For analog photography purists, scanning negatives might seem pointless, but for me, it's a crucial step in making the most out of my film photos. Printing is undoubtedly the most relaxing and creative part of the process. When I'm in the darkroom, it feels like time stands still, much like the scene from the planet Miller in “Interstellar” where minutes turn into days on Earth. It's a magical experience!
Despite this, scanning remains essential for developing my black and white film rolls or when I get the color ones back from the lab. This allows me to immediately view my photos and carefully choose which ones I want to print. While scanning might not be the most enjoyable part of the process, it is key to fully appreciating my analog creations!
Before I dive into my own gear, both hardware and software, let's look at the types of scanners available specifically for film. A common question is: Can I use any scanner to digitize my slides or film? The answer is no. Not all scanners can handle negatives. Here’s why: When scanning a 24x36mm image (in the case of 35mm film), high resolution alone isn’t enough. You need dedicated sensors and good front and back lighting to get quality results.
Flatbed scanners are the most versatile option. Unlike dedicated scanners, they can handle various film formats as well as photos and documents. Their main downside is their larger size. Some people also argue that the scan quality is slightly lower, but if you like shooting with different film formats, a flatbed scanner is your best bet. With a flatbed scanner, you can scan 35mm negatives (both color and black and white), slides, and medium format negatives (120/220).
Top Flatbed Scanners:
This category includes scanners dedicated to 35mm negatives, including slides. The main advantage of these scanners is the quality of the scans, as they can capture more detail than flatbed scanners. Another notable advantage (at least for the Plustek models listed below) is that scanning software like SilverFast is included in the price. However, higher quality means longer scanning times and the limitation of only being able to scan 35mm film, including slides.
A popular method for digitizing film is using a DSLR or Mirrorless camera with a backlit LED panel. This method can be cost-effective if you already have a stand (like a tripod) and a macro lens with a 1:1 magnification ratio (a 1:2 ratio lens can also work, but it requires more post-production work). The quality of the resulting file depends on the lens, camera sensor, and backlit panel. Even though you can create RAW files with the camera, it’s not a decisive advantage because scanning software, which we’ll discuss later, can also create high-quality RAW DNG files.
Essential Equipment:
Development and printing labs typically use specialized scanners that vary in the quality of scans they produce. The most common are the Fujifilm Frontier SP3000 and the Noritsu LS and HS series. The main difference between these scanners is in the handling of magenta tones, which are interpreted differently. Choosing between them is entirely subjective.
The Noritsu is often recommended for black and white film scanning and for producing larger scans.
If you decide to use a lab, find one where communication is easy, so you can get personalized advice based on the results you want to achieve.
After explaining the differences between various scanners, it's time to talk about the software dedicated to scanning and post-producing digital negatives. The scanned product inevitably needs some corrections before being saved as a jpg. For example, you might need to adjust the white balance for color negatives or simply straighten a crooked photo.
VueScan and SilverFast are the most popular software in the analog photography community. The differences between the two are minimal:
The real difference is in the commercial approach:
However, SilverFast is included with the purchase of Plustek scanners.
I won't go into the details of the differences between the two software; I'll leave that to you to explore. The only thing I can say is that these software, unlike free ones, are designed for high-quality scanning, so consider their purchase carefully.
Negative Lab Pro (NLP) is not a standalone software, but a plug-in for Lightroom. This tool allows you to convert (from negative to positive) scans and apply initial post-production corrections, making it easier to work on the files as if they were normal photographs. Among its features, it can emulate scans done by Fujifilm Frontier and Noritsu.
The real advantage of Negative Lab Pro is the consistency in conversions. The “Roll Analysis” function allows the software to make conversions based on the entire context of the photos, not just on individual frames. For example, in a shoot where the lighting is similar in all shots, an approach based on individual frames might give inconsistent results. The “Roll Analysis” instead analyzes the entire roll and creates a color profile more faithful to the film's characteristics.
One challenging aspect of working with color negatives is balancing the white and correcting colors. NLP handles these tasks very well in most cases.
For those who like to keep track of all the information, the ability to manage various photo metadata, such as the film used, the nominal ISO, the ISO at the time of shooting and development information, will be very useful.
My equipment includes an Epson Perfection V600 scanner with VueScan software and Negative Lab Pro.
I use both software on my old 2011 MacBook Pro (soon to be retired) and a new HP ZBook. Lightroom is updated to the latest version, thanks to my subscription to Adobe's Creative Cloud Photography plan.
I usually develop and scan black and white films myself. For color films and slides, I prefer to rely on professional labs because managing the temperature of chemicals during color development is too complicated. Despite my attempts, I keep getting annoying color casts. However, I handle the scanning myself since I have gained good experience. This allows me to save up to €3 per roll, which is useful given the rising prices in the analog world, and obtain high-quality scans.
If you've read this far, I hope this information has cleared up any doubts and helped you with potential purchases. The Amazon links are affiliate links, so if you use them for your purchases, you'll support this blog financially (it won't cost you anything extra, but I'll receive a small percentage).
