Scanning 8x10 film on an Epson 10000/11000/12000XL

[prohtex]

Has anyone come up with a solution for scanning 8x10 film on the larger Epson scanners? Wet mount, dry mount, ANR glass, I'm curious to see what's out there. I have a big project coming up digitizing a lot of 8x10 negs and would like to find someone who has machined a holder that will not block the film edges (or not too much anyway) and will keep the film as flush as possible. I have the 12000XL but I think the specs are the same as the earlier models. Any help is much appreciated!

[Alan9940]

Aren't those large flatbeds with large expanse of glass? I don't have any of those models, but I do have an Epson Expression 1680 Pro that I've used for nearly 20 years. I wet mount all LF film directly onto the glass bed, including 8x10. Works beautifully.

[Pere Casals]

Aren't those large flatbeds with large expanse of glass? I don't have any of those models, but I do have an Epson Expression 1680 Pro that I've used for nearly 20 years. I wet mount all LF film directly onto the glass bed, including 8x10. Works beautifully.

+1

[prohtex]

Aren't those large flatbeds with large expanse of glass? I don't have any of those models, but I do have an Epson Expression 1680 Pro that I've used for nearly 20 years. I wet mount all LF film directly onto the glass bed, including 8x10. Works beautifully.

What do you put on top of the film to hold it down? I spoke with a rep at Aztec who told me to use Edmund optics glass. I know Focal Point makes ANR glass too. I called Edmunds and they told me the largest glass they make, besides anti-reflective coated material and plex, is this:
https://www.edmundoptics.com/p/203-x-254mm-sandblasted-glass/54/

They don't really have anything larger than 8x10 though.

[Pere Casals]

See this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg6uO2ODvbY

... but you may just lay the sheet on the scanner bed, with emulsion facing the glass to avoid newton rings.

[prohtex]

Right, but something must be pressing down as well to make the film stay flat, no? 8x10 is large and the last time I scanned it, I got lots of newton rings regardless of which side was up

[Oren Grad]

Right, but something must be pressing down as well to make the film stay flat, no?

Sometimes yes. When I'm scanning sheet film on my V700 and the scanner has been running for a while and has warmed up, the sheet film sometimes curls a bit.


8x10 is large and the last time I scanned it, I got lots of newton rings regardless of which side was up

Are you scanning color film? I've never had a problem with B&W film scanned emulsion down, but the emulsion-side surface of color film is smoother. (For the historical nit-pickers: yes, if someone has negatives made with XP1 sheet film, that would likely cause a problem too even though it's "monochrome".)

[Alan9940]

What do you put on top of the film to hold it down?

I put a sheet of clear Graphics Arts film over my negative; one box I have is Agfa and the other was purchased from Aztec. Therefore, my setup is:

1. Squirt some KAMI fluid onto the glass bed.

2. Hold film in a slight arc and lay down into the fluid; don't just plop it down flat. I usually put the film emulsion side down, but this can sometimes depend on the natural curl of the film.

3. Squirt KAMI fluid onto the sheet of film.

4. Lay Graphics Arts film down in the manner described in #2.

5. Use a rubber roller or scanner wipe to push air bubbles out. Start from film center and work your way to the edges. Check carefully for air bells and bubbles. Note: if you use a roller, don't allow it to make contact with the scanner fluid; bad things will happen to it!

Scan and enjoy the lack of grain and other imperfections. Oh, and another note... I use removable tape--the kind used by painters, wall repairers, etc--to tape the seams all around the glass bed to avoid any possibility of scanner fluid making its way into the scanner body.

Hope this helps.

[Pere Casals]

Right, but something must be pressing down as well to make the film stay flat, no? 8x10 is large and the last time I scanned it, I got lots of newton rings regardless of which side was up

Adding to what Oren said, 8x10 sheets usually stay pretty flat, if not just keep it for a week inside a big book, (protected inside the sleeve). You also may use a sheet of 8x10 ANR glass to press it to the bed because glass own weight, but to me it's not necessary.

I also have no Newton rings with emulsion down in HP5+, the film I use for 810... if you still have newton rings (color) your best bet is wet mounting it on bed, as the pointed video shows, because a dry holder for 810 won't hold it flat.

With what BW film, do you get newton rings with emulsion facing down ?

[Fred L]

I have a Devere 5108 so I use the spare carrier glass to hold down my 8x10 negs if they begin to corner curl. Pita to keep dust free but whatcha gonna do ? Emulsion down and flip horizontal in PS.