Keeping
your
negatives fl at
Flatbed scanners come with
holders for most fi lm formats
but keeping your negatives fl at
when scanning with a digital
camera is a challenge.
Thankfully, there are a couple
of innovative solutions around
which smashed their
Kickstarter targets.
Pixl-latr
● pixl-latr.com
Surprisingly simple yet
understatedly clever in its
concept, Pixl-latr holds the
negative fl at using a series of
gates which are adjusted to the
type of negative (135, 120 up
to 4x5in). It all rests on a
translucent base plate which
diffuses the light. Add in the fact
it is very affordable and this
becomes a great entry-level
option for scanning with a
digital camera.
Negative Supply
● http://www.negative.supply
Not cheap, but the 135 and
120 fi lm carriers do an excellent
job of holding the fi lm fl at while
ensuring the fi lm travels
smoothly and in alignment. This
can make the scanning process
very quick with an un-cut
36-exposure 35mm fi lm taking
less than 5 minutes.
Their Pro Mount adds levelling
feet, raises the holder above the
light source for better dispersion
and adds the clever touch of an
anti-static brush for removing
dust particles. Accessories
include their Pro Riser copy
stand, slide fi lm and 4x5in
holder accessories.
cheaper counterparts.
This will ultimately give
you better-quality fi les with
more scope for editing.
Additionally, they will typically
come packaged with software
and a variety of holders for
diff erent formats of negatives.
When buying or using any
scanner it is worth bearing in
mind that there is a law of
diminishing returns when it
comes to scan resolution so
don’t be misled by the
numbers. The sweet spot for
resolution is rarely the
maximum the scanner will
off er and going above this
may only generate marginal
gains or even deteriorate the
quality of the scan.
The scanner manufacturers
will typically quote an optical
resolution and an interpolated
resolution, with the former
being the key number to pay
attention to. The manufacturer
may also recommend an
optimum resolution (dpi)
setting and while this can be a
good starting point, always run
your own tests. When setting
dpi remember: the higher it is,
the longer the scan will take
and the larger the fi nal fi le size- sometimes without a
comparable jump in image
qua lit y.
Which digital camera?
As the technology in fi lm
scanners has stagnated, the
technology and sensors in
digital cameras have gone from
strength to strength. It should
therefore come as no surprise
that using a DSLR or
mirrorless camera for fi lm
scanning is now an
increasingly popular and
practical option, aided by the
fact that many fi lm
photographers already own a
digital camera.Above left: Zoom-in on scan
using Canon 550D and Tamron
90mm lens using Negative
Supply Film Carrier and Negative
Lab Pro. Above right: Zoom of
scan with Fujifilm Frontier. No
edits on eitherMain image: Ilford XP2 Super
film from an Olympus XA
camera, scanned with Canon EOS
550D DSLR and Tamron 90mm
lens, converted with Negative
Lab Pro (the unedited zoom-in
comparison above is based on
this image)A Negative Supply 35mm
film carrier along with anti
static brush