How do i wet mount medium format slides for scanning?

This post is a continuation of the posts from "Which Medium Format Scanner" a

few days ago.

 

What exactly is wet mounting and how do i do it? What do i need? Im still

looking for the best way to scan medium format slides using something other

than a flat bed. As stated before the problems i am getting are

1. Dust

2. Bending of film in the holder (causing Newton rings on the glass)

3. Takes a long time

 

Thanks for all the help.

Which scanner are you using? The new Epson V750M Pro (about $700-750) has a fluid mount table included in the package, along with SilverFast Ai6 scanning software.

If you are buy the Nikonscan 9000, you will need to buy a wet mount tray like the one from <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=351365&is=REG&addedTroughType=search" >cachet</a>. There is a lot of infromation and comparisons for wet mounting film for this scaner under <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/coolscan8000-9000/" >a yahoo group</a>.

I use the Aztec wet mount for my Nikon 8000. It is easy to use but they are a little bit of a

pain to clean. I just accumulate alot of film and scan all at once due to the whole procedure

involved. It works great however and the quality is far better than what Im able to get with

the standard Nikon mounts.

Fluid mounting will eliminate Newton's Rings, improve contrast and fill scratches. It will not eliminate dust and will, in fact, add bubbles if you're not careful. Kami fluid is also flammable, so make sure your insurance is up to date and the papers are in a safe location.

 

I find it useful to scan with the emulsion side toward the glass. It is less reflective, and often the film tends to cup toward that side creating an air space. I put a spacer between the film and the upper glass. As a result, I rarely have a problem with Newton's Rings. this method works with a Nikon LS-8000, as well as an Epson flatbed.

There's a good discussion on this question here: <a href="http://www.howtofixcomputers.com/bb/ftopic174204.html" target=blank>(Link)</a>. The dust issue can be effectively dealt with by using a scanner equipped with ICE (image correction and enhancement) capability, but there isn't much you can do to speed up the scanning process, it just takes a long time...

Edward, is not the normal setup for Nikon 8000/9000: holder plain glass, spacer, film (emulsion down), Newton glass (in swinging lid), from bottom to top ?

Tom, I'm citing what works. The lower glass is not plain, but has an anti-reflective coating. For the reasons cited above, I do not find it necessary to put a spacer (mask) on the bottom glass. On the other hand, since film (at least in Chicago) tends to cup leaving the back convex, I do get Newton's Rings despite the A/N treatment on the upper glass. Hence, I put the spacer on top. Since I only scan 6x6, I use a sticker applied to the glass rather than the whole mask - between the first and second frame.

I scan with a medium format holder I constructed using the FH-869S carrier that came with the Nikon 9000 scanner. This carrier has AN glass for both top and bottom glass. The glass is etched on one side to make it AN and this surface is in contact with the film. I never get Newton Rings and do not use any spacers. Images are sharp edge to edge. ICE takes care of the dust so I almost never have to fix any dust.