Scanning old-ish negatives

I am asking for a friend and the object of the exercise seems to be to
scan in old negatives ( unsure if they are colour or b/w) to fiddle a bit
and produce a sheet of small images.

Tickettyboo...

pmj...

One thing to bear in mind, is that producing a Sheet of *small*
Images will be different from trying to Produce larger Prints of
individual Images.

When Printing out Images, the Resolution that they are Scanned it,
will be the limiting factor in how big they can be Printed out.

atm they have a couple of flatbed scanners ( not sure if the newer one
doesn't have slide scanning)

Ok, so is it possible?

pmj...

Yes.

Would it involve a great deal of fiddling? Would they need specialist

pmj...

Not really...

But, as usual, with this sort of thing, what one person things of
as being "a great deal of fiddling" (& thus hardly worth the effort),
another person would think of as being all just part of doing stuff
like that.

pmj...

Nope, not necessarily...

A Scanner that already comes with a Slide Attachment thingy can be
used for Scanning Negatives perfectly well - all you have to do
(after Scanning them) is to use some kind of Image Editing Program
such as PaintShop Pro or IrfanView (or the Slide Scanner's own Utility
Software) to Convert the Negatives back to "Positive" Images - you may
also need to fiddle around with the "Levels" & stuff, to get them to
look OK.

But a lot will depend on whether the Scanner *oses* actually come
with a Transpaency (Slide) Attachment thingy.

To Scan *any* sort of Slide - whether normal (Positive) Slides/
Transpencies or Negatives, requires the Light (in the Scanner)
to be shone *through* the Slide - most normal Scanners simply use
Light which is *Reflected* from the surface of the object being
Scanned.
That won't work for Slides (Transparencies or Negatives)

It *is* actually perfectly possible, with many normal Scanners
(provided they do use an actual Light Source & not the newer type
of LCD things) to make a sort of (Heath Robinson type) "Tent" thingy,
out of White Card (or Foil) so that the Light goes around the Slide
& then up onto the "Tent" (Reflector) & is then reflected back down
*through* the Slide. - That's, basically what a Slide Adapter" thingy
does, when the scanner comes with one.

Have a look at the ScanTips.com Website...

That Site is *well* worth Reading, for anybody who is about to Scan
a load of things (Negatives or whatever), cos it really does pay to
make sure to get the basics right, such as using the right Resolution
& Setting the "Levels" etc, - once a Scan has been done, missing Detail
can't be added back in - no matter what kind of fancy Image Editing
Software is used.

& he has suggestions for how to handle Transparencies, Slides
& Negatives & also has Links to other Sites, some of which have
details of how to make your own Slide Adaptor for an ordinary Scanner.

& it has Information about how to use (& make the best use of)
the Software (Twain Interface & Image Editing Utilities etc), that
comes with the Scanner - He has Info on several typical makes of
Scanner - HP, Canon, Epson, Umax etc.

equipment?

Would they try asking another friend instead of thinking Boo knows all cos
she has a poota?

pmj...

Well, anybody who has a Computer has the means to find out about
stuff they don't know about, don't they?
:-)

So, since *you* have a Computer, you are as good a person to ask
as anybody, for them!
:-)

Maybe you could Help them, also by showing them & explaining how
*they* can also (since they have a Computer) find out that sort of
Information for themselves?
:-)

Any info really appreciated, will look in here over the weekend and next
week to see if anyone can advise.
ta!

MCC...

It certainly is possible, Boo.
My HP ScanJet 4070 Photosmart scanner can scan colour or monochrome
negatives and slides (transparencies).
Whatever scanner you use it must have the capability of shining light
*through* the slide or negative, usually from a gadget in the lid.
The software that came with my scanner does all the necessary changing from
negative to positive and enlarging to about 6x4" for printing.
It does what it says on the label :-)

Aries...

Ditto with my Epson photosmart although I have only ever used it for an old
colour transparency once.

Tickettyboo...

Cheers Mike, if one of the scanners they have has that facility then
sounds like things will be tickettyboo, if not I have just read on the web
that its possible to have a go on a flatbed scanner long as the inside
cover is white ( or use some white card) May try that if they aint got the
posh sort like you :-)

MCC...

That *might* work. Tell them to give it a go. They have got nothing to
lose! The only problem then would be converting from negative to positive.
But any decent image manipulation software should be able to do that. Have
a google for Paint.NET (sic) if they are stuck.

mothy...

Using the scanner like that is using it in reflective mode. That is the
way that all basic scanning is done. What you need for negatives is to
shine the light through them, transmission mode. That involves having a
light above the subject rather than below it as in reflective scanning.
This light can be contained in the lid or with an adapter to provide the
light and negative / slide carrier.

You get a sort of picture in reflective mode and if the object of the
exercise is to make a contact print to identify what is on the negative
it may be good enough. It wont be good enough to produce a quality print.

I've just tried it with my scanner and the results are pretty dire with
a colour or greyscale negative and you would get most unsatisfactory
results if the picture was to be printed.

pmj...

I dunno when you'll get to see this Reply, but I hope some of it Helps.

home...

Just tried that with some old slides , but didn't work for me I put white
paper on top !!
but can not get light in the lid . Would have been good if it had worked

BunnyHare...

Bring the slides with you next time you visit and we can use my Epson
Perfection which scans slides

;-)))