Scanning FILM to the Outer Limits

[@lephotographinc]

SO HAPPY I CAME ACROSS YOUR CHANNEL. THANKS A MILLION.

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Awesome!

[@ezpoppy55]

Another well Invested 13.5 minutes of time spent listening to your thoughts. Love the little graphic asides - key to understanding the nuances of what you’re discussing.

[@Being_Joe]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I have a v700 for 120 film. I picked out the wet mount kit but have not gotten the fluid yet.

[@jw48335]

Cropping the GFX100 400mp composite is perfect for 4x5, at least for Delta 100 and Portra 160. That was a rental camera for testing. The 16bit raw files are crazy good, and the grain looked great. For 35mm to avoid Bayer mangling of the film grain, I use a cheap Pentax K70 in composite with amazing results. The Pentax compositing shot pattern is apparently designed to neutralize the Bayer pattern, and it truly does. I use it with a Valoi Easy35 and the duster attachment. Based on a USAF1951 frame test, I'm at a real resolution of 3900ppi Pentax vs 2700ppi for the V850. Far superior dynamic range for the Pentax. If I need more I upscale in Gigapixel AI. Avoid Olympus, Panasonic, and Sony compositing for film digitization. Olympus especially was terrible on the grain and had artifacting. I want to rent the Pentax K3iii Monochrome next. I am unsure if it even has a composite mode. Even if it doesn't, I want to compare the single frame results from that camera vs the composite K70. I tested the Sony A7R4 composite scanning too. One of my test negatives was an Adox CMS 20 II frame, from a Sigma Art 105mm (220lp/mm) taking lens. I got roughly 80mp of data out of that negative 😂 Too much time on my hands during covid.

[@michaeltaylor3835]

Just bought a GFX100 (have adapter and Phase One 120/4 Macro). What are your GFX100 settings and overall setup/workflow? m:)

[@chriscard6544]

On my Epson 850, I removed the plastic layer of the film holder and it improved my scans. With FP4+ film in 4x5 I can really scan high res, but for a 6x6 tmax-400 I reduce the resolution else it's ugly in the shadows

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Yes- the Epson is good for 120 and 4x5 but in my opinion just ok for 35mm

[@chriscard6544]

@@FIGITALREVOLUTION I dont shoot 35mm anymore

[@wizzyew]

Thank you for your scanning technics!! So useful!! I know that the better way to see photo is to print it via enlarger, but sometimes I have to sent photos to magazine of to my wife )) Thanks for your videos!!!

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

The enlarger is good and handles the grain very differently.

[@jw48335]

It's interesting that my tuned V850 got 2740 ppi in testing. I never realized that was higher than the Imacon. I found Gigapixel AI to be the best upsample option. I still use the V850 for large format. For 135 and 120, I did crazy extensive testing with Fuji GFX, Olympus, and Sony composite modes. Ultimately the Bayer sensors distorted the grain. The only one that did not distort the grain was Pentax. The composite mode on Pentax does some sort of black magic that it accurately accounts for de-mosaic when it does the sensor shift. Now I use Pentax with the Easy35 from Valoi and the Blackscale labs for medium format. I run the film through a Kinetronics Staticvac which eliminates the dust, and I use Negmaster for the inversion since that works better than NLP. I upscale if needed with Gigapixel AI. It's funny - I prefer the 36mpx composite from the Pentax over the GFX100 or A7R4. It's all about the grain and dynamic range 😁

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

There is definitely only so much needed resolution and beyond just makes more issues.

[@NoosaHeads]

May I ask what is the name and model of your critical focus magnifier.

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

It’s a Toyo Ground Glass Magnifier

[@NoosaHeads]

@@FIGITALREVOLUTION Thank you.

[@minisla]

Just a question on how big do you need to print. Curious as to why you need to scan at such a high ppi...

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

A lot depends on what you are looking for- my work is quite large and artworks from 7 feet wide to 30 feet wide are normal. Also depends on resolving power of the film and the detail needed but that also brings into play the printer and paper -- I always scan at the max and just dump what I don’t need as I never want to have to re scan.

[@jdefritter]

With a subject like yours, how can you go wrong?

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Yes indeed.

[@CP23798]

I can't afford an Imacon, but I have an Epson V700. How would you scan 4x5 on the Epson?

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

There are holder and to be honest it does a pretty decent job- just don’t scan above 2400dpi- 1800 would be even better on that scanner

[@CBSDailyBread]

Excellent and valuable information. I love your logical approach and thought process. You are very thorough and clear. Bravo to you. It would be very interesting for you to compare your scans to a pixel-shift scan of something like a Fuji GFX 100S or 100II. A friend of mine is scanning that way and I was blown away at the quality compared to my Howtek 4K scans. I would love to learn about your thoughts on this.

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

It is on my list for this spring

[@BillPutnamPhoto]

All of this made sense but have two questions: oil scanning is the same as fluid scanning right? and do you need to clean the negs after that process? Thanks again, man!

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Yep it’s the same and if you are using proper mounting fluid it dries instantly and clean like negative cleaning fluid so no clean up needed.

[@BillPutnamPhoto]

@@FIGITALREVOLUTION appreciate that!

[@ruudmaas2480]

I would like to see the difference between a scan of the v850 or imacon and a 24mp camera with a good macro lens. The more mp the more the grain will be visable. I photograph my 4x5 negatives with a 26mp apsc camera XT3 and the 65mm Loawa lens and the grain of fomapan 200 and fopan 400 is realy fine at 100%. The image consist of 3 images stiched.

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

I have other videos where I show the difference between the V750 and the Imacon- the oil mount and the tension of the Imacon keeps the film very very flat.

[@seanconnors9912]

What DPI do you think modern day Polaroid needs to be scanned in at? My 300 DPI scanner doesn't cut it. I think it needs to be 800+ DPI. What about Time Zero? 1200 DPI?

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

A solid 1200 should be plenty.

[@jw48335]

Make sure to use ANR glass, or better yet, suspend it above the glass in a holder. Brooklyn Camera used to sell them.

[@seanconnors9912]

@@jw48335 I'm less concerned about Newton rings that I am about getting a non-pixelated scan. I guess if I had a higher DPI, then I might notice the Newton rings

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

ANR glass will not always help with Newton Rings on Polaroid- suspension is the best option or a glass less scannet

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

1200 will be all you need and suspension is the best option and any glass to include ANR can cause newton rings on Polaroid

[@synlfo7828]

IMy friend has a drum scanner and I have a phase iHX 150. The phase just gives better captures full stop. Even at 1200 for 4x5. I can scan a single 4x5 at 3000DPi WHcih is overkill and would give me file sizes that would be completely stupid for archiving. Zoomed in at 1000 percent text is still visible and completely readable. Pretty amazing. Generally for clients that wish to archive images for future use i would do 4x5 at 1200DPI. It falls in line with FADDGi standards. The Phase is amazing but theres the offset of a huge hardware cost.

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Yep-- I purchased by Imacon new for a fraction of the cost they ended up selling for-

[@synlfo7828]

@@FIGITALREVOLUTION they are great. I used them back at university for my work. Surprisingly Still expensive. I feel drum scanners give more depth but then you have to deal with wet scanning and drying times

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Yeah I’ve had some proper drum scans done and if the operator knows what they are doing it is great- a lot depends on the operator. The Imacon has worked for me for a very long time and it’s crazy how much they have held their value especially with Hasselblad throwing the owners under the bus by not supporting them anymore for upgrades-I have an old Mac just for it!

[@chrisloomis1489]

I am so Lost .... in all of this. 🤔

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Hmmm-- there are a series of articles on scanning here on FR that will help with basics if needed.