That's a very interesting method of scanning negatives! I'm going to have to try that vs. the regular method on my Epson V800. For 35mm, I use a Nikon CoolScan V.
You're work is classic and timeless. Very much how I would love my work to end up hanging on a wall. Thanks for sharing you're knowledge. These videos are invaluable.
I always reasoned that remove the dust spots on the scan first, then fix contrast and brightness levels. In your opinion does it matter what sequence is used? or did I miss something here? Love that fog btw.
Wet mount is way to go. I was a pro drum scanner at Duggal for 12 years and Kami mounting fluid never ever damaged a neg. You could also use mineral oil which is very cheap. No problem, no dirt. You can use regular lighter fluid to clean them. Seriously. I've been a conventional darkroom tech most of my life and drum scanner for 12 years. Dust bustin is hell!! Wet mount scans and enjoy the process.
What a great video. So glad I found this. I have some questions. What do you use for shims? What loupe did you use to view the negative? Beautiful work.
Nick Carver I love the ‘do it yourself’ aspect of the scanning technique. I scan lots of 35mm on my 750, but medium format is so fussy with the holders they provide) getting the film to lay flat) I’ve given up.
You should also try a hybrid form of printing. You take a digital photograph and print it on B&W silver gelatin paper. The blacks & dmax will blow your mind away, believe me. Thank you for these very inspirational video series.
Also, how does one know if his monitor levels are correct ... too dark too light. I find that I need to brighten the final a bit to avoid blocking of blacks.
I am newbie to this analogic stuff. Why scan on tiff? Wouldn't RAW be more suitable? Great channel, videos and photographs! Congratulations from Brazil.
Question... I love the large format film, but... Since you are scanning your negatives, why wouldn’t you just go entirely digital? Your work is awesome, and understated is the best art for walls you can get :)
Hey Nick, can you explain why you prefer light jet over inkjet printing? I've always been very pleased with high quality pigment inkjet prints; and other than the differences in the aesthetics between the two, have never really been unhappy with the quality of either.
Luke Perez I've done the same image side-by-side on inkjet and lightjet and I just can't stand the look of inkjet except for on watercolor paper. I can see the layers of ink, it looks dull, the blacks aren't as rich...not to mention the archival qualities of inkjet vs lightjet. The technicians I know and work with that have decades of experience in the business have confirmed to me that lightjet prints withstand the test of time far better than inkjet.
Hmmm... Maybe I'll have to do some side-by-sides. I've never noticed the ink as layered on (except when someone was using the wrong ICC or matte/glossy ink combination). Individually, I've only had work come back from labs that used either ink jet or lightjet.
Non-frosted glass would prevent the glass from adding any grain, but then you run into other issues with the film creating Newton rings against the glass. Wet mounting the film on clear glass using Aztek scanner fluid and their optical grade Mylar sheets would eliminate the possibility of grain, but for me, the downsides of doing it that way outweigh the downsides of dry mounting on frosted glass.
One professional photographer said that lightroom's sharpening is bad and he adviced to always zero it and to sharpen images in photoshop with high pass. Any idea why he said that? :o
Awesome instruction. For one, I couldn't wait for digital to catch up to film quality because, after a while, the old way to do things became extremely tedious and expensive. I personally (at 72 years of age) have not found what you do to be any more satisfying or better fine art than the way you work. I guess I'm a lazy artist. Ultimately I have to create a digital image of the film. It is a nice historic piece to teach to students but the real deal would be to take the negative into the darkroom and print with dodge and burn. No criticism intended because this was a neat tutorial but ...
Yeah I agree a darkroom print would be ideal. Unfortunately, though, it’s quite difficult (maybe impossible) to find a darkroom these days that can accommodate such large prints. Plus, my favorite format to shoot is 6x17 and I don’t know of an enlarger that could work with that film and print any size I would actually use. Alas, I must be content with scanning. Thank you for the kind words!
Hey man your good.The best I've seen yet. More, I need more!!!
Thank you!
Aw man new video finally! Welcome back Nick!
