A Scanner for 5x7, WP and 8x10 films?

[sanking]

If you're not happy with the results and not using Photoshop there is a bit of a disconnect here. If you aren't using Photoshop to edit post scanning then you'll probably never get good results.

At the level you want, scanning contact prints on a consumer scanner and editing with the simple consumer software is probably your easiest and most expedient solution.

That pretty much says it all.

Sometimes you want to lovingly grab someone in your two hands, look them in the eye, and ask, "Are you really in there?"

Sandy King

[Hugo Zhang]

Frank and Sandy,

I am basically a computer illiterate and only use computer to surf the net. I have heard of PS as a photo editing software, but have zero experience of it. Maybe I will sign on for a class at my community college next year.

Thanks for the advice.

Hugo

[sanking]

Frank and Sandy,

I am basically a computer illiterate and only use computer to surf the net. I have heard of PS as a photo editing software, but have zero experience of it. Maybe I will sign on for a class at my community college next year.

Thanks for the advice.

Hugo

Hugo,

There are some excellent on-line tutorials for Photoshop.

My suggestion would be to purchase a copy of one of the older versions of PS, say CS, and try it out. I am currently using CS3, and plan to buy CS5 when it comes out, but CS is a pretty powerful program and will probably do all you need to learn the program, without setting you back an arm and a leg. Even an older version like PS 6 or 7 might be useful for learning and would not cost very much.


Sandy King

[Frank Petronio]

Yes Hugo, I do not mean you any slight, you are obviously an excellent photographer, but there is no such thing as an 'automatic" high quality scanning solution without digging in an learning the basics. Photoshop is an essential tool for digital media -- you might be able to get by with GIMP or Photoshop Elements or iPhoto or Scanning software -- but sooner or later you will run into a dead end with the consumer/amateur applications. If you care about quality -- and you must if you are considering purchasing a $700 scanner when Best Buy has plenty of $100 scanners -- it is only logical to include Photoshop as part of the work flow.

Otherwise you get just what you're complaining about -- muddy amateur quality scans -- what most people will settle for but not what you'd expect from a serious large format photographer.

[Alex Wei]

Alex,

I don't have PS(photoshop?) or know how to use it. Do I need one? How much is Microtek I90? You just tape any size of film directly on the scanner's glass?

Hugo, you do need some sort of photo editing software to deal with the scanned image. The price is about 300 to 400, I think. Yep, I just tape the film directly on the glass, for 4X5, it has holders. Anything larger, I just tape it. BTW, the scanner is Microtek i900.

[evan clarke]

Hugo, you might be surprised what a nice representation of your prints you can make with a digital camera. You could spend all that scanning time in the darkroom or behind the camera!!..Evan Clarke

[David de Gruyl]

Hugo, you might be surprised what a nice representation of your prints you can make with a digital camera. You could spend all that scanning time in the darkroom or behind the camera!!..Evan Clarke

The same is true of scanning prints on autopilot (assuming they are 8x10). And then all you need is a <$100 scanner.

Photographing prints is not trivial: you need to make sure the picture is exactly perpendicular to the camera, and that the lighting is not causing a glare. (it is not difficult, but for me it takes longer than scanning a print).

Either way, you have to made adjustments (contrast, color balance, exposure, image size, cropping).

[sanking]

The same is true of scanning prints on autopilot (assuming they are 8x10). And then all you need is a <$100 scanner.

Photographing prints is not trivial: you need to make sure the picture is exactly perpendicular to the camera, and that the lighting is not causing a glare. (it is not difficult, but for me it takes longer than scanning a print).

Either way, you have to made adjustments (contrast, color balance, exposure, image size, cropping).

Same for me. I find it a lot faster to scan a print and make the adjustment than to use a digital camera. Plus, you can easily capture all of the detail in the print with a scan, with a digital camera it depends . . .

The only problem is that if you make large prints you need a large scanner.

Sandy King

[Mike Anderson]

Frank and Sandy,

I am basically a computer illiterate and only use computer to surf the net. I have heard of PS as a photo editing software, but have zero experience of it. Maybe I will sign on for a class at my community college next year.

If you do the community college route (I did and recommend it) you can get a big discount on Adobe software with student ID. Sometimes the school bookstore will have it even cheaper than the normal student price. Adobe's "educational" versions are really the same as the full priced software, as far as I can tell.

...Mike

[David de Gruyl]

If you do the community college route (I did and recommend it) you can get a big discount on Adobe software with student ID. Sometimes the school bookstore will have it even cheaper than the normal student price. Adobe's "educational" versions are really the same as the full priced software, as far as I can tell.

...Mike

exactly the same as the full version at less than 1/2 the price.