--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "David J. Bookbinder"
<david_bookbinder@s...> wrote:
> Just discovered that a couple of hundred rolls of 35mm black and
white
> negatives I've been carting around for about 25 years (and had been
planning
> to start working with again, digitially) have become separated from
their
> contact sheets, perhaps permanently. I'm wondering if it's possible
to scan
> these in, a roll at a time, to make electronic contact sheets, using
an
> ordinary flatbed scanner.
This procedure is not for everyone! Scanning 200 sheets would be about
9 days of work! Consider a low dpi old film scanner first, maybe
running Vuescan batch mode. I found that it's actually less time for
me the
following procedure. Your film scanner/software may be faster.
This is a way if you don't have them in transparent Vue-pages.....it
also is a cheap but Cadillac exposure method, and takes about 20
minutes per roll, unless you buy double the quantity and load/unload
the strips while scanning...you must also have them in strips of 6
frames.
Get six (twelve) negative holders for the old obsolete Polaroid
Sprintscan 35 (not the 4000)filmscanner. This is $30 for 6, they still
have them.
My negs are kept in separate light Impressions sleeves, so I don't
have any Vue-pages to arrange anything, loading into the carriers is
not too big a task then. The frame numbers won't print through, so
write down the first frame number so you can add text in pshop later.
These holders do two things: they block ALL clear areas of film like
between frames so unevenly exposed frames is not a problem- no light
bleed. They also hold the negs slightly above the glass- no Newton
Ring effect.
I designed and had machined a piece of black plastic 1/4 inch thick
($95). It is about 81/2 x 11, fits on my flatbed. There are three long
slots cut away in it which accept three of the Polaroid holders at a
time. The slots are positioned such that I can scan in three strips at
a time, then FLIP it over, insert three more and position corner of
plastic into same edge of flatbed.....when I do this I get two scans
of three each which when the extra white space is deleted from one
file, perfectly overlap the second file pulled in as a layer under it
in pshop. IOW, the plastic sheet aligns ALTERNATING neg strips by just
flipping it over (being symmetrical), into two files in pshop which I
then combine.
Sounds complicated but it works out easier than it sounds. You can
make a black alignment plate out of Gator-fome or maybe even white
foam-core for example. You will
save all the $$. My plastic plate allows me to remove neg holders by
just flexing it though and doesn't flake like gator-fome. On the first
scan I do strip # 1,3, and 5. On
the 2nd 2, 4, and 6. I think I still have dimensions of how to cut out
"plate" if you need them. You cant just put six holders down on the
glass next to each other- too wide. The plate, scan twice method will
slightly overlap positions of each strip holder, but not run into
frame edges.
You need a flatbed scanner with a transparancy adapter that covers the
full 81/2 x 11. Because I use a black plate and opaque film holders,
no excess light gets past the clear areas of film to spoil the
exposure- even the space between frames is blocked out. A Umax tech
actually told me transparancy adapter light between 35 mm frames
popping through can cause uneven exposure of edge of frame.
I use an ancient Umax Vista S-12 with the optional transparancy
adapter. About 7 years ago it went for maybe $1400, now, if they're
available in someone's garage, I doubt they cost much at all. Your
biggest expense will be finding a full length transparancy adatpter
type flatbed. Epson sells really good flatbeds at good prices, but in
order to get their full length transparancy adapter in some kind of
scanner, you have to pay $$. I suggest find a used one. For proof
sheets you don't need 48 bit or 1600 dpi. I use 300 dpi 24 bit myself.
The longest part of the procedure is labeling the combined file in
pshop with a few frame #'s and roll #, data, etc. Next would be film
loading, unloading, etc. It's not for everyone, and is a pain. But it
gets uniform consistant exposure with no Newton rings. Another benifit
is when you go to print the file, you will get a minimum of black ink
put down, since almost all excess light has been blocked- most of the
file around 36 images is white.
Jim H.