Film Scanning (Part I)
09th March 2022
I have a large collection of images on film, mostly transparencies, which I'm in the process of digitising. Why might you want to scan images in the first place?
Most people build up a large collection of images these days from various electronic devices. Some people have a large collection of analogue images too, either created by themselves before the digital age or acquired from family members.
While it's so easy to share digital images they may sit on a hard drive and not be looked at again. Or worse, on media that can't be read as technology moves on. Similarly, film images can sit in a cupboard unseen though easy to view but less easy to share. That's one reason for digitising them, so more people can enjoy them. There are other benefits too. A scanned image can be enhanced for colour and contrast, exposure, and things like dust and scratches removed. If the original image has deteriorated then scanning will be a preservation measure.
Some images have historical interest. In my case for example, records of the locality, events and how things were that are now of interest to others. There are family images, which are worth sharing – at this point in time those who are around their 21st birthday would most likely have had pictures of their early years shot on film. Not easy to share, they thought they were safe!
An ongoing project I'm involved in concerns scanning images for the National Library of Wales. The images document the people and human impact on Skokholm in Pembrokeshire. There are a huge number of transparencies that document everything from daily life to buildings, many with no information on the subject. By digitising these images and posting online it gives the opportunity to add historical information that is so easily lost.
Apart from sharing one or two choice images, a photobook (see my blog earlier this year) is a place where a widespread collection of images can be brought together. Including those digital images which will then be in hard copy form, easy to view and less likely to disappear into the electronic ether.
That's the why and wherefor of wanting, or indeed needing, to scan images. So now to get those analogue images into electronic form. I'm covering scanning transparencies and negatives. Only scan a print if you haven't got a negative as results will be superior because of the detail and dynamic range of film are much greater than a print. That is, if the negative hasn't been badly damaged or degraded. I have film that's over 40 years old and still looks as good as the day it came back from the processing lab. Colour and contrast can be sorted to a greater or lesser extent if and where they are lacking.
Of course, some images may not look as bright and colourful as today's pictures and that is often down to the characteristics of the emulsion used rather than any loss over time, Emulsion, yes, that's a reference to how film is made, it's a coating of a gelatin emulsion on a cellulose acetate base. One reason why some care is needed in handling and storage. Having said that it's amazing how resilient it can be.
So we've got the originals ready. There are a few flatbed scanners that can be used to scan film, and if for lower resolution use a number of others will suffice. It's best however to get as good a quality scan as possible, which means using a dedicated film scanner. There aren't many around, but given there's almost 100 years of 35 mm film photography out there there's going to be demand for a while for digitising those images. I use my trusty Nikon Coolscan 4000 with Vuescan software on Windows 10 as Nikon no longer make or support drivers for this machine. I have to say I find the Vuescan software really very good to use and in no way do I miss the original Nikon software as I'm able to get the quality scans I want. The same interface is used for any connected (and supported) scanner which makes for easier workflows.
Next time I'll look in more detail about some of the specifics of scanning.
All text and images © Keith Rowley 2022
Most people build up a large collection of images these days from various electronic devices. Some people have a large collection of analogue images too, either created by themselves before the digital age or acquired from family members.
While it's so easy to share digital images they may sit on a hard drive and not be looked at again. Or worse, on media that can't be read as technology moves on. Similarly, film images can sit in a cupboard unseen though easy to view but less easy to share. That's one reason for digitising them, so more people can enjoy them. There are other benefits too. A scanned image can be enhanced for colour and contrast, exposure, and things like dust and scratches removed. If the original image has deteriorated then scanning will be a preservation measure.
Some images have historical interest. In my case for example, records of the locality, events and how things were that are now of interest to others. There are family images, which are worth sharing – at this point in time those who are around their 21st birthday would most likely have had pictures of their early years shot on film. Not easy to share, they thought they were safe!
An ongoing project I'm involved in concerns scanning images for the National Library of Wales. The images document the people and human impact on Skokholm in Pembrokeshire. There are a huge number of transparencies that document everything from daily life to buildings, many with no information on the subject. By digitising these images and posting online it gives the opportunity to add historical information that is so easily lost.
Apart from sharing one or two choice images, a photobook (see my blog earlier this year) is a place where a widespread collection of images can be brought together. Including those digital images which will then be in hard copy form, easy to view and less likely to disappear into the electronic ether.
That's the why and wherefor of wanting, or indeed needing, to scan images. So now to get those analogue images into electronic form. I'm covering scanning transparencies and negatives. Only scan a print if you haven't got a negative as results will be superior because of the detail and dynamic range of film are much greater than a print. That is, if the negative hasn't been badly damaged or degraded. I have film that's over 40 years old and still looks as good as the day it came back from the processing lab. Colour and contrast can be sorted to a greater or lesser extent if and where they are lacking.
Of course, some images may not look as bright and colourful as today's pictures and that is often down to the characteristics of the emulsion used rather than any loss over time, Emulsion, yes, that's a reference to how film is made, it's a coating of a gelatin emulsion on a cellulose acetate base. One reason why some care is needed in handling and storage. Having said that it's amazing how resilient it can be.
So we've got the originals ready. There are a few flatbed scanners that can be used to scan film, and if for lower resolution use a number of others will suffice. It's best however to get as good a quality scan as possible, which means using a dedicated film scanner. There aren't many around, but given there's almost 100 years of 35 mm film photography out there there's going to be demand for a while for digitising those images. I use my trusty Nikon Coolscan 4000 with Vuescan software on Windows 10 as Nikon no longer make or support drivers for this machine. I have to say I find the Vuescan software really very good to use and in no way do I miss the original Nikon software as I'm able to get the quality scans I want. The same interface is used for any connected (and supported) scanner which makes for easier workflows.
Next time I'll look in more detail about some of the specifics of scanning.
All text and images © Keith Rowley 2022