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  1. #1
    David Annis
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    Default A SCANNER IN THE WORKS

    My scanner isn't really up to the job of scanning old photo's so I'm looking for an all singing and dancing one. I have my eye on the, Epson Perfection 4490.
    It seems to tick all the boxes and a few more I have never heard of.
    But, and this is the but, I have a fair few negatives to explore.
    These are more your box brownie negs and not, as far as I know, have anything to do with 35mm, more 35 farthings.
    Can any of you photo tecs spot any problems scanning old negatives with the above and what if anything that will do the job.
    The scanner will still have to do the mundane stuff like scanning documents as well.
    Cheers.
    Dave.

  2. #2
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    Oct 2004
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    Kent
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    Default

    I've got an Epson Perfection - an earlier model than the one you're considering.

    I guess you could fashion a mask to hold the negative with a sheet of cardboard and pair of scissors.

    But (a big BUT), quite honestly, I doubt if the light source is physically wide enough to illuminate anything much bigger than a 35 mm neg. I think that would be a killer.

    Photographic magazines might be a good place to look for reviews of suitable scanners.

  3. #3
    Guest
    Guest

    Default

    Some of our scanners are Epson Perfection with transparancy adapter but Peter's point about old negatives being too large is a valid one.

    Having said that I have, in the past, successfully produced prints from black & white negatives using an "ordinary" flatbed scanner. The first requirement is for the machine to have a white inner surface to the lid (some only have black) and the second is for the scanner light to be sufficiently bright.

    If those two conditions are met it is possible to produce a scanned negative image. The third requirement then comes into play - that the photo processing software available is capable of producing a negative of an open image. If it does then where the image is already a negative, the result is a positive.

    Not sure how the process would work with a colour negative.

    Perhaps the thing to do is to take a negative into the shop and ask for a demonstration of the capabilities of the various scanners.

    Graham

  4. #4
    Colin Moretti
    Guest

    Default

    Some of the Perfection scanners handle larger negs, mine (2450 Photo) handles up to 4"x5" as well as film size 120 or 12 35 mm negs in 2 strips of 6.

    Colin

  5. #5
    David Annis
    Guest

    Default

    Well the 4490 proved to be a bit of expensive kit.
    So I have now purchased an Epson photo 350v.
    This seems to have most of the bells and pulleys on it, so we will see what wonders it can perform.
    Cheers.
    Dave.

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