Could this work for film scanning?

[timing]

I noticed these things Litepad (http://www.rosco.com/us/video/litepad_ho.asp) on the strobist website and I immediately thought - "ohh, could you use this as a lightsource behind film for scanning".

If you could then any flatbed scanner could scan film - even up 24" x 24" provided you had a suitably sized scanner.

Can anybody find one of these and try it out - they are rather expensive to buy just to find it won't work.

Tim

[venchka]

I found a problem right off trying to do something similar with an old HP scanner. As shipped, the scanner was configured for a single srip of 35mm film. I tried using a different light source for 4x5 negatives. While the light source was about 6x6 and more than covered the 4x5 negative, the scanner lens only traveled in a 1 1/2" wide by 6" long strip down the center of the flatbed glass. Bummer.

[wclavey]

In addition, Wayne, I had previously tried an equivalent arrangement on a scanner that was not a film scanner, just a picture scanner, where I put the negtive on the glass, put the light source over it (...the one you tried) and then made a scan. Without some way of deactivating the built in light source on the scanning mechanism, the light from below the glass greatly swamped the light that was coming through the negative in most all but the very least dense places... perhaps if you wanted to create "lith scans" or something like that it might be OK, but I could not make the back light bright enough to get a continuous tone scan.

[venchka]

In a nutshell, both of us have:

Been there
Tried that
Bought real film scanners.

Wes, remind me to return your light source.

[timing]

OK - then the trick would be to buy a cheap film scanner, block off top and use this instead?

Eg - I have a Canonscan 8800F - fine for medium format but absolutely no good for 4x5 which I am starting to do. So, if I could use the standard document scanner and this device I could scan larger negs?

Actually, no I can't as it only scans in that narrow strip.

Bugger - you're right - unless I deactivate the internal scanning light........

[D. Bryant]

OK - then the trick would be to buy a cheap film scanner, block off top and use this instead?

Eg - I have a Canonscan 8800F - fine for medium format but absolutely no good for 4x5 which I am starting to do. So, if I could use the standard document scanner and this device I could scan larger negs?

Actually, no I can't as it only scans in that narrow strip.

Bugger - you're right - unless I deactivate the internal scanning light........

Save yourself time and money and purchase a used Epson 4990. These old attempts at hacking scanners are a waste of time, IMO unless you just like to tinker. IOW, if good IQ of your image scans is your objective then get the proper tool for the job.

Don Bryant

[AJSJones]

If you have a DSLR and a good macro lens/tubes, it might make a nice backlight to take high res pix of your 4x5s to flat stitch into a great digital image (aka scan) - even providing total control over exposure and pulling all sorts of detail from the shadows of chromes! :)