 Donna Dunbar |
Medium Format processing I recently acquired a Mamiya C-330 and now the problem is I need a lab where I can get not only processing but scans so I can do digital enhancments if necessary or use them digitally. I have 2 questions really does anyone know of such a lab and also is there a film scanner that does 120-220 film? I have a film scanner that does 35mm and slides but not the medium format. Any help would be appreciated.
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Kerry L. Walker |
Congratulations on your purchase. My first MF camera (that I owned personally, not the first that I used) was a Mamiya C-33 (even older than the C-330). It is a fine camera, just a little on the heavy side. Check out www.prophotoimaging.com. I use them to process my MF film and have been very satisfied with them for nearly 40 years. They provide a free CD with their develop and print process. The scans I receive are 96 PPI at 24"x34" print size. At 300 PPI that is about an 8" x 12" print. Yes, there are scanners for MF film but I can't recommend one as I am not familiar enough with them.
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Donna Dunbar |
Thanks for your info. Kerry, I am going to check them out.
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Mark Feldstein |
Recently I scored an Epson V700 scanner from B&H. It scans everything from documents to 35mm, to MF, to 8x10 film, transparencies prints etc., at 600 DPI. It's my first scanner and I think this is top shelf, including the tech support based in Canada because I'm an idiot when it comes to digital technology. It took me all of about 20 minutes to install, test and get scanning. One lab I highly recommend for processing is http://www.gammaphoto.com in Chicago. They'll process it, scan it, put it online and let you download it or make prints for you. A tad pricey but I think work it. Do I need to get a photo quality printer? (I'm getting scared). :<0(
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Molly A. Galloway |
I don't know if they do this, but check out Full Color in Dallas, Texas. www.fullcolor.com
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Michael H. Cothran |
I would avoid a flatbed scanner unless this is all you can afford. Flatbeds simply cannot provide you with the detail/resolution that a dedicated film scanner will provide - however, their prices are cheaper. In photography, you get what you pay for. Most photographers choose medium format for the image quality, and it stands to reason that one would want to incorporate as much of this quality/detail in your final prints, and not lose it to inferior scans. Imacon and Nikon are the only two manufacturers left, I believe, that still offer dedicated film scanners capable of scanning medium format film. I own the Nikon LS9000ED, which can be purchased new for about $1600-$1700. It scans @ 4000 ppi, and produces a file from 6x6cm film about 240 MB or so. I routinely print 24x32/24x36 cropped prints @360 ppi from these 6x6cm scans. Imacon, now owned by Hasselblad, has about 4 models, ranging from $5000-$20,000. Too steep for my wallet. Note -Imacon touts itself as being a "virtual" drum scanner, but it is not. It is a CCD scanner just like the Nikon, however, it bends the film during scanning like a drum scanner would (which is a good thing), but it is not a drum scanner as they would have you believe. If a dedicated film scanner is too rich for your wallet at this time, then look into flatbeds, but don't expect the same quality scans. You might just want to take a few select pieces of film, and have them professionally scanned, either from a CCD scanner, or a drum scanner for the highest possible detail. Michael H. Cothran
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Mark Feldstein |
So Michael, let me ask you something: What commercial printing process will hold resolution to say 4000 ppi and maybe you could esplain the difference between DPI vs. ppi cause I'm pretty new to this. And have you read about the Epson V700 or V750? And, have you got a printer that will support that resolution? If so, how much was that baby and who makes it?? Mark
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Michael H. Cothran |
I own and print on an Epson 7600 Wide Format printer (24", and now upgraded to the 7800). Scanning resolutions and printing resolutions are two different animals. DPI (dots per inch) is an older term used by offset printers. PPI (pixels per inch) is more appropriate to digital printing, but it seems that both are used interchangeably. The more detail your scanner provides, the more detail you'll produce in your print. If the details are not there to begin with, you'll not find them in your print. My philosophy for the best images is to scan as high as you can afford. Drum scanning is still king. A lower resolution scan just won't hold all the detail. The bigger your scanned file, the more detail it holds. 1440 dpi/ppi on an inkjet printer will find it. Michael H. Cothran
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