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More Fun with Large Format Film Images!

drunkenspyder

drunkenspyder

Well-known member
My first results with scanning at home using the Epson v850. I just received the Kami fluid mount kit, but have not yet used it, and I am waiting on some ANR glass as well. But for now, this is practice. The transparency itself is exceptionally well-focused, but this scan fails to reflect it, and of course, our limitations here in the forum and on the web also diminish what's on the film. But it feels like I am heading in the right direction.

The reflection of Cathedral Rocks above the snowy meadow just around the bend from El Cap Picnic Grounds, Yosemite.
2025-04-02-0003 1 copy 1-FrameShop_Blog Post Image for Web_Ecclesia nivis.jpg
Arca-Swiss F-Line Field Metric 8x10
Fujinon W 210
Fuji Provia developed by The Darkroom
 
AlanS

AlanS

Well-known member
I found scanning with an Epson scanner deeply frustrating and am pleased I don't do it anymore! It's probably the biggest reason I dont shoot 5x4 anymore :(
 
drunkenspyder

drunkenspyder

Well-known member
AlanS said:
I found scanning with an Epson scanner deeply frustrating and am pleased I don't do it anymore! It's probably the biggest reason I dont shoot 5x4 anymore :(
Click to expand...
Well, I concur in the frustration. At this point, it’s still new enough to feel like a challenge. And so something I will keep slogging at. But I have not loved the drum scans I have received from several of the labs, 4x5 or 8x10. And since The Darkroom here on the west coast—which develops but doesn’t scan 8x10—consistently gives me the best 8x10 transparencies, I’m gonna keep at it.
I would love some recommendations for reliable US service bureaus that deliver top notch scans.
 
A

anyone

Well-known member
drunkenspyder said:
Well, I concur in the frustration. At this point, it’s still new enough to feel like a challenge. And so something I will keep slogging at.
Click to expand...
May I ask why? I found scanning 4x5" with the Epson rather straightforward. I use VueScan as software. In terms of film holders, the best ones I used were from Betterscanning - unfortunately, I sold them back then, and now the company seems not to be operational anymore.

Really important is to shim the film holder to the plane of focus of the scanner. If it is not adjustable, use post-it notes as a shim. It makes a dramatic sharpness difference.
 
drunkenspyder

drunkenspyder

Well-known member
anyone said:
May I ask why? I found scanning 4x5" with the Epson rather straightforward. I use VueScan as software. In terms of film holders, the best ones I used were from Betterscanning - unfortunately, I sold them back then, and now the company seems not to be operational anymore.

Really important is to shim the film holder to the plane of focus of the scanner. If it is not adjustable, use post-it notes as a shim. It makes a dramatic sharpness difference.
Click to expand...
All good advice, but not as useful for 8x10. I also use VueScan, having given EpsonScan and Silverfast a try. I plan on using the Ben Horne focus-setting technique and employing, or at least trying, the inverse wet mounting technique described here.

I'm looking forward to scanning some of my 4x5 stuff though, because I believe it will be easier. I wish I could snag a set of betterscanning.com holders & mounts, but alas.
 
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vieri

vieri

Well-known member
anyone said:
May I ask why? I found scanning 4x5" with the Epson rather straightforward. I use VueScan as software. In terms of film holders, the best ones I used were from Betterscanning - unfortunately, I sold them back then, and now the company seems not to be operational anymore.

Really important is to shim the film holder to the plane of focus of the scanner. If it is not adjustable, use post-it notes as a shim. It makes a dramatic sharpness difference.
Click to expand...
Agreed, this mirrors my experience with 4x5" and the Epson V850 Pro. I use an A4 piece of ANR glass, 3mm thick, which I shimmed to achieve perfect focus. I then masked it on the opposite side of the negative with a piece of A4 black paper in the center of which I did cut a rectangular hole so that a 4x5" negative fits with a little room around it. I then tape my negative on the non-masked side with non-residue, paper tape and scan it with Vuescan, as DNG. Last, open in ACR and process (mainly crop, clean spots, dodge / burn, curves / levels).

