Problems with scanners

[Janko Belaj]

This is slightly off-topic, but just within film format used as examples - I'm scanning LF negatives on same scanners and I'm getting similar results. Those are some of last weeks scans and I will scan some LF shots from same locations next week. So much for 1st part of explanation.
So, in the firm where I'm working we have 3 scanners - One Heidelberg Topaz and two Creo/Scitex Smart scanners (one eversmart and one supreme - the late one is mine). I'm scanning my negatives with emulsion down (right reading while scanning), with (extensive) usage of scanning fluid under the scanning foil. All scans are done with some 3 or 4 thousands dpi (to get final print of 75x75cm on Durst Epsilon 30).

On the 1st example you can see moiré pattern in some shades of gray. That is what I'm getting from Topaz with some emulsions, mostly with efke and agfa films developed in Rodinal. Sometimes with efke films developed in XTol as well. I haven't got such moiré on TriX. It s very, very hard to tender such patterns in post-production - and impossible to get rid of it after the scanning stage.



Next problem occurs on scitex scanner - light "leaks" mostly (nut not only) on the sides where are in contrast translucent negative border and dark portions of shot (as sky in this example). I'm aware that I could get rid of that problem with usage of mask for particular format - but I like to have original film border. The late problem is somewhat easier to solve in post-production, but not easy. For that reason I didn't darkened sky (clouds) as I would like to do on the 2nd example.



Does anyone have any experience in solving those problems?

Tnx for help.

[Gordon Moat]

I would assume you are using mylar over the film, with more scanning fluid between the film and that. When you roller that just prior to closing the lid and scanning, ideally the fluid will fill all areas. One thing you might want to try is flipping the negative around, and see if that changes the problems, or eliminates them. Hope that helps.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio

[Janko Belaj]

I'm back... yes, I'm using mylar over the film and scanning fluid... and yes, I did flipped and rotated negative, but it is, as I was told later by service guy, "normal" topaz's behavior in some circumstances... anyway, I'm back to scitex - it is much easier to mask the film and work without it's original frame than to struggle with moiré. tnx anyway

[Gordon Moat]

Well crap, sorry to hear that. I recently picked up a refurbished Linotype. Got a very nice deal on it, and I am hoping to avoid some of your problems. Mostly I will be scanning colour transparency films, so with luck I might avoid moiré issues.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio

[sanking]

I'm back... yes, I'm using mylar over the film and scanning fluid... and yes, I did flipped and rotated negative, but it is, as I was told later by service guy, "normal" topaz's behavior in some circumstances... anyway, I'm back to scitex - it is much easier to mask the film and work without it's original frame than to struggle with moiré. tnx anyway

Why are you bothering with the Topaz when you have your own EverSmart Supreme, which is at least as good as the Topaz, if not better?

Sandy King

[Bruce Watson]

I'm back... yes, I'm using mylar over the film and scanning fluid... and yes, I did flipped and rotated negative, but it is, as I was told later by service guy, "normal" topaz's behavior in some circumstances... anyway, I'm back to scitex - it is much easier to mask the film and work without it's original frame than to struggle with moiré. tnx anyway

This is going to sound strange, but humor me. Did you clean the mylar before the scan? Drum cleaner to get rid of the excess scanning fluid, then film cleaner to get rid of the drum cleaner?

[Clueless Winddancing]

Was the film exposed and developed for "conventional" printing? If so, then there might be too much "meat" in the negative. Is the mylar used once only? In PS could an inverted mask be applied?

[Sylvester Graham]

That's quite a stable of pure-bred scanners you've got there!