harryo

I am just about to start a project digitizing some older B&W film

and photos. I have negatives ranging in size from what looks like 1

3/4" square to 3.5" x 6" formats. The photos ranges in size upto

8"x10".

 

What scanner do you recommend for this project. Remember it is

strictly B&W and older film. Resulting pictures I want to produce

will be a maximu size of 8"x10".

 

Thanks in advance.

You must be carefull with the sunny 16 rule. It really depends on where you live. Different levels of smog and water vapour will influence this rule.

"Museums use white matts because white matts are neutral and are in good taste."

 

Wrong. Museums and galleries use white just to standardize so they would not have a rainbow of colours. Now if you were just going to hang a couple of pictures in your living room, I would pick the matt and frame that would complement the rest of the room. White many times is not that colour.

"Photographs are overmatted in white matts. Period."

 

What a bunch of bunk. The mat along with the frame enhance the photo and colours play a major part in that. The only reason galleries insist in white matts is to keep everything uniform. I choose the texture of paper I print on, I choose the colour and number of matts and I choose the type of frame to display my art...not someone telling me to conform to "The Standard".

The Nikon 9000 comes with the mount to hold medium format slides upto 6x9.

Andy, you can get a Pentax 67 camera with a good 45mm lens for under $600. Get this outfit, spend a couple of months trying it out and if it works for you, invest in a Nikon 8000/9000 scanner and you are all set. I've taken this road and have not looked back. I've invested less than $2500 in my entire MF outfit including a Nikon 8000 scanner and am very pleased with the results.

It does not cost much to get sample packs from different paper manufactures and try out for yourself. www.inkjetart.com provide sample packs of different papers in 8.5x11 size. I recommend you purchase these packs and see what you like.

Matt, how did you originally arrive at the $300 mark? Is that the going rates in your area? Art ( photography ) is a funny thing. The perceived value is in the eyes of the beholder. I once read an article which described a photographer having problems selling his work at the $250 mark, so he raised his prices to $750 and started to sell his work. Nothing changed except for the perceived value of his work. Maybe you should start out at a higher rate and see how things work out. You can always bring down the price if nothing sells at the high end.

I've got this scanner and use it to scan 6x7 slides. I make 11x14 prints and they are sharp coming from the scan. I have upgraded to the latest software from Minolta ( available from their website ). Dust is a big issue and needs to be handled with care. You need to keep the MF glass holder spotless as well as your slides / negatives. I suggest getting some canned air as well as an anti-static brush to thoroughly clean the surfaces prior to scanning.

 

One other thing to note is that you should open up the scanner and clean the internal glass. Dust on this glass will greatly impact your images.

Jeffrey, give it to them at cost and ensure they know they got it at cost for all the help they were to you during the year. You will more than make up for it in following years as they will bring all other proud parents to you.

I need to have some 6x7 slides and negatives scanned at 4000 dpi.

Can anyone recommend a slide scanning service that they have used.

 

thanks harry

The question that needs to be asked is what type of prints do you like. If you prefer matte or some form of textured surface, the epson printers cannot be beat. If you prefer the glossy finish, then the Canon or HP printers are the way to go.

 

As far as costs go, if you want cheaper prints...go to a costco and get them printed. You cannot print cheaper at home.

Why, stainless steel tanks are a dime-a-dozen on e-bay.

You can pick up a good used Pentax 6x7 camera and 45mm lens for about $700.

Jack, the AD could be your best advertising. I would provide the CD free of charge, but ask him to put a plug during the presentation for you services. You have a captive audience of potential customers...take advantage of it.

I don't understand why we always get back to the hobbiest is always undercutting the pro. I've said it before that if a professional cannot distinguish their work from that of a hobbiest, maybe it's time for the professional to look for a new profession. I shoot sporting events and sell my photos to parents. I don't charge much and consider it to be a hobby, time away from my real job. Now if a professional trying to charge the large fees cannot convince the parents his photos are worth that much more than mine, time to move on.

Mikael, under cutting happens all around us every day. You probably do it yourself. Don't say you never got some service done ( car, yard work, house renovation etc... ) in the black market using Joe down the street to drywall your basement. I'm in the software business. Have you ever used freeware or shareware. Guess who's business you have been under cutting. Happens everywhere.

 

Photography is a funny business. For some, it is a job, but for many others it is a hobby. Personally, I like taking photos. I take photos of my son's soccer matches and provide pictures to the parents for basically my costs. If this erodes into someone trying to make a business, then that person had better produce a product that is worth purchasing over the one that is for free. If the professional photographer cannot differentiate his work from a hobbiest photographer, then I say it's time to switch proffessions.

In the November Photography Monthly, there is a short interview with the director of imaging from Canon. Here are his numbers:

 

Canon market share of all digital cameras: 18-19%

 

Canon share of digital SLR cameras: 60%

 

EOS 300D - 70% -- 70,000 units

EOS 10D - 25% -- 18,000 units

Professional Canon Digital SLR - 5%

 

Canon digital sales: 2/3 Film sales: 1/3

I'm starting to get tired of hearing the same old story from the "seasoned pros"...that us wanaby amatures are eroding their markets. Things change. Get on with it. Change your business model. The "Walmart" of photography is coming and you either adapt or you perish. It's that simple.

Eric, well put. Totally agree.

I agree with David. Why do we always need to make a buck out of everything we do? Why don't you just have the doctor pick up breakfast or a couple of beers every so often and call it square? Give him a break on the education and he'll give you a break on the next checkup. Seems fair to me.

Also, I don't understand this concept of he's rich so I can charge him more. What if the camera store charged you more because you had more money than me.

Contact Adobe to get clarification, but I don't think they will allow you to commercially sell your prints that were developed using an educational copy of photoshop.

 

Robert, how would you react if the shoe was on the other foot. What if someone used some of your images without your permission? I find it so hypocritical when people think nothing of misusing, or in fact illegally obtaining software, but are all up in arms when their images are used without permission.

I was in your exact position about 1 year ago. I decided to dive into the Pentax 6x7 line and have never regretted it. Today, you can get yourself into a camera with a lens for less than $500. On top of that I would suggest a good hand-held meter. Yes, the system is somewhat bulky, but is very managable. I love having everything manual, forcing me to slow down and really think about the composition and metering.

I second what Joe said. Check with the park rangers to see if the lava is flowing. If it is, hike over to it just before dusk. You can get some great shots as it get dark, and some spectacular shots after dark. Just take care on the way back to your vehicle at night. Take extra batteries for your flashlights.

 

harry

Anne-Marie, great to hear it all turned out fine. I think it is wonderful when someone goes out of their comfort zone and does so successfully. So much for the "You are not Pro enough" attitude you get from some people. Congrats...