Best way to scan Type 55 on Epson Flatbed?

[Josef Isayo]

These Polaroid Type 55 Negs are a bit too big for the Epson provided 4x5 neg holders. I'd love to know what is the best way to scan these negs are still retain quality. BTW, I have an Epson 4990.

Thanks,
Josef

[D. Bryant]

These Polaroid Type 55 Negs are a bit too big for the Epson provided 4x5 neg holders. I'd love to know what is the best way to scan these negs are still retain quality. BTW, I have an Epson 4990.

Thanks,
Josef
Josef,

In the past I have used a Rotatrim to remove a small sliver of film to get them to fit. You may be interested in considering the new variable height film holder available from www.betterscanning.com.

Don Bryant

[Kirk Gittings]

The best way would be to wet scan with:

http://www.betterscanning.com/scanning/mstation.html

[Ted Harris]

What Kirk said. The other, not quite as good option is to tape the negative to the glass using blue painters tape ....

[Josef Isayo]

Thanks guys!

[shileshjani]

What I have done previously on my 4870 (but not very often) is:

(1) I wet mounted an 8x10 piece of approximately 1 mm thick float glass onto the scanner glass bed. I used film emulsion cleaner for the mount media.
(2) As soon the I have cleared the negative, and final rinse in dilute photo flow, I mount the still wet film directly onto the float glass, emulsion down. Wipe it down with soft Pec pad.
(3) After the scan, gently lift off the still wet film, rinse it again in photo flow, and dry.

Be careful as the emusion is very flagile in the wet state. And also make sure the float glass edges are well-rounded, so as not to scratch the bed glass.

This method is a lot less tedious than using a dedicated wet mount holder.

If your scanner unit's focus point is closer than 1 mm above the bed, you can do away with the float glass.

Good luck - and caveat emptor.

[Walter Calahan]

Simply place the Polaroid emulsion up, and then place a piece of anti-newton glass over top.

No oil to clean.

No tape to remove.

No cut negatives.

[Kirk Gittings]

The best way (which is what he asked for) is not on the glass as the plane of critical focus is above the surface of the glass.

[Brian Ellis]

The best way (which is what he asked for) is not on the glass as the plane of critical focus is above the surface of the glass.


That's interesting. Since Epson provides no 8x10 holder for the 4990 I've always just placed 8x10 negatives directly on the glass. It's seemed to work fine but would I improve things if I tried to fabricate or buy an 8x10 holder to raise the negative above the glass?

[Frank Petronio]

I just trim the neg slightly, it still has the rough edge to have character. I did this for the enlarger too.

[Ted Harris]

Kirk is still right :). The point here is that this is a low cost, mass produced product and if you want to get the absolute best results you need to go beyond what the manufacturer offers. In this case, speculation but based on many conversations with Epson, they offer no 8x10 holder for scanner because 1) it wouldn't fit well and 2) it probably never occured to them that anyone would be scanning 8x10 or at least not enough people to make it worthwhile mass producing.

Brian, you may or may not improve things. You probably will but won't know until you try. We are talking samll differences here and the problem is that the best focal point can vary from scanner to scanner. The tolerances just aren't as tight as we would like as careful photographers bu tthey are about as good as you can get for the money.

[Kirk Gittings]

Brian, If you do not print large it would probably not be noticeable. I can definitely tell the difference at 100% viewing on the monitor which affects what any sharpening does. I can then barely see a difference on an 11x14 mat print from a 4x5.

On 8x10......the difference would be what? 4x less of an issue from an 8x10? Minute on all but very large prints.