Article on scanning large format

hsandler · Jul 20, 2018

I've written an article in Graflex Journal about my hybrid workflow when doing portraits with a Crown Graphic 4x5. Perhaps the section on scanning workflow is of some interest.

http://www.graflex.org/journal/journal-2018-02.pdf

Trask · Jul 20, 2018

Thank you for sharing this interesting article with us. While I don’t shoot 4X5, I have many Polaroid 665 negatives 3 1/4X4 1/4 that I want to scan, so your technique of taping the negative to the AN glass is interesting. Do you not find that the scanner may “read” the AN surface through the negative, in some manner, creating a bit of false grain in the image, especially in clear areas of the negative? Also, what tape do you use? Thanks again.

shutterfinger · Jul 20, 2018

Trask said:
Also, what tape do you use? Thanks again

I've been using Blue Painters Tape for years, leaves no residue.
The newer painters tape should work well also.
Scotch Magic Transparent Tape is a PITA to remove and leaves a residue as does Scotch Wall Safe Tape although its easier to remove.

hsandler · Jul 20, 2018

Trask said:
Thank you for sharing this interesting article with us. While I don’t shoot 4X5, I have many Polaroid 665 negatives 3 1/4X4 1/4 that I want to scan, so your technique of taping the negative to the AN glass is interesting. Do you not find that the scanner may “read” the AN surface through the negative, in some manner, creating a bit of false grain in the image, especially in clear areas of the negative? Also, what tape do you use? Thanks again.

Good questions. No, the ANR glass is on the side away from the scanning lens, and since it's transparent and backlit, it only diffuses the angle of arrival of the light rays bit, perhaps similar to a diffuser enlarger compared to a condensor enlarger, but does not seem to add grain or texture. I find ordinary masking tape is fine, and a bit of lighter fluid dissolves any residue.

hoffy · Jul 20, 2018

Excellent write up. Quite similar to how I scan 120 and 35 mm. I'm still using the default holder, though for 4*5

Trask · Jul 20, 2018

Another question occurs to me: where did you find a large sheet of AN glass for sale?

Poisson Du Jour · Jul 20, 2018

A good read and insight into individual methodology.
Years ago I almost ended up being gifted a Graflex. I declined because at the time I had left darkroom practice in the small country town where I lived at the time.

I do not rely on sharpening to reveal dust; it is cleaned up with narrow-radius pattern clone), with magnification at 300% to 400% and manual de-spotting. As you can imagine, there is a lot of movement across the screen, but generally the "bugs" are very, very minimal. Sharpening applies most often to desktop scanners with very high variability; it is not often employed with drum scanners e.g. the Hasselblad Flextight, but that's another kettle of beans entirely!

shutterfinger · Jul 20, 2018

Trask said:
Another question occurs to me: where did you find a large sheet of AN glass for sale?

Another instance of where one's location in their profile would help direct that member to better information.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=antineuton+ring+glass&_sacat=0
http://www.fpointinc.com/glass.htm

hsandler · Jul 20, 2018

Trask said:
Another question occurs to me: where did you find a large sheet of AN glass for sale?

I don't know, as the sheet I use for large format was purchased with the scanner. It is thinner than the ANR sheet I use for medium format, which was purchased from betterscanning.com. I have read about people using ordinary anti-glare framing glass. Perhaps you could try that first.

Mick Fagan · Jul 21, 2018

Very interesting read, thank you.

Mick.

Trask · Jul 21, 2018

shutterfinger said:
Another instance of where one's location in their profile would help direct that member to better information.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=antineuton+ring+glass&_sacat=0
http://www.fpointinc.com/glass.htm

You’re right of course, I should change my profile. Since 2005 I’ve lived in Amman, Jordan; Paris, France; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; northern Virginia USA; Islamabad, Pakistan; Paris, France again and northern Virginia again to this day. So in those years I didn’t want to be changing my profile every couple of years!

shutterfinger · Jul 21, 2018

Trask said:
Since 2005 I’ve lived in Amman, Jordan; Paris, France; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; northern Virginia USA; Islamabad, Pakistan; Paris, France again and northern Virginia again to this day

It should read Globe(al) Hopper.

Article on scanning large format

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