Scanning in flatbed
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Yes and no...
Flatbed scanners that don't have film capability just aren't up to the task most of the time but here's a tricky solution that sometimes works but often doesn't:
Put the negative face down on the glass.
Put a piece of thin white tissue paper down on top of that. (Like the kind that clothes come wrapped inside of a gift box in.)
Place a mirror, shiny side down on top of that.
Scan normally.
Adjust in Photoshop. (Negative to Positive and/or color correction for orange masking layer in color negs.)
The rationale is that the mirror reflects the light from the scanning bar down, through the negative back to the sensor. The tissue paper acts as a diffuser to even out the light and to provide a white background.
Do be sure that the tissue is white and not colored or beige/natural color.
I have done this before and gotten acceptable results but it often requires more fiddling than it is worth. If you're only doing black and white negatives you can probably get away with it but, because color negatives have an orange background you'll spend so much time trying to compensate for it that it won't be worth it unless you can develop a preset.
Even so, you just won't get the kind of quality you are probably looking for. Flatbed scanners for film have internal software that knows how to read film. You'll be able to get "so-so" results but, to do it right you're just going to have to bite the bullet and buy a good scanner that can do film.
If you look around you can find a decent flatbed that will scan film for under $150.00 US.
Flatbed scanners that don't have film capability just aren't up to the task most of the time but here's a tricky solution that sometimes works but often doesn't:
Put the negative face down on the glass.
Put a piece of thin white tissue paper down on top of that. (Like the kind that clothes come wrapped inside of a gift box in.)
Place a mirror, shiny side down on top of that.
Scan normally.
Adjust in Photoshop. (Negative to Positive and/or color correction for orange masking layer in color negs.)
The rationale is that the mirror reflects the light from the scanning bar down, through the negative back to the sensor. The tissue paper acts as a diffuser to even out the light and to provide a white background.
Do be sure that the tissue is white and not colored or beige/natural color.
I have done this before and gotten acceptable results but it often requires more fiddling than it is worth. If you're only doing black and white negatives you can probably get away with it but, because color negatives have an orange background you'll spend so much time trying to compensate for it that it won't be worth it unless you can develop a preset.
Even so, you just won't get the kind of quality you are probably looking for. Flatbed scanners for film have internal software that knows how to read film. You'll be able to get "so-so" results but, to do it right you're just going to have to bite the bullet and buy a good scanner that can do film.
If you look around you can find a decent flatbed that will scan film for under $150.00 US.
Haven't done it in years. I got tired of doing things the half-fast way and bought myself a scanner that can do film.
Years ago, they used to make mirror box devices that would "convert" an ordinary flat bed scanner into a "film" scanner. They never really produced great results but would allow a quick and dirty scan when you needed one.
My idea for using the mirror was devised from seeing those devices. All they were was a mirror and a piece of white frosted Plexiglass inside a plastic box. You snapped the film into the clips and placed it on top of your scanner. I thought, "Why spend money on one of those boxes when I can make the same thing myself?"
I tried it and it worked. It wasn't great but it satisfied my curiosity.
Then I outgrew the capability of my "American Engineering" skills and I finally went out and bought a scanner with film capability. I haven't looked back since.
I think the first mirror I used was taken out of an old makeup compact.
Try using things you can find around the house first before you go spending money on a project that will produce fair results at best.
You sound like the kind of person who likes to experiment and try things. If you are like me you appreciate the learning experience and knowing how things work. That's why I'm suggesting this idea.
Years ago, they used to make mirror box devices that would "convert" an ordinary flat bed scanner into a "film" scanner. They never really produced great results but would allow a quick and dirty scan when you needed one.
My idea for using the mirror was devised from seeing those devices. All they were was a mirror and a piece of white frosted Plexiglass inside a plastic box. You snapped the film into the clips and placed it on top of your scanner. I thought, "Why spend money on one of those boxes when I can make the same thing myself?"
I tried it and it worked. It wasn't great but it satisfied my curiosity.
Then I outgrew the capability of my "American Engineering" skills and I finally went out and bought a scanner with film capability. I haven't looked back since.
I think the first mirror I used was taken out of an old makeup compact.
Try using things you can find around the house first before you go spending money on a project that will produce fair results at best.
You sound like the kind of person who likes to experiment and try things. If you are like me you appreciate the learning experience and knowing how things work. That's why I'm suggesting this idea.
for all practical intents and purposes no, because the light must come from behind the film and with documents from in front of the document.
searching on the net will show quickly the work done by hundreds (nay thousands) who have tried and either given up, realised it wasn't good enough, or were proud of their baby.
get a used Epson 3200 ... $100 or so well spent
Good advice, and there are other models that can be had cheaply and would be appropriate. I have no problem with homemade contraptions as long as they produce equivalent or better results. There is no useful experience to be gained playing with tissue paper and mirrors.
You're right. It is not the optimal solution. Better to get the right scanner and get good results easily.
I did say that, first thing out. I said it was a "tricky" solution that might not work well. It was clear, I believe, that this involved fiddling and I did say that it is best to get a scanner that is up to the job.
I thought I was clear about that but, maybe, I didn't phrase things well enough. I'll try better next time.
However, I don't think it's useless to experiment.
I used to sit in my spare time, tying knots in pieces of rope. People used to make fun when I said that I was practicing my Marlingspike. Then, there came a day when somebody asked me to bridle the loose end of a pipe on a fly line above the stage where I work. About three minutes later, I lashed a piece of wood to the pipe and made a king post truss. Nobody ever laughed again.
Maybe this mirror trick isn't going to save the day but it is experience gained that, even if it isn't directly put to use, can be used in conjunction with other knowledge.
I'm pretty sure, by the way he phrased his original question, that the O.P. knew his scanner was not the right tool for the job. But I am also pretty sure, by the way he wrote, that he is the kind of guy who is willing to seek knowledge for its own sake.
Absolutely! Buy a scanner that can scan film. Spend just $100 and you will have no more fiddling.
I did say that, first thing out. I said it was a "tricky" solution that might not work well. It was clear, I believe, that this involved fiddling and I did say that it is best to get a scanner that is up to the job.
I thought I was clear about that but, maybe, I didn't phrase things well enough. I'll try better next time.
However, I don't think it's useless to experiment.
I used to sit in my spare time, tying knots in pieces of rope. People used to make fun when I said that I was practicing my Marlingspike. Then, there came a day when somebody asked me to bridle the loose end of a pipe on a fly line above the stage where I work. About three minutes later, I lashed a piece of wood to the pipe and made a king post truss. Nobody ever laughed again.
Maybe this mirror trick isn't going to save the day but it is experience gained that, even if it isn't directly put to use, can be used in conjunction with other knowledge.
I'm pretty sure, by the way he phrased his original question, that the O.P. knew his scanner was not the right tool for the job. But I am also pretty sure, by the way he wrote, that he is the kind of guy who is willing to seek knowledge for its own sake.
Absolutely! Buy a scanner that can scan film. Spend just $100 and you will have no more fiddling.
I had 3 flatbed normal scanners and all of them are for documents with white cover, i tested on one of them even i had my V750 unopened box, i saw the result was bad bad bad, i didn't try to do any tricks more, i just opened the V750 box, and even with this scanner the results i am not very satisfied with, but i can't afford a film or drum scanner so i accept any result from this scanner, i know that those normal scanners will not be in same class of Epson and Canon film flatbed without white cover, so that i went with Epson and i didn't try to do some tricks with my scanners for film.
I will post the results in a separated thread as i am asking questions about the results, not sure if i should post the link for the thread here when i will create it.
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- Apr 12, 2010
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post a link here, so i can check it out
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