21st century film photography ... not that simple

[Kupepe]

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Hello,

One year of shooting with my father's film camera. It is supposed to be a good lens/body combo .. I see it in other people's photographs ... can't see it on mine.

After some discussions with professional photographers in the area i live, I discovered that due to the small market for film photography the simplicity of film photography (aperture, ISO, Shutter speed), is actually a 5-side cube (aperture, iso, shutter speed, film development and scanning).

People developing the film might not have the chemicals needed or they may be expired and the scanners used are crap and they don't really care so pictures come out with too much contrast or grain. Good photo shops charge like 5 euro per good scan (Hasselblad or Nikon machines) ...

 

Taking into consideration that I am saving for an M6 with a 50 mm Summicron I don't want the quality of the glass to be destroyed by film development and scanning.

So I decided to develop my own B&W and buy a good scanner to have total control of end result, after the learning curve is conquered.

Developing the B&W will start soon ... buy what I would be interested to hear is some opinion for scanners.

Don't want to use a flatbed, since i don't have the space.

I also read some reviews about the Plusteks and it seems that for the same money I could get something used in good order making better scans. I do understand that its the software that makes the scans but hardware is the base.

I shoot B&W, except for summer vacations with family.

So my shortlist is based on preference:


Konica Minolta’s DiMAGE Scan Elite 5400 II (used)
Reflecta Proscan 10t (new)
Nikon Coolscan 5000 (used)
Plustek Opticfilm 8100 (new)


What road did u choose?

Would like to hear from people with hands on experience.

 

I posted the same thread on the Film section ... did not know where was the right thread

[Tom R]

I use a Plustek 8200 with both the VueScan and the SilverFast softwares (the Silverfast ships with the Plustek) for 35mm scans. I scan both color and panchromatic films, and I find the Silverfast software better calibrated out of the box for common color films. For B&W, either software is adequate. The negative carrier for the Plustek is somewhat annoying but a good pair of cotton gloves certain makes it easier to situate the negatives.

 

One thing to bear in mind is that infrared scanning is not available for B&W films with the Plustek scanner. I would certainly plan on becoming proficient (if you are not already so) with Affinity, PhotoShop, etc., to deal with surface problems such as scratches, etc. 

 

I am somewhat concerned about hardware support, obsolescence, etc., and therefore would avoid used scanners--their putative advantages notwithstanding.  That being said, others on this forum are more versed with the particular items you referenced and I'm sure will have their own opinions ... .

 

I don't know from your opening sentences what's "missing" in your photographs. Hence, I'm not sure that technology, per se, is the solution to your problem. 

Edited April 16, 2018 by Tom R

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