Flatbed scanners for digital negatives?

[jos__miguel_ferreira]

Hi. Maybe someone can help me here...

 

I've been reading in several forums about the use of flatbed scanners

for scanning 4x5 negatives. Unfortunately I cannot afford an Imacon!

 

Did anyone experience scanning 4x5 negatives with a flatbed intended

for digital negatives (maximum size A3)? Or even for Epson 2200

prints?

 

How do these prints look, say, in comparision to an 11x14 FB silver

print? (these are my standard quality prints)

 

I would be scanning mainly 4x5 negatives, although some MF as well.

 

Thanks!

JMF

[larry_benjamin]

Hello,

I have had some excellent results on my Epson 2450 photo, from 2 1/4 & 6x9 with prints larger than 11x14.

The Epson 2450(& later version/s) comes with a negative frame for 4x5.

I would "think" your results with 4 X 5 would far exceed mine ?

Cheers, Larry

[beauh44]

Hi Jose', Like Larry, I also have a 2450 that I use to scan both medium-format and 4X5 - it works great. I print with an Epson 2200 and they turn out fine! I've only scanned 4X5 B&W film (Tri-X) and 4X5 chromes (Velvia); I've never scanned color negative film, but I suspect it might do even better. I also suspect that newer Epson models that support 4X5 would be even better too. Good luck!

[steve_brink]

I use an Epson 3200 with the full version Slverfast Ai. Ai has IT8 calibration and 120 film prests for higly accurate color scanning. I may want to sell it, so if your interested contact me offline.

[mark_blackman1]

Jose,

I use an Epson 2450 to scan 5x4 negatives & have produced prints sized 30x24 with excellent clarity. I also use it to scan 10x8 negatives, scanning each sheet in 3 parts and stitching them back together in photoshop.

[jos__miguel_ferreira]

Thanks for your answers. Given the prohibitive cost of drum scans here where I live, I think I'll buy a new Epson F3200 or a new Canon 9950, depending on the reviews of these machines, unless I can find a good Epson 4870 in the used market. For what I understand, scanning my 4x5 negatives with one of these will give me the same if not better results than drum-scanning the print. I have a 72dpi scan of all the prints, so I can compare the results as I re-do the work on the high-res file.

 

Thank you all once again!

José

[rich815]

Save even more money: find a used 2450.

[steven_clark]

While the Epson flatbeds may not neccesarily be good enough for 35mm, or even medium format to some, their results on 4x5 are spectacular in my experience simply do to the enormous area of the film. There will still be some image detail you don't see, but much of that would only show up on some pretty large print sizes.