Scanning 11x14 BW Negatives

[Joseph Kashi]

I am looking for suggestions about scanning 11x14 negatives to make very large digital prints. We will be moving into a smaller space and I will not have room for a full-scale silver-gelatine darkroom, just JOBO drum processing of 11x14 negatives and contact prints. I will still have room for my large format Epson 7590 printer, just no large darkroom.

I do have an HP 7612 multifunction device that can scan up to 11x17 but is set up to scan only reflective media like plats and prints. Is there any reasonable approach to using it with tranmissive media like negatives that works well?

Alternatively, is anyone aware of "affordable" scans that can do 11x14 negatives in one pass?

Thanks

[Oren Grad]

The Epson 12000XL has gotten crazy-expensive, alas; if you get really lucky it might be possible to find a used 10000XL or 11000XL for a price within reason. Microtek at one point had some transparency scanners that could accommodate at least the 11-inch dimension, allowing for stitching of only two exposures, though I think they've more or less withdrawn from the US market and used ones will probably have iffy reliability.

[domaz]

Back your negative with a piece of white paper and then put a piece of glass over the backing and negative to make sure it's snug. Then try the reflective scanner, it might not give great results but it might be something to play with. Otherwise I would pursue doing Digicam "Scanning", i.e. take a few pictures of the negative over a light source and stitch them. Requires much less room in general than a scanner and can be setup and broken down requiring no permanent home.

[Oren Grad]

OK, just for the record, the Microtek tabloid-size scanners on this page are the 3200XL, 1000XL Plus, and 9800XL Plus:

https://microtek.com/en/applications/classify/54

[nolindan]

Make a contact print and scan the print?

[rawitz]

I am looking for suggestions about scanning 11x14 negatives to make very large digital prints. We will be moving into a smaller space and I will not have room for a full-scale silver-gelatine darkroom, just JOBO drum processing of 11x14 negatives and contact prints. I will still have room for my large format Epson 7590 printer, just no large darkroom.

I do have an HP 7612 multifunction device that can scan up to 11x17 but is set up to scan only reflective media like plats and prints. Is there any reasonable approach to using it with tranmissive media like negatives that works well?

Alternatively, is anyone aware of "affordable" scans that can do 11x14 negatives in one pass?

Thanks

If 11x14 negative scans with a Epson 12000XL is "affordable" for you, do it.
I scan my 9x15 colornegatives on an Epson 850 on groundglass in 2 halfes and stitch them (with my old AutopanoGiga or in Photoshop or else) or on wetmounting-filmholder in 3 parts (with hardware dust-cleaning!). It works perfectly.
I also do my own color-development with Jobo CPE, earlier Atl 2 but I myself have no more "room" today. It works perfectly too!
Forget all these approaches of scanning prints or digital-camera repro-scan, no digital back can handle 11x14 film in resolution.
With 2400 dpi (netto) scanning on Epson 850 I get every detail from the film and have room in the digital post for color and density and ...

regards
Rainer

[Tin Can]

I don's scan much on V700

I vastly prefer wet prints

if I need a snap of a print I use DIGI

No endless 'cleanups'

My wet prints show no evil

I wish I knew 25 years ago scans are a mistake

[bmikiten]

What is the size for your final print? How many will you make? Creo and other brands are available used (obviously not new) and can handle large high quality scans. If your scan quantity is low, use a service bureau.

[Larry Gebhardt]

If this black and white I would use camera scanning of the negative. I do this with a macro lens and a Sony A7RIV and the results are better than my scanmate 5000 drum scanner. I use an old Chromega color head for the light source and I can scan up to 4x5 in one shot for smaller prints. For higher res and larger negs I stitch in photoshop.

[Corran]

Regarding the big Epsons, check your local libraries or universities. I know my old university had a 10000XL in their library that anyone could use (hardly anyone touched it).