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Thread ID: 22570 2002-07-24 21:58:00 Scanning of transparency types. Beavis (1193) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
64972 2002-07-24 21:58:00 My boss would like to begin to digitise all of his personal photo collection at home. Many of the standard series of scanner these days support 35mm negative with a transparency adapter but he is concerned about being able to scan older types of negatives and slides. In addition he already owns a basic flatbed scanner so really only requires the ability to scan his various types of negatives. Any hardware out there I should be looking at for him? Beavis (1193)
64973 2002-07-24 22:04:00 I don't know about add-on hardware, although photo shops sell sleeves that hold negatives, you could scan around a roll at a time.
I know the Cano-ScanD1250U2f comes with a film cradle thing, and isn't outrageously priced. An old scanner may not have the resolution to do it justice.
robo.
robo (205)
64974 2002-07-25 05:07:00 I assume he doesn't want perfect results (or, at least, doesn't want to pay what that would cost).

Some of the older HP scanners had an optional extra for transparency scanning (which was a light box which replaced the usual cover). That was fairly expensive, but it was still limited to the resolution of the scanner. The specially made ones for 35 mm films have a very high resolution so that you can get a suitable number of pixels in the small frame.

Bigger format negatives will be better (bigger frame, more pixels). He could try using a reflective "tent" of cardboard above the negative to reflect light through the negative. Do this in subdued light. It will take a bit of experimentation. The transparency adaptors manage to turn off the internal lamp, and illuminate from the other side. That's what you are trying to emulate.
Graham L (2)
64975 2002-07-25 06:04:00 There are 2 tent shaped boxes kicking round my desk at work - one for the old scanner, one for the new. Haven't seen it working or even the results of it but it appears, from what little I know, that the old one won't work with the new scanner.

Suggestion: Look at scanner brand and model and check out their website; ask at a computer or photo store.
Heather P (163)
64976 2002-07-27 03:42:00 I've just seen an advertisement for Canon scanners. The dual purpose ones appear to have a mirror on the inside of the platen. You could try a mirror tile to get the maximum reflected light. Graham L (2)
64977 2002-07-27 03:54:00 I looked at a top of the line caoon scanner for 35mm only (not flatbed)
and it could scan at 10mega-pixels

it was about $2000.
robsonde (120)
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