greg_miller10

Cool...let me know how it goes with Colorperfect. This is what that module was designed for. If nothing else and you don't get superior results you'll get quicker results of equal quality to what you're getting here.

Sorry man...I didn't mean to offend but just expressing my experience that your sample precisely demonstrates. Send me the negative if you like for me to scan and you can compare. No use in posting anything unless it's apples to apples. Once I do that, I'll send you my results and you can compare and see the difference. Unless you'd want me to post them in this thread. Please, also check out the color negative module offered by Colorperfect. It has actual profiles for different film types your photographing and does an ok job of the inversion. It will save you a lot of time.

I've only ever used the Nikon coolscan 9000 HD and everything you say is true. I hated the workflow and the fact I needed to use an ancient computer with it but it did produce good scans...a lot better than an inversion from a digital camera. I think Silverfast has software for them but I was using the unit on lone to see if I wanted to buy it or not so I just dealt with what I had. I didn't buy it because other than producing a good scan, the experience was soul sucking. Now I'm using a Creo iQsmart with older OSX but while there are some issues, it's no where nearly as clunky as the Nikon Coolscan and the scans are a bit better. Anyway...I felt my post was getting a bit negative and needed some positive levity...I get your point.

I have huge experience with trying to get a proper color inversion from a negative photographed with a digital camera. The only thing that comes close to doing it properly is the color negative module from Colorperfect but even this has it's problems. The Photoshop inversion is linear and what is required is an algorithmic inversion that creates a curve similar to RA-4 photographic paper. Neutralizing the orange mask before inverting in Photoshop helps but it's hit and miss and still creates an inversion with color crossover. As evidenced in Rodeo Joe's sample, the sky in the upper right is approximately proper sky blue but the foliage is yellow as are the rocks which should be far more neutral in tone. Added to that, the shadows are blocking up and have no detail. Pretty normal for a negative photographed with a digital camera. Sorry Joe...I don't mean to rain on your parade and what you have here is probably good enough for most people but it won't compete with the original posters Nikon Coolscan. Bottom line is don't sell your Coolscan but do as you had originally suggested. Use the digital camera to create quick and easy images that can be used as a sort of contact sheet. Do your best images in your wonderful Nikon scanner.

The Darkroom is fast, has fair pricing and provides a quality service so you might just want to level up in the quality of scan there that you're asking for. For as much control as possible in the editing of the photos you might want to consider 48 bit scans. 48 bit scans done on a great scanner like a well maintained drum, Eversmart, Creo or even a Nikon Coolscan will allow you to pull details from your highlights that you may not be able to with a 24 bit scan. Especially in a high contrast light situation. Greg Miller Film Rescue International

As mentioned by Glen H, Overexposure isn't going to help you with reversal film, you'll just blow out your highlights. It will help though if you cross process this film into a negative which I'd advise but as you mention you need transparencies. Cross processing will significantly increase the contrast of this film and concerns over the color shifts that come with that will likely be moot because the color will be shifted regardless. Either way the color is going to be funky but that's probably why you want to shoot this anyway. Over exposing and over developing reversal film will only blow out your highlights and make your shadows thin. My opinion if you need a slide, shoot and develop to spec. I agree with Ben Hutcherson's date guess. Greg Miller Film Rescue International

Yes...use distilled water. It can make all the difference in the world to how well your film dries. With distilled water, there should be no need to even squeegee your film which is nice to avoid micro scratches.I swear by it and it's all we use...to the point we actually bought a water distiller so it's always readily at hand. Greg Miller Film Rescue International

My guess would be there would be some small loss in the film's sensitivity to light which can easily be compensated by some small amount of over exposure and possibly, some small amount of over development to bring up the contrast. I think that after doing a test to adjust exposure and development appropriately that this film should work fine for you. As per normal, expose for the shadows and develop for the highlight. In the end, my guess is that you might possibly notice some small increase in grain due to having to possibly increase the contrast of the film either by development or in scanning. B&W film stands up very well over time undeveloped when compared to color film. As another poster mentioned here, with Verichrome Pan, you can shoot this decades beyond it's process before date but Verichrome Pan is at the apex of all films in terms of how it stands up over time undeveloped. Ilford films have not stood up as well but still, 9 years isn't all that old for a B&W film, especially if it was refrigerated. Greg Miller Film Rescue International

Update...we're now using a Creo iQsmart 3 scanner at 5500 dpi 48 bit. As good as you'll ever see from a disc film.

Update...these scans are now done on a Creo iQsmart 3 at 5200 dpi but instead of the laser cut carrier we are now removing the films from the hubs so that they'll sit perfectly sandwiched in the scanner glass. It's not a huge jump in quality from the v750 but it is as good as you're going to get from these.

At this point you don't have a whole lot of options. Dwayne's Photo is going to be your fastest least expensive option. I'm pretty sure they're the only company on earth that actually has an operational disc film printer. Dwayne's is fast and reputable and if you're fine with prints on a vintage printer then they're probably the way to go. Alternate my own company Film Rescue and Dig my Pics, seem to be about the only ones out there offering these as a scan service that I can find. If there are more I'd love to hear about them so I can share in the future. Alternately you can attempt to scan these yourself on a flatbed scanner but they need to be shimmed in order to hold the film the proper distance off the scanner glass or removed from the hub so they can be set directly on the scanner glass and then choose the appropriate settings in the scanner. For an Epson v750 that setting is "film area guide" in the professional settings. It is best to then sandwich the disc with anti newton ring glass to keep it flat on the scanner glass. I would recommend scanning at at least 3600 dpi. With the 750, you'll need to do some significant sharpening after scanning. We use to use the 750 here with good results and happy clients.