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Thread: Can I scan my 5x7 negative on a flat bed scanner?

  1. #1
    Ironage's Avatar
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    Can I scan my 5x7 negative on a flat bed scanner?

    I have an HP all in one printer scanner, and am using a Mac computer. Can I use this to scan my 5x7 negatives? My software is Photos. My hunch is that it might be possible, but I have never tried it.

  2. #2
    8x10, 5x7, 4x5, et al Leigh's Avatar
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    Re: Can I scan my 5x7 negative on a flat bed scanner?

    To scan a negative (or transparency) "properly" requires a light source above the film, shining through it.
    I use an Epson 750 scanner, which has a second light source above the film for such use.

    If you use a light source below with a reflector above, you double the density of the film because the light goes through a point once, then is reflected back through the same point. That's likely not desirable.

    - Leigh
    If you believe you can, or you believe you can't... you're right.

  3. #3
    multiplex
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    Re: Can I scan my 5x7 negative on a flat bed scanner?

    hi ironage

    how thin is your film ... ?
    your results won't be as good
    as with a transparency backlight-adapter-lid
    but you can put a sheet of paper
    ontop of your negative and the film right
    against the glass.
    go to your printer's driver and
    scan the film as if you were scanning a print or
    whatever ... your problem might not be so much
    you can't scan the image but its a PITA to invert the negative
    once you scan it !
    if you poke around the internets some sources say to open the "photos" ( or maybe its "preview" ?)
    levels dialog box and slide the white and black points
    under the curve to opposite sides of the curve .. it really doesn't work well...
    what you are going to want to do is get PS lite / or pixelmator so you can invert and fiddle around
    with your poorlyscanned negatives i only joke when i say poorlyscanned because i sometimes
    scan a sheet of film like that and it comes out fine for my tastes ... but if you are
    a hard core film user who has to do stuff the way "it should be / has to be done"
    you probably will want a scanner that will backlight your negative ...

    have fun !

  4. #4

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    Re: Can I scan my 5x7 negative on a flat bed scanner?

    Of course any scanner that can scan 8x10 film can scan 5x7.

    But if it's helpful, I have an ancient 4870, and by making my own holder, I've scanned 5x7's. A 4990 is also a good candidate, which is almost as good as the current Epson scanners.

  5. #5
    Ironage's Avatar
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    Re: Can I scan my 5x7 negative on a flat bed scanner?

    OK, just brain storming here. I have a old Zone VI 5x7 enlarger cold light. If I were to set it over the negative with the scanner lid open, would that be sufficient, or will the light source from the scanner foul things up?

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    Re: Can I scan my 5x7 negative on a flat bed scanner?

    [QUOTE=jnanian;1467726]your problem might not be so much you can't scan the image but its a PITA to invert the negative
    once you scan it /QUOTE]

    Don't understand the PITA comment - I scan using a flat bed scanner and save to a folder . Opening the image [*.tiff or whatever] - in PS allows me to manipulate the image and invert it without any problems. [albeit I'm working with paper negatives and not film -- however the PITA remark is erroneous]

    regards
    Tony

  7. #7
    multiplex
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    Re: Can I scan my 5x7 negative on a flat bed scanner?

    Quote Originally Posted by tonyowen View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by jnanian View Post
    your problem might not be so much you can't scan the image but its a PITA to invert the negative
    once you scan it /QUOTE]

    Don't understand the PITA comment - I scan using a flat bed scanner and save to a folder . Opening the image [*.tiff or whatever] - in PS allows me to manipulate the image and invert it without any problems. [albeit I'm working with paper negatives and not film -- however the PITA remark is erroneous]

    Tony
    sorry for the confusion tony,
    yes obviously with photoshop ( PS? ) it is a piece of cake, that's photoshop
    not "freeware" .... "photos" will not allow him to invert, but on a good day
    if the planets are aligned ... he can do it it "preview"
    as i mentioned and it is a pain because it doesnt' work well... and i have done it and
    it didnt' invert the image at all. it was a waste of time.

    "Invert in Preview To invert the image, simply move the Black Level slider all the way to the right,
    and the White Level slider all the way to the left. You can play with various levels of color inversion, too,
    by varying how much you move each slider.

    Jul 31, 2009 >> Use Preview in 10.5 to invert colors | Macworld
    https://www.macworld.com/article/114...iewinvert.html
    ironage: some scanning software allows you to invert when you scan it... i can't remember
    maybe vuescan lets you do that ? maybe its epsonscan? i can't remember cause i never do it...
    maybe your software will let you do it ... if it was me i'd shell out the 30 or 50$ and get a cheep
    app that works well and will let you edit your photos hassel free...
    have fun!

  8. #8

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    Re: Can I scan my 5x7 negative on a flat bed scanner?

    [QUOTE=jnanian;1467814]
    Quote Originally Posted by tonyowen View Post
    .... "photos"
    Sorry.my error I did not read the OP's posting fully.
    ps - never heard of 'photos'
    regards
    Tony

  9. #9
    multiplex
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    Re: Can I scan my 5x7 negative on a flat bed scanner?

    hi tony

    no worries .. photos is the in-computer, in-phone image sorting
    and bare bones editing software apple uses ... i agree PS makes
    everything seem easy 40 mins of retouching with lead boiled down to like 3 seconds ..

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