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jay rustle
29-Oct-2006, 08:19
New to the forums so hopefully this isn't an old question but is it possible to scan Polaroid Type 55 negs (with some edge) on the Epson V700? Or 4990 or any similar level scanner for that matter? Any third party manufacturers offering custom holders...it seems as though I've heard rumors but have never found any links. Any help appreciated. I used to have access at my work to an Imacon 848 but moved across the country and I'm missing it already! Thanks.

Doug Fisher
29-Oct-2006, 08:59
If you want the edges included, then you should investigate fluid mounting. A holder is going to need a few mm from each edge to "hold." Fluid mounting will let you scan the whole negative since there is no need to hold/cover any of the edges.

Here is a good general intro to wet mounting that would be applicable to a 4990:

http://homepage.mac.com/mach48/.Public/LiquidMountingFnl.pdf

Here is a demo from Kami using a newer Epson. They sell kits or you can save a bit by sourcing your own items:

http://www.aztek.com/Products/EPSON%20KAMI%20Direction%20V750%20PRO.pdf

Hope these get you pointed in the right direction.

Doug
---
www.BetterScanning.com

Brian Ellis
29-Oct-2006, 09:27
8x10 negatives lie flat on the 4990, no holder, so I assume there's a mm or two of leeway in the focusing mechanism. You might try doing the same with your negatives and see what happens.

PViapiano
29-Oct-2006, 10:09
Slap it flat on the platen, emulsion down, and use light-stick scotch tape to hold the 4" edges down...lies flat and scans great!

Ted Harris
29-Oct-2006, 12:35
Like PV says but I would recommend blue painters tape rather than any sort of 'scotch' tape ... assuming you don't want to wet mount. T55 scans well ... see the image in my avatar to the left that is a T55 scan.

Brian Ellis
29-Oct-2006, 13:01
Ted and PV - Just curious, not arguing, but why the tape? The top of the scanner will hold the film flat won't it? I don't use tape with my 8x10 negatives (in fact I don't even bother with the mask/guide that Epson furnishes) and they seem to scan fine.

PViapiano
29-Oct-2006, 13:49
The tape just helps keep the neg flat. Sometimes certain negs are a hair wavy, so I feel it helps.

Alan Davenport
29-Oct-2006, 14:08
Slap it flat on the platen...lies flat and scans great!
Does that mean the 700 has antiNewton glass?

Ted Harris
29-Oct-2006, 18:33
Alan--no to the anti newton ring glass.

Brian, two reasons: 1) further insures that the film will stay flat and have better contact with the glass...precaution; 2) keeps the film in place, squared off, etc.

PViapiano
29-Oct-2006, 22:36
I never get newton rings when I place the negs emulsion side down...

If I leave them in a Photofile sleeve and do a quick scan to see what I've got, then I get rings all over the place...

Sometimes I just tape my 120 neg strips down, too...works great and I never see any focus difference on the 4990 I use at my wife's workplace...plus I get to scan all 10 6x7 negs at once!

jay rustle
30-Oct-2006, 10:00
thanks for all the feedback. i have to admit it somehow seems "too easy" to just tape them on the glass after all the postings i've seen back and forth about wet mounting and holder height adjustments, etc. Anyway, not to beat a dead horse but i'd really like to clarify that there are no focus / newton rings (already answered by one person i know) or anything that might keep it from producing quality scans for potential small/medium (printed size ~ 11x14 max) gallery type work? i just am trying to make sure it's going to work for what i need, we were burned at my old office by all the claimed capability of a large microtek flatbed (~$1400) which turned out to be a big pile of crap. thanks again.

PViapiano
30-Oct-2006, 10:49
Here's a Type 55 neg scanned right on the glass of a 4990 as described above:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/viapiano/254677447/in/set-72157594181176569/

Levels, curves and toning in PS and just a hair of sharpening...

Also... realize (as a poster said above) that the only way to scan 8x10 is right on the glass using the film area guide.

Ted Harris
30-Oct-2006, 11:21
You can go on and on about holder height adjustments and wet v. dry mounting and each step you take will result in some small incremental improvements. Bottom line, however, is that you are using a consumer scanner that has upper limits in terms of its resolution and the ultimate print size you will find acceptable. I underscore "you" since one person's "sharp as a tack" print can look like total mush to another. For example, recently went through a portfolio review with a workshop participant where two of us found his images mostly slightly out of focus but he thought they were just fine. Having said that, most of yoru negatives/transparencies should give you acceptable prints at 11x14 from carefully done scans on a 4990 or a V700. You need to be the judge so be sure you buy from somewhere that you can return the machine. Unfortunately there are no other options that will do any better without spending lots and lots more money. Again, you should be ok most of the time and you should be fine all of the time at 8x10.

We run a Microtek 1800f (maybe a bit better but not by much than the V700) and a Screen Cezanne and for an 8x10 print from a 4x5 negative I am not likely to fire up the Screen if I am sure I am never going to print larger than 8x10.