Scanning: Glass Negatives

[garyboudier]

Hi, can anyone help me concerning scanning Glass Negatives. I have a large quantity that I photographed with a digital camera in a light-box...and that worked to a degree. However, most of these are at least 6 x 4 inches and some are even larger. I have been trying to find a scanner that will do this for me but the majority seem to be set up for 35m film. HELP!

[xvvvz]

An Epson V700 or V750 would be your best bet.

Doug

[nspwis]

I've scanned glass plate negatives very successfully with an Epson V750 Pro. If you're using a different scanner, it needs to allow the light to shine through the negative (as for slides). The 750 has a setting for document type called "film (with film area guide)" -- this allows the scanner to scan film that is not a standard size. For film type, choose "black and white negative film". Put the glass plate negative on the scanner glass, emulsion side down. (Be careful, so you don't scratch the glass plate or the scanner glass.) Then pick the settings according to your project. I always scan in color at 24 bits and usually at 1200 dpi -- I've tried 48 bit but don't see much difference in detail captured at the higher bit depth. If the image has detail I'm trying to get a good look at (words on signs, details of buildings, etc) I might scan at 1800 or 2400 but, of course, be prepared for a really large file size at these numbers. Images from glass plates are a real treasure trove -- the amount of detail preserved in these old negatives is amazing -- in my opinion, they're the closest thing we can get to a "wayback" machine. Good luck with your project.
Nancy

[garyboudier]

Hi, thanks for the help regarding the Glass Negs, I am away on hols very soon but I think on my return I will have to get an Epson..
Gary

[Kraellin]

i would think you could also photograph the negatives and then simply do an inversion in your graphic editor.

[garyboudier]

Hi Craig, the problem with that is you sometimes get the camera lens reflected in the glass and they are not sharp. But thanks anyway. Gary

[Kraellin]

hi gary,

do a search on this site. there have been several threads about shooting negatives with a camera. i'm pretty sure you can do this effectively.