dale_lundy

<p>It sounds like you are able to change the default for a given film type, but I can't duplicate it, so I'm probably not understanding exactly what you're saying.</p>

<p>Here's what I'm trying.</p>

<p>First, I got to the Scanner menu with no negative strip loaded. I rarely have to select <strong>Film Type </strong>since it is always what I set it at previously. The same for <strong>Scan Color Space</strong>. However the <strong>Scanner | Bit Depth </strong>menu always reads <strong>None</strong>.</p>

<p>Therefore I load a negative strip. <strong>Bit Depth </strong>still reads <strong>None</strong>. If I select one or more frames, then I can set the <strong>Bit Depth</strong> to <strong>16 bit</strong>. However, that only sets it on selected frames. Sometimes when I select several frames at once I can set the <strong>Bit Depth</strong> to <strong>16</strong>. Other times the menu gives me <strong>None </strong>and I have to set them one frame at a time.</p>

<p>I can save the settings, and call them say <strong>Neg16</strong> and that will show up on the <strong>Scanner | Settings</strong> menu for me to load. Or I can export the settings and then re-import them and it seems to work.</p>

<p>The problem is that the new settings never seem to become the default; therefore I have to remember to do this each time I insert a new strip. It sounds to me like yours become a new default so you don't have to do it every time. But I'm not yet seeing what is being done differently.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I am scanning color negatives in NikonScan 4.0 on a Super Coolscan 5000 ED. When I feed in the negative strip I set the bit depth for 16-bit. It will scan the first image on the strip at 16-bit, then revert to 8-bit for the other images. Does someone know how I can get it to retain the 16-bit setting?<br>

Dale</p>

<p>JC,</p>

<p>I was unfamiliar with the term bridge camera, but in looking it up, realized I have one -- an Olympus SP500UZ which I bought to use for travel when I also needed to carry a camcorder, but which I quit using in favor of the DSLR because of shutter lag. I never thought of using it for this purpose, but I'll try it.</p>

<p>What is the body of water in the background?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Brooks,</p>

<p>I have some 91% Isopropyl alcohol. Is there any reason not to try that?</p>

<p>JC,</p>

<p>I checked and the Nikon film scanner and the Epson flatbed both have higher hardware resolutions than the camera (which is 12 mpxl). However I've determined that for scanning family history images 2400 dpi is better than the 4000 dpi the Nikon will do because it takes less time and space, and still allows adequate enlargement. Once I can actually see the pictures on screen and edit them, then I'll decide which ones of them I want to go back and scan at 4,000. So I should have adequate resolution either way.</p>

<p>That said, I still like your idea. I actually thought about something like that once, but I tried it with a slide and could never close-focus well enough with the lens I had. I am thinking I need something like a 100mm macro lens? What lens do you use?</p>

<p>Thanks for posting the pictures. They helped. I may find this useful in another way. I have discovered some older pre-35mm negatives which the Nikon won't do (maybe it would with the FH-35 film holder if I could get one). The setup you put together might work well for those. Did you use any kind of backlighting either for the negative strips or the slides?</p>

<p>Dale</p>

<p>Dale</p>

<p>Phil, that is exactly the problem--though some are paper and some are plastic.</p>

<p>I found a few negative strips where the paper or plastic did not cover the sprocket holes, so I decided to start by cutting it off flush with the edge of the negative, and trying to scan it. It jammed. OK, that idea won't work. (And, according to the manual, the sprocket holes have to be in good shape for it to scan).</p>

<p>Brooks, I will probably look for a negative I don't care so much about and try the alcohol next. That would be simplest. I was not familiar with PEC-12 but I looked it up, and if the alcohol doesn't work, I'll try ordering some of that.</p>

<p>Another option I'm considering: I do have an Epson 3170 Photo scanner also which does negatives. It probably doesn't do as well as the Nikon dedicated film scanner, but I may scan the negatives on it before I use the alcohol/PEC-12 so at least I get some picture in the case I do damage the negatives.<br>

<br />Dale</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Does the naked film go into the scanner without a holder? I'm not familiar with this model.<br />Otherwise, it might just be best to get the optional strip film holder FH-3.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Yes. I am using an SA-21 strip film adaptor, so I insert the negative strip directly into the adaptor and it feeds in automatically. In the case of the white plastic negative holder, it comes off easily but leaves a residue that I am afraid will jam the film adaptor. In the case of the negative holder made of other materials, it does not come off easily. I thought of cutting it along the edge of the negative, but the sprocket holes would still be covered, so I doubt it would feed. I haven't tried that yet, though.<br>

<br />Dale</p>

<p>I am scanning negative strips on a Nikon Super Coolscan 5000.</p>

<p>I have found that some of the older negative strips have white plastic (or otherwise) holders glued or taped over one side of the sprocket holes. I'm sure that seemed to some processor like a good idea at the time, to have something to hold in order to not touch the negative, but it makes it impossible to scan the negative strips without removing it.</p>

<p>I tried removing two of them. One of them came off fairly easily, but left a sticky residue on the negative, which I'm afraid may jam the scanner. The other would not come off easily, and I didn't persist for fear of damaging the negative.</p>

<p>Has anyone else run into this? If so, how did you deal with it?<br>

<br />Dale</p>

<p>Just as a followup, those in category 2 produce noticeably better scans in almost all cases when the film type in the software is set to Kodachrome. All the recent ones I've done have been in Fotomat mounts.</p>

<p>I am scanning old slides, and Kodachrome slides require a different setting.<br>

I understand that Kodachrome slides have discernible ridges on the emulsion side. However I seem to have slides that fit into 3 categories...</p>

<ol>

<li>Those with very discernible ridges on the emulsion side.</li>

<li>Those with a discernible ridges on the emulsion side but not quite as pronounced.</li>

<li>Those that seem smooth on both sides.</li>

</ol>

<p>There is a possibility I shot a few rolls of something else, but they were almost exclusively either Kodachrome or Ektachrome. I know category 1 is Kodachrome. I assume that category 2 is also Kodachrome and category 3 is Ektachrome? Or is category 2 Ektachrome and category 3 something else? Perhaps category 2 is more due to the subject matter than the film type?<br>

One problem is that processing was done a variety of places. For example, some of those in category 1 are in Fotomat mounts -- I didn't remember that Fotomat processed Kodachrome, but it seems like they may have. Does anyone know for sure?<br>

Dale</p>