4x5 scans - who do you recommend?

[mortensen]

+1 - If possible, rent an imacon.
Here in Copenhagen I can rent and Imacon FT848 for $8 an hour. I can do 10 scans an hour, so that is a pretty competitive price for a relatively perfect scan.

[Lenny Eiger]

To those who are considering scans at $10 apiece, this is what you should consider. To begin with, this supposes you can do a scan in 5-8 minutes, including scan time. You can, with some scanners.

Here's what you can't do: one can't look at the image and analyze what kind of scan you need and adjust the scanning parameters accordingly. Basically, you get what you get from the straight shot. Sometimes it works, you can get lucky. Sometimes its very hard to make the kind of print you want to make. Then they blame the scanner (or digital printing), but it isn't the scanner, its the lack of operator time, and skill/understanding.

Good scanning is about looking at the film from the point of view of what kind of print the photographer wants to make. Film has different spectral response curves, each image has a look the photographer is looking for. The job of the operator is to make that possible. One does that by separating the tones properly so that a certain set can be grabbed and managed (masked) so the each area of concern can be controlled.

Just like great printing, that takes years of experience to do, great scanning takes the same... It isn't a point and shoot, "don't even bother looking at it" kind of thing.

So, by all means, get $10 scans, or imagine you know what you are doing when you say you can do 10 scans an hour. However, just be clear what you are getting, and what you aren't.

Lenny

[mortensen]

point taken - it can be no surprise, that I have no printing experience either!
I do, though, try to make as 'open' scans as possible and I can see quite a lot of improvement in my scans, during the two years I've used the Imacon.

[Jim Fuller]

I recommend Mark Doyle at Autumn Color. Excellent work if you want top quality.

[Kirk Gittings]

To those who are considering scans at $10 apiece, this is what you should consider. To begin with, this supposes you can do a scan in 5-8 minutes, including scan time. You can, with some scanners.

Here's what you can't do: one can't look at the image and analyze what kind of scan you need and adjust the scanning parameters accordingly. Basically, you get what you get from the straight shot. Sometimes it works, you can get lucky. Sometimes its very hard to make the kind of print you want to make. Then they blame the scanner (or digital printing), but it isn't the scanner, its the lack of operator time, and skill/understanding.

Good scanning is about looking at the film from the point of view of what kind of print the photographer wants to make. Film has different spectral response curves, each image has a look the photographer is looking for. The job of the operator is to make that possible. One does that by separating the tones properly so that a certain set can be grabbed and managed (masked) so the each area of concern can be controlled.

Just like great printing, that takes years of experience to do, great scanning takes the same... It isn't a point and shoot, "don't even bother looking at it" kind of thing.

So, by all means, get $10 scans, or imagine you know what you are doing when you say you can do 10 scans an hour. However, just be clear what you are getting, and what you aren't.

Lenny

I have to say that what Lenny presents here is not bullshit. The scans I have gotten from him were much easier to process to the tones I like than any scans I have had done professionally before. My entire contribution to the upcoming "Contemplative Landscape" exhibit at the New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe were based on scans by him (prints are Piezography). I initially thought I could get by with my some of my Imacon scans, but after working up some files from his scans I decided to have him scan them all.

[Jim Peterson]

I would second Ed's recommendation for Mike Lusier @ AGX Imaging. I haven't done 4x5 scans, but have done a bunch of 6x7 120 through Mike. Everything comes out great. You have to do a bit of spotting clean up with the clone tool in PS, but not a big deal. Well worth the $10 price. Jim

[John Flavell]

I'm a bit surprised at some of the prices I see with these recommendations. The last time I had scans professionally made was about six years ago and I paid a hefty price, so much that I gave up having them done.

I'm not having doubts about the stated quality. I haven't posted in years, but I read this forum weekly and both Kirk and Jim seem to be sticklers for quality scans from their quality compositions. So the trust factor is there.

I guess my question has to be is can it really be true? Have prices for quality scans really come down that much in six years?

[photobymike]

Good scanning is about looking at the film from the point of view of what kind of print the photographer wants to make.

Just like great printing, that takes years of experience to do, great scanning takes the same... It isn't a point and shoot, "don't even bother looking at it" kind of thing.

Lenny

Way to say it Lenny.... I have been scanning for years.... with Nikon, Konica/Minolta, and now Epson v750.... And you know what is a real pain? When you get a little better at your scanning craft or get better scanner, you have to go back and rescan some of the work you did. Yes experience counts... I just spent a few shekles on a better monitor. I got my Monaco out and tuned the monitor....oh crap I discovered I have a lot of work to re-do.....

http://www.mikepic.com

[Jim Graves]

The easiest way to see why good scanning is expensive is to watch the scanning process in person.

Lenny did free drum scans at his booth at the conference in Colorado a few years ago. He did one for me while I watched. We discussed the negative and the size and type of print I was looking for. He did preliminary scans and sampled different areas of the negative. By the time the final scan was through running it took close to an hour.

I was so impressed with the time, effort, and expertise involved that I went down the next morning and paid him for the free scan.

I no longer complain about the cost of scanning.