Is there a great used scanner for both color chrome and Color & BW negative? i.e. with a great resolution -- good enough to make huge prints, i.e. 30 x40 or even much larger.
thanks.
Is there a great used scanner for both color chrome and Color & BW negative? i.e. with a great resolution -- good enough to make huge prints, i.e. 30 x40 or even much larger.
thanks.
What's your format?
What's your budget?
4x5, sorry, best bang for the buck lets say for now...
My HP Scanjet G4050 does an alright job with 4x5. I'd like to trade it for an Epson V700 or V750. But if you're really into it maybe a drum scanner is more up your alley. Too rich for my blood though.
well.. 4050 isnt all bad sharpness wise. (1:1 crop)Originally Posted by cabbiinc
Untitled-1 by Sergei Rodionov, on Flickr
(1200 dpi scan from ilford, vuescan)
scan0002www by Sergei Rodionov, on Flickr
but it does have issues with DR - Epson is a bit better. I just went this route too.. after having two epsons dying, i got 4050, and then finally microcenter had decent deal on v700 ..
I have a beautiful ColorGetter 2 Pro drum scanner, used for customers film from 35 to 11 X 14 in chromes almost dailyD. Nothing else beside another drum scanner even comes close. I just finished a series of landscapes (Nepal) at 30 X 20 in on Canson Baryta from 35 mm (Delta 100) with wonderful tonality, detail, and almost invisible grain for example. On the other hand, it takes a real commitment in time to learn to make the "elephant sing", as well as $, technical skills and space.
It basically goes drum scanner, pro flatbed, film scanner (e.g. Coolscan 9000-no large format), Epson V750 (or 700) and down. A consumer flat bed will not give top quality at a 15x enlargement.
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
The resolution is only part of the equation, depth and sharpness matter too. Many cheap scanners will offer you high resolutions, it looks good for marketing reasons.
Keep it simple and high quality:
Use Eiger for your exhibits: http://www.eigerphoto.com, he is a perfectionist and has the best drum scanner. He is also local to you.
Get an Epson 700 or 750 for proofing, portfolio and web-sized images, and magazine repro scans. Use this for everyday work and to evaluate what images deserve "the works". Scans from the Epson will do fine for most practical commercial applications, you can easily make 16x20 prints from 4x5. Yes the drum scans from Lenny will look better, but the difference is less pronounced with "smaller" images and most people benefit from "getting things done". If a good drum scan is "100% quality" then perhaps a good Epson scan is "95% quality".
Take a class or hire a consultant to train you on how to use the Epson. If you have prior darkroom experience and moderate Photoshop skills then you can be making decent scans within a day.
If you have money to burn, you can always get a Hasselblad Imacon scanner, which are fairly easy to use and a step in between the Epson and a drum scanner, but they are expensive for what they can do. Some of the well-know commercial photographers who still use film go this route, it is expensive but perhaps the least hassle for "97% quality".
Yes you could always throw thousands at buying an old drum scanner or high-quality flatbed (Creo/Kodak EverSmart or some such) but before you do that, make sure you can see what the differences are and whether it is justifiable for you. The learning curve is higher and while sometimes you can find a used high-end scanner for peanuts, you may need to buy a second one for parts and run a vintage computer to operate it (How much is your time worth?) Most people can not justify owning a higher end scanner for only their own work, at least from a business point-of-view.
And, in the end, I would prefer a scan made by a skilled operator using lower-end equipment over a sloppy scan from high-end equipment. Budget drum scans give you what you pay for, or less.
And to get that 95% means using third-party film holders to get the best film flatness and focus, being careful with mounting and dust, and doing all of your calibrations. It won't be that good right out of the box. And then there's the choice of software, each of which has their strengths and weaknesses. Frank's suggestion of paying for help isn't senseless.
I really disagree with this-if you are talking the best drum scans. I've used 750's since the day they came out. Even with wet scanning in an aftermarket holder compared to one of Lenny's drum scans? Resolution, shadow/highlight detail-maybe 70%-obvious differences at even 16x20. I have access to the latest Imacons-maybe 80%.If a good drum scan is "100% quality" then perhaps a good Epson scan is "95% quality".
Thanks,
Kirk
at age 73:
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep"
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