okay, i am new to this tango drum scan stuff.

i am going to be sending off 2 negatives for a scan job.
i looked at west coast imaging (they seem reputable, correct me if i am wrong or offer your choices) and in their questions and answer's section, they say a 300mb file size is recommended for large format.

well, there is 4x5 and there is 8x10... and scanned at the same dpi, will result in a 4x file size difference.

i think it boils down to dpi as the main thing to consider based upon the largest print size you'll need...


so an example, let's say i plan to make a 40x50 print from a 4x5 somewhere down the road.... a 10x enlargement to produce the most stunning image with no digital artifacts.

what dpi should i be scanning with?

also, is 8 bit good enough for black & white scans? they have 16 bits available and they also say that 16 bit is overkill for color scans.

your thoughts welcome.

thanks.

-lc