I just realised that it takes much, much longer to write the above description of the process than to just do it 😅

But, I only do B&W and up to 4x5" - no colour and nothing bigger than 4x5" - so take the above for what it's worth.

Best,

Vieri
 
scho

scho

Well-known member
Re-visiting some old 4x5 images shot on Polaroid Type 55 PN. Scans from the lovely, thin negatives. Thinking of going back one last time to shooting some B&W film (120) with just an old Mamiya 6 and also a pinhole. Should be an interesting adventure. Haven't decided yet on film and process.


Shen-Hao 4x5 with Polaroid back (don't remember which lens) and Polaroid Type 55P/N
 
B

baudolino

Well-known member
Practicing my routine with the new 8x10 Gibellini on the beautiful blue Danube earlier this week. FOMA 100 processed in Rodinal, negative scanned on Epson V850. The lens was 240 mm Rodenstock Apo Sironar S, tilted to bring both foreground and background in sharp focus. Either I suck at light metering, or the Prontor Prof shutter in my lens is too fast, or my bottle of Rodinal is a bit too old. In any case, this image was the only one of four that kind of worked in the end; with the other three, the negatives were way too thin and one was out of focus. Not much reward for towing a beach cart full of gear behind me for three hours, but I will get there one day :).

Donau_Regelsbrunn_4 (2) new.jpg
 
B

baudolino

Well-known member
AlanS said:
I found scanning with an Epson scanner deeply frustrating and am pleased I don't do it anymore! It's probably the biggest reason I dont shoot 5x4 anymore :(
Click to expand...
What exactly do you find "deeply frustrating" about the Epson scanning process?

I am new to the Epson scanning genre, having previously used my Flextight X1 for everything, mostly 4x5 and 6x7. Now, with the arrival of 8x10 in my life, the Flextight doesn't cope and I bought a V850 to scan the 8x10 sheets. So far, I have only shot FOMA 100 negatives (they cost only Eur 3 per sheet and I develop them myself in Rodinal, so they are the perfect training material). I have only scanned about 10 sheets so far but I haven't had any Newton rings and all images are sharp, unless I missed focus at the shooting stage. I use the 8x10 mask (an extra sold by Epson) and I am ready to make the thicker mask downloadable from Ben Horne's website if I get Newton rings in the future, with other film stock. Silverfast software makes the scanning process quite easy - I scan into the HDR RAW format for subsequent processing in Silverfast HDR. Similar to Flexcolor but much, much better. At this early stage, I am obviously blissfully unaware of what might come later, when I start scanning my stash of Portra 160 that I am saving for the Summer vacation road trip.

I have watched a bunch of Youtube videos by people like Nick Carver, Mat Marrash etc. - they all scan on Epson scanners, produce beautiful images and I have not heard any complaints, apart from the Newton rings issue which seems to be film stock-dependent and can, as it appears, be addressed through the use of the aforementioned makeshift separator mask. And this relates only to the 8x10 format which is scanned right off the scanner glass, whereas 4x5 and smaller use the supplied plastic holders which should address Newton rings effectively and allow the use of the higher resolution scanner lens.
 
Nokton48

Nokton48

Well-known member
520mm 20 inch Apo Ronar Pair 4x5 HP5 D23 F32 one pop by Nokton48, on Flickr

Testing my new 5x7/4x5 Sinar Norma Twin Lens Reflex with my longest matching lens pair set/ 520mm 20" F9 Rodenstock Apo Ronars. These are 45 degree Dialyte process type lenses offered by Sinar Norma in the day. F32 one pop YG Sinar Norma 103mm glass yelow green filter D23 1:1 Unicolor Unidrum and Uniroller. 4X 8x10 Aristo #2 RC print developed in Multigrade dev. Omega DII with Omegalite diffusion head. BTW I picked up my stand-in "model" and the plant base at the local IKEA store. :) The base is "Rubbermaid Studio". Seemed appropriate to me The canvas background was hand painted by Artist James Bright
 
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