Scanners: Glass Negatives with a Cano Scan 8800F

[ibovnu]

I'm trying to scan 4X3 glass negatives but the inserts for my Cano scan 8800F are not big enough to fit the entire plate for a total scan (crops the sides off but the quality is great). I have tried many ways to alter the scanner settings so that I don't have to use the film inserts with no success (it won't allow me to scan without an insert on the film setting). If I change the setting to document and use photoshop to invert and change the levels the quality just isn't there. Other than buying a new scanner, any ideas? Thanks ...

[Mike]

Hopefully we are talking about the same thing!

In my old scanner there where inserts(?) that went around the film negative so the scanner would only see the image and not the rest of the scanner. If that is what you are talking about, I took a piece of thin but opaque cardboard and made a new insert of the correct size to fit the negatives I wanted to scan. Seemed to work OK.

If you have an insert that is bigger than your negatives, use the cardboard to mask down the unwanted area.

Hope this helps!

[ibovnu]

Yes, same thing and that should work, i will try it ... thank you very much!

[Steve13]

The insert on my canon has a small window below the film window that it uses for calibration. You cannot cover that area or it won't scan. And obviously, making the window larger than the backlight in the lid won't help either.

[ibovnu]

Thanks Steve13, I've tried making a "slide barrier" with poster board but it scans in 6 sections. Still trying ...

[Tony W]

Are you sure that the negative scanner part in the lid will actually cover the plate size as it is 31/4"x41/4"?

You will be limited by the width of the scanning window and I suspect that it may not be enough to cover the narrowest width of your glass negatives and still give even illumination.

While I do not have the Canon model I do have an Epson which is limited by design to 21/4" max. to do larger sizes would require more money to be spent on the next model up - could it be the same with your scanner

This may be of interest
http://www.flickr.com/photos/amfyasin/4039081832/

[ibovnu]

It is 3 1/4 wide. I made a frame from poster board to contain the glass negative and it did scan but it came up with 6 images.

[ibovnu]

and Tony W, thank you for the link.

[Tony W]

6 images sounds like it may be an incorrect software setting prior to scanning. Maybe set to look for 6 x 35mm for instance? If you can i.e. software allows, select a custom size prior to your scan

[ibovnu]

Doesn't give me a choice, wish it did.

[Tony W]

Perhaps consider other software? A good one IMO is Vuescan http://www.hamrick.com/ you can download a trial copy and if it works you can register and pay for the unlock code.

EDIT: Not familiar with the scanning software for the Canon however it is surprising that you cannot select an individual frame. When you say you get 6 do you mean the same image repeated or one image with 5 blank frames?
Usually after a scan or preview scan you should be able to select the area you want. See if there is a select preview function and if you can drag a box around the area of interest

[ibovnu]

I get 6 different areas of the negative, kinda weird but I probably could stitch them all together. I have about 3000 ~ 4X3 glass and film negatives. I guess I will have to buy a good scanner that WILL scan 4X3's, any suggestions?

[Tony W]

For me at least stitching 3000 images together would be a non starter

If you cannot find any tricks in your software to get what you want then how about going with my suggestion and trying the demo version of Vuescan. At least it is no cost initially to see if your scanner can do what you want with the plate size. I know that you will be able to scan and select just the area you want with this software.

If you do feel the need to purchase a new scanner there are many that will do the job. My preference at this time would be the Epson range v750 v700 or v600 (assume that these are still current). You will also need to double check that your selection enables you to scan the plates fully. I also find that the Epson software is quite adequate although if you want the best then once again look at Vuescan or even Silversoft offerings.

[ibovnu]

Thanks Tony .. I will try Vuescan and research 4x3 scanners this weekend.

[nobby1961]

I am wondering, a year after the last post on this subject, has anyone solved the problem? I am looking to buy a flatbed scanner which I am able to scan several 3" X 4" glass negatives plus also the more usual 35mm film and carded slides. I was looking at the Canon 9000f. Can anyone advise me please.

[Tony W]

AFAIK the Canon will only scan up to 120 film size (2.25" wide) in a strip so you will be missing 3/4" unless you scan and stitch the strips together.

To accept the larger film sizes you will need to look at more expensive models such as the Epson V700 or 750 which have a transparency area of up to 8x10".

Do not be thrown by the specification either as the quoted ppi figures do not actually represent what these flatbeds are capable of resolving, although the pixel count will be correct. Typically you need to reduce the non interpolated figures down by anything up to 60% e.g. Epson V750 quoted as 6400ppi is only actually able to resolve detail at 2300ppi.

[jamesblackler]

Originally Posted by nobby1961

I am wondering, a year after the last post on this subject, has anyone solved the problem? I am looking to buy a flatbed scanner which I am able to scan several 3" X 4" glass negatives plus also the more usual 35mm film and carded slides. I was looking at the Canon 9000f. Can anyone advise me please.

It is possible to scan any negatives with Canon 8800F without the templates. Just lay the negatives on the glass (obviously under the upper light source strip) and use the Canon Scangear scanner driver software (MP Navigator Ex - Film then check the box on the left just above the big "Scan" button "use scanner driver").

Set your resolution, negative film etc then do your prescan. When the message comes "can't detect film" or whatever, click the symbol very top left (a sort of film and frame icon). This just gives you the raw picture of the light strip with the film as blank shadow on it. Probably with a small selection field hovering somewhere. When you draw a selection field in the area where the film is, suddenly the picture will appear. Don't select outside the picture, that makes the exposure go funny.

I find the Canon software extremely good, extremely versatile, presumably the 9000 is equally so. Photoshop Elements also integrates the Canon driver no problem and can save 48 bit color scans. Scanvue is OK and can also do 48 Bit colour scans. The Canon driver obviously supports that but the MP Navigator software apparently cannot save 48 bit scans. I hate Silverfast.