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Film Scanning has become a necessary piece
of equipment for the digital darkroom that
enables the photographer to continue to
shoot pictures the traditional way with
film and slides. The scanner allows you
to convert the film to digital files and
take advantage of the use of software editing,
enhnancing and publishing. There are some
clear advantages to using a dedicated film
Scanner over a flatbed scanner when scanning
film or slide negative transparencies. Both
a film scanner and flatbed scanner operate
using a light source and sensors that scan
through the transparency. A dedicated film
scanner utilizes a transmissive light source
while a flatbed scanner uses a reflective
light source. A transmissive light source
is a direct linear light source that reflects
through the transparency. A reflective light
also shines through the transparency, however
it is contained or diffused under the glass
bed of the scanner and relected off another
surface. This is the lid or top surface
of the flatbed scanner. The result is greater
density and clarity scanned from the transmissive
light from a dedicated film scanner. Current
higher quality flatbed scanners offer transparency
and negative holders and often include an
additional light source on the lid to mimic
the transmissive light. However, the ultimate
operation of a flatbed scanner is still
very similar to that of a copy machine.
Although some may see an advantage in the
flatbed scanner to scan batch negatives
or slides quickly, the disadvantge becomes
the ability to customize each individual
slide or negative that may have different
densities or exposure. With a dedicated
film scanner, you have the ability to expose
or scan each frame at varying degrees of
resolutions and corrections. Most dedicated
film scanners also offer the batch feature
as well. Two main components are essential
for a quality scan: resolution and dynamic
range. Resolution is the mesurement of pixels
the scanner can capture within the scan.
Dynamic range is the degree of tonality
that is captured within the scan. Most dedicated
film scanners offer dynamic ranges greater
than 3.6 with 0, the purest white and 4.0,
the deepest black. While flatbed scanners
have improved greatly in the past few years
with higher resolutions, you must be careful
on those claiming very high resolutions.
This is often interpolated resolution or
in simple terms, the scanner guesses on
the number of pixels rather than contain
the true optical pickup of pixels in the
film scanning process. Author: Kimberly
Renter Copyright, 2005 Owner of a Film,
Photo and Slde Scanning Service at http://filmnfile.com
This site also offers more scanning information
and a forum to discuss photography. email
at inquiries
About the Author
Amateur photographer and owner of a web-based
Film, Slide and Photo Scanning Service.
Have worked
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