical solutions out there at the moment. Its 
almost worth buyin gone then returning it if it doesn't meet your needs. 
But by all means get the SilverFast Ai software. The hardware is only as 
good as the software that runs it!

Eric  Bullock
Color Guy
Hecht's/Strawbridge's Advertising
685 N. Glebe Road
Arlington, VA 22203

703.247.2391
eric_bullock@...


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