Processing of QL film and the cost of scanning

[Thingy]

I visited Teamwork in London earlier this week and stayed longer than expected and left considerably the wiser. After taking the opportunity to actually examine an Ebony 4x5 inch field camera I fell in love with Ebony cameras immediately ) I asked about getting 4x5 QL film scanned by the processor and was rather shocked to learn that the price ranges from £30 for a basic scan to £80 for a hires scan (using the Hassleblad £12K scanner?) PER NEGATIVE!

It is possible to get scan done cheaper? ...or does insolvency beckon?

My sister's Nikon scanner will scan up to 2x3 inch negatives but no bigger.

[alangolding]

I think the price you have been given is too high. I can get a scan to produce about 80mb from a 4x5 QL Velvia for £15 from my local Pro Lab. Better still get an Epson V750 PRO for about £500 and do it all yourself. In the end it is worth the outlay.

[dennis]

First thing to ask yourself is what you want to do with the scan. For poster size prints, OK you'll need a big scan, but for most purposes, including publication, a much more manageable scan is OK & can be done at home using one of the Epson scanners. My (now elderly!) 4990 works fine for all trans/negs from 35 mm to 8 x 10. Go for it. Dennis.

[Joanna Carter]

I visited Teamwork in London earlier this week and stayed longer than expected and left considerably the wiser.

You mad impetuous fool!

After taking the opportunity to actually examine an Ebony 4x5 inch field camera I fell in love with Ebony cameras immediately )

You see, I told you not to play with the toys

I asked about getting 4x5 QL film scanned by the processor and was rather shocked to learn that the price ranges from £30 for a basic scan to £80 for a hires scan (using the Hassleblad £12K scanner?) PER NEGATIVE!

I would concur with Alan, on all counts. If you rely on labs in central London then, yes, I would expect high prices but, if you are prepared to send your work further afield, you will be able to reduce your costs.

I use Leach Colour in Huddersfield; their developing can go as low as £1.30 per sheet for E6 when sending in 20 sheets or more, around £1.80 per sheet for singles. They also do scanning but I don't have their prices to hand.

I would also agree that it is cheaper in the long run to get an Epson V700 scanner, possibly going to the added expense of getting a decent 4x5 film holder from betterscanning.com (the Epson one is rubbish).

Unless you require exceptional quality, very high res scans then I have been able to get perfectly acceptable 40"x32" lightjet prints at 300dpi from the Epson scanners. The only caveat is that you avoid underexposing as shadows are a little harder to scan for detail than on a drum scanner.

BTW, Quickload film is no different from conventional, the only difference is that top and tail pieces are glued to the sheet to allow its use in the QL holder mechanism. I regularly develop my own B&W QLs without any problems.

[Thingy]

I will take Alan's advice. Could you please tell me what the difference is between the Epson V700 & V750, apart from the price and faster scanning speed? ....Or is that it?

Joanna, you're signature is sooooo right: Stroking an Ebony is very reassuring. Why have pets when you can caress an Ebony?

[Joanna Carter]

I will take Alan's advice. Could you please tell me what the difference is between the Epson V700 & V750, apart from the price and faster scanning speed? ....Or is that it?

Well, the V750 also comes with Silverfast scanning software and Monaco EZ-Color profiling software. But, I found that Epson's own scanning software is easier to use is perfectly adequate and that it was cheaper to buy the Monaco EZ-Color software separately (with included colorimeter) to allow me to not only profile the scanner but also the screen and printer.

Also, the price difference was meant to include a wet mounting station (at least for the US market) but that is not the case for the UK version, thus, IMO, not being sufficient to justify the extra cost. I eventually bought the Better Scanning holder for my V700 and felt that was a better value for my money

Joanna, you're signature is sooooo right: Stroking an Ebony is very reassuring. Why have pets when you can caress an Ebony?

Yes, I like being able to take it gently apart, clean it, oil the wood, feed the leather bellows and lovingly polish..... <err, perhaps I'd better stop there >

[Paul Mitchell]

Yes, I like being able to take it gently apart, clean it, oil the wood, feed the leather bellows and lovingly polish..... <err, perhaps I'd better stop there >

Tut tut, where are the moderators when you need them

[Joanna Carter]

Tut tut, where are the moderators when you need them

Well, this moderator is off to France for the next four weeks so, as internet access is quite difficult where we will be, I'll leave you in the capable hands of my colleagues. Au revoir.

