Scanning transparencies

[Syncopator]

I have discovered a few forgotten colour transparencies and want to scan them into my computer.  I used to have an Epson scanner which had an attachment to facilitate this, but my modern, all singing, all dancing machine doesn't. 

None of them are mounted.  There are some single frames, a strip of two, a strip of three and another of four frames, so handling might prove to be difficult. 

Is there a reasonably simple method I could use to scan them which will give good results,  or would it be better to send them to a laboratory which does this sort of thing?

[VWGolf]

Are they very precious?  I tried scanning some of mine a while back and wasn't very impressed by my scans.  Lot of mysterious stripes on them, though admittedly they had been left in a box, so some of the stripes were probably scratches.

Good luck!  :-)

 

[JHFoto]

There are people online who may be able to help, just Google it......

[Syncopator]

Are they very precious?  I tried scanning some of mine a while back and wasn't very impressed by my scans.  Lot of mysterious stripes on them, though admittedly they had been left in a box, so some of the stripes were probably scratches.

Good luck!  :-)

 

Not really precious, but irreplaceable. and it would be annoying not to be able to print them.  They were in an envelope and thus protected from dust.  Examination through a magnifying glass doesn't reveal scratches or any other defects. 

There are people online who may be able to help, just Google it......

Yes, I think I will make enquiries. 

 

[Black Pearl]

Look on eBay for a used film scanner (not a flatbed with an attachment) as they can be had for sensible money and make the job dead easy. They usually come with a holder for mounted slides and one for strips/individuals. Most have software that can enhance any fading and most have the facility to remove scratches by running a IR surface scan and using the data to clone them out......won't work on B&W negs or Kodachrome though. Try Plustek for a proper scanning head and high resolution or something like Summit if you want a basic (inexpensive) unit that is essentially a digital camera built into a scanning (like) body. Both will do the job but a scanning type sit will ultimately give better results. All depends on what you want to do with the images. 

Here's the trick - use it then bung it back on eBay. With luck it'll cost you next to nothing and you never know with a good photo and blether to back your sale up you might turn a profit.

 

 

 

[Syncopator]

Thank you Black Pearl.

I see a new Plustek SmartPhoto F50 on eBay at £59.   Plustek's website doesn't say if it will handle single, unmounted, frames.

Do you know if it does?

[Black Pearl]

Don't quote me but their website list these which sound like a strip of negs and mounted slides:

Negative Holder: 1 pc (up to 6 frame)
Positive Holder: 1pc (up to 4 slide)

 

 

Edited June 23, 2015 by Black Pearl

[Syncopator]

Thank you. 

[ChrisLumix]

PlusTek do the 8100 which BP recommended to me. I picked it up off Amazon for around £175 and though I haven't used it yet, it promises to deliver...

[Guest]

I have a cheap scan to sd card I got it from maplin. They dont make the one I have anymore but they have several options. The results I got from very old poorly stored slides was very good.

check here for ones avaliable http://www.maplin.co.uk/search?text=negative+scanner&x=0&y=0

 

 

[Syncopator]

Since I have only a few transparencies which I would like to scan I am now more inclined to get a quotation from someone who offers the service. 

Oh, by the way, I have twice had the animated gif removed from my profile.  Is this due to an administrative fad - or what?

[ChrisLumix]

A query, Chris ~ does it come with film and slide holders?  The amazon blurb suggests it does but then includes an optional deal of buying a film holder set for £15 extra!

 

Puzzled of Tyneside

 

It comes with the ability to insert one slide or negative at a time - the slide holders just allow you to load 4, but it will still only process one at a time.