Nikon Coolscan V Question

[mlenzi]

Hi:

 

I have been working with my negatives in the darkroom and have grown accustomed to the

look of prints with part of the film sprocket holes visible. I have an Epson 4180 right now and have

used it a ton for 35 and 120 format scanning. It is ok but I want to step up to a higher quality scanner.

 

I would like to be able to scan the film edges if possible and was wondering if you can do that with the

Coolscan V. Is it possible with the film holders that are provided? I am concerned with 35mm primarily and

not MF. I can do this with the Epson by using the a MF film holder that I bought on the internet and then

filed down. This is however not so great because I have to make sure the film is lined up square before I

lay down the glass. Otherwise I spend a lot more time in Photoshop aligning and cropping.

 

Thanks for any help,

Michael

[Stock-Photos]

If the V is anything like the 5000, it will not scan the sprocket holes.

[roger_smith4]

The sprocket holes are not part of the scanning area.

 

You can scan the edges separately and create a custom "frame" for your images for different film types.

[william john smith]

If you want to spend some money get a Nikon 9000 and a glass carrier. You can do 35mm

with the sprocket holes showing and a bit of the edge with 2 1/4. This will only cost around

$2300 total.

[jtk]

It does crop and it's hard to align perfectly without a little cropping on a couple of sides, ie sayonara 4-black-borders. I like black borders, and even the cutsie affectation of sprocket holes sometimes, but those were after all mere decorative effects, artifacts of a byegone aesthetic, like lava lamps...scanning and digital printing are a whole other trip...sharper and more controllable than darkroom, when you get the hang of it. V is much better than any optical system if you relax and recognize that you're playing a golden flute where you used to play a recorder. Apples, oranges. :-)

[mlenzi]

Thanks for the responses. I like the Nikon camera optics as well as their digital bodies and

guess that the V is probably what I should get. I do like using the film edges for borders and

do not find it cutesy in any way. The majority of the prints i make in the darkroom are done

with a filed carrier and I think the aesthetic is right for what I do. I am not shooting 35mm

film to get pristine images necessarily. I shoot a lot of low light stuff and like the very grainy

and weathered appearance of Ilford Delta 3200 film. So the use of the edges in darkroom

prints goes right along with the look I am trying to achieve.

Cheers

Michael<div></div>

[jtk]

I agree that it's an aesthetic, like appreciation for Judy Garland or shaven head. To each his own. But I do feel that sort of aesthetic is not a photographic value so much as a decorative value. Like I said, apples/oranges. Nothing wrong with decoration, Judy Garland, or shaven heads. Gold fringes might be as nice as sprocket holes.

[mlenzi]

Sure, but gold fringes and Judy Garland were never a part of the film negative/postive to

begin with. When I am scanning an image I never ask myself, " Should I leave Judy Garland in

the image this time or do I like it better without her?"