Nikon Coolscan 9000: How to keep 35mm-film flat?

Hi!

What's the best method of keeping 35mm-Film perfectly flat in the

FH-835S-Filmholder that came with the Nikon Coolscan 9000? I'm really struggling

to get edge-to-edge-sharpness on curled negs. Are there any 3rd-Party-Holders? I

already have the MF-Glass-Holder, but scanning 35mm with it is a PITA...

 

Nitro

A few relevant threads from the archives:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00MB7A

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00LZVC

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00K9gX

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00IVzf

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00IEbz

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00H1zF

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Ebbc

The glass holder (non-rotating) is probably your best bet with badly curved negatives. Unfortunately, there is no preset template, so you have a lot of mouse work to do. You should also explore means to straighten them and to prevent reoccurence in the future.

 

Why are the negatives curved? Are they curled (lengthwise, as spooling), cupped (crosswise) or both? Curling is usually caused by storing the negatives in a tight roll, such as inside a film can. Cupping is usually caused by overdrying. Both can be help by using a Photo-Flo solution as the final rinse. You can do this after the fact if you get the film returned UNCUT. In fact, you can always do a better job cutting the film than the lab.

 

You should also store the film in archival sleeves or pages, flat in a notebook or archival (closed) box ASAP after bring them home. This will eventually flatten even badly curved negatives, but it can take a long, long time. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

<I>.......MF-Glass-Holder, but scanning 35mm with it is a PITA...</I><P>Not if you

use Vuescan. The trick with the glass holder is to use a minus "Frame offset" and

then pull the "crop box" around the image.

@Ace: But it's nearly impossible to use the black masks with 35mm-film and the glassholder. Since this isn't a problem with b&w-Film, with Negs it'll give me strange colorshifts in bright Areas (e.g. Skies).