[buze]

As far as film holders go, I've now tossed all the Epson 4990 scanning holders into the trash and use a nice pane of very finely frosted glass from my local glass shop.

Frosted side down, I made 4 'feets' for the glass pane using layers of paper until I reached my favourite focus on thr scanner. I glued them when I reached the sweet spot.

To scan I tape my film(s) on the underside, with the emulsion facing the scanner (down). The frosted glass prevents any newton rings, and most films have a natural curve that will hold them in perfect contact with the glass.

With that method worth £5 I achieve sharpness that I haven't seen before out of that scanner.

[Thingy]

As far as film holders go, I've now tossed all the Epson 4990 scanning holders into the trash and use a nice pane of very finely frosted glass from my local glass shop.

Frosted side down, I made 4 'feets' for the glass pane using layers of paper until I reached my favourite focus on thr scanner. I glued them when I reached the sweet spot.

To scan I tape my film(s) on the underside, with the emulsion facing the scanner (down). The frosted glass prevents any newton rings, and most films have a natural curve that will hold them in perfect contact with the glass.

With that method worth £5 I achieve sharpness that I haven't seen before out of that scanner.

Ah, the traditional Heath-Robinson approach!

[Paul Mitchell]

As far as film holders go, I've now tossed all the Epson 4990 scanning holders into the trash and use a nice pane of very finely frosted glass from my local glass shop.

Frosted side down, I made 4 'feets' for the glass pane using layers of paper until I reached my favourite focus on thr scanner. I glued them when I reached the sweet spot.

To scan I tape my film(s) on the underside, with the emulsion facing the scanner (down). The frosted glass prevents any newton rings, and most films have a natural curve that will hold them in perfect contact with the glass.

With that method worth £5 I achieve sharpness that I haven't seen before out of that scanner.

Ah, the traditional Heath-Robinson approach!

I've seen the results... it really does work!

[Thingy]

As far as film holders go, I've now tossed all the Epson 4990 scanning holders into the trash and use a nice pane of very finely frosted glass from my local glass shop.

Frosted side down, I made 4 'feets' for the glass pane using layers of paper until I reached my favourite focus on thr scanner. I glued them when I reached the sweet spot.

To scan I tape my film(s) on the underside, with the emulsion facing the scanner (down). The frosted glass prevents any newton rings, and most films have a natural curve that will hold them in perfect contact with the glass.

With that method worth £5 I achieve sharpness that I haven't seen before out of that scanner.

Ah, the traditional Heath-Robinson approach!

I've seen the results... it really does work!

I'm sure it does. I have no problems with a Heath Robinson approach - I've used it in microscopy for years with my ancient (pre WW2) microscope and it's Cooke and Leitz objectives.

[timparkin]

You might be interested in a scanner comparison I did between an Imacon, an Epson v750 and a Howtek drum scanner..

http://blog.timparkin.co.uk/2008/08/sca ... on-vs.html

The results were interesting.. My conclusion was that for most trannies and for prints under 20x24 then you can get away with the Epson. For challenging trannies (lots of shadow detail, strong contrast edges) then it's worth sending off for an Imacon or a drum scan if you want to print BIG.

Tim

[DJ]

Could you please tell me what the difference is between the Epson V700 & V750, apart from the price and faster scanning speed? ....Or is that it?

The Epson V750 has Silverfast Ai full version, and Monaco EZ Colour profiling software and an IT8 calibration/profiling target, as Joanna suggests.

It also has the Epson Wet-Mount adaptor, although you don't get it in the box, you have to ask Epson to send it to you.

Also, the V750 has a better lens than the V700, some special anti reflection bit to it or something which minimises internal reflections inside the lens.

Silverfast is very odd software, it has an appalling interface of meaningless heiroglyphics, and the support is non-existent. However, it is very very good at what it does, and once you know what the heiroglyphics are, you can use it quickly and painlessly and it's not a big problem.

[Thingy]

Thanks for all your excellent advice. I think I would prefer to pay a bit extra and get better scanner optics, so I'll probably go for the V750 and use a sheet of frosted glass to facilitate scanning. I just need to financially recover from buying my new Gitzo tripod!