Thank you!
yeah, always getting newton rings on my 4x5's, will try your set up....thanks for the video, always nice to pick up on the techniques of others.
Michael Inman yeah those newton rings are hard to avoid. Ground glass should take care of it.
make more vids man ur work is awesome
Thanks a lot! I definitely will.
That's a very interesting method of scanning negatives! I'm going to have to try that vs. the regular method on my Epson V800. For 35mm, I use a Nikon CoolScan V.
You're work is classic and timeless. Very much how I would love my work to end up hanging on a wall. Thanks for sharing you're knowledge. These videos are invaluable.
Thank you very much!
Fine art has always been by people who have innovated. Do your thang with the scanner man. Lol
I always reasoned that remove the dust spots on the scan first, then fix contrast and brightness levels. In your opinion does it matter what sequence is used? or did I miss something here? Love that fog btw.
Wet mount is way to go. I was a pro drum scanner at Duggal for 12 years and Kami mounting fluid never ever damaged a neg. You could also use mineral oil which is very cheap. No problem, no dirt. You can use regular lighter fluid to clean them. Seriously. I've been a conventional darkroom tech most of my life and drum scanner for 12 years. Dust bustin is hell!! Wet mount scans and enjoy the process.
What a great video. So glad I found this. I have some questions. What do you use for shims? What loupe did you use to view the negative? Beautiful work.
Thanks! The shims are strips of thin plastic I cut from a “for sale” sign. The loupe is a Peak Anastigmat Lupe 4x.
Nick Carver I love the ‘do it yourself’ aspect of the scanning technique. I scan lots of 35mm on my 750, but medium format is so fussy with the holders they provide) getting the film to lay flat) I’ve given up.
You should also try a hybrid form of printing. You take a digital photograph and print it on B&W silver gelatin paper. The blacks & dmax will blow your mind away, believe me. Thank you for these very inspirational video series.
That sounds like an awesome idea. Thanks for watching.
+Vesa Lempinen do you have a video example of this? It sounds really interesting!
Sorry, unfortunately I dont, but
please search in yuotube via phrase "Digital meets the Darkroom! A look at Digital Silver Imaging"
(no affiliation)
No worries! Thanks for the reply and the info.
This was exactly what I was looking for! Thanks so much www.digitalsilverimaging.com/
Hey Nick, been enjoying your videos. What company/kind of archival binder is that? And what archival storage sheets are those?
Nick why not darkroom print?
Also, how does one know if his monitor levels are correct ... too dark too light. I find that I need to brighten the final a bit to avoid blocking of blacks.
Calibrated monitor
Hi NICK, Whats the thickness of the shims and what material are they made of?
Great video Nick, btw, what make is that desk lamp
Do you scan negatives emulsion side to the glass or emulsion side to the scanner?
I am newbie to this analogic stuff. Why scan on tiff? Wouldn't RAW be more suitable?
Great channel, videos and photographs!
Congratulations from Brazil.
Question... I love the large format film, but... Since you are scanning your negatives, why wouldn’t you just go entirely digital? Your work is awesome, and understated is the best art for walls you can get :)
Hi Nick, Where do you purchase your metal file folder boxes and seen at the beginning of this video? Keep up the great work!
Would you consider getting a Flextight?
What size was it printed? Nice videos, cheers!
Hi. i want to know the thickness of two white stick that you use.
They are 3mm thick.
Hey Nick, can you explain why you prefer light jet over inkjet printing? I've always been very pleased with high quality pigment inkjet prints; and other than the differences in the aesthetics between the two, have never really been unhappy with the quality of either.
Luke Perez I've done the same image side-by-side on inkjet and lightjet and I just can't stand the look of inkjet except for on watercolor paper. I can see the layers of ink, it looks dull, the blacks aren't as rich...not to mention the archival qualities of inkjet vs lightjet. The technicians I know and work with that have decades of experience in the business have confirmed to me that lightjet prints withstand the test of time far better than inkjet.
Hmmm... Maybe I'll have to do some side-by-sides. I've never noticed the ink as layered on (except when someone was using the wrong ICC or matte/glossy ink combination). Individually, I've only had work come back from labs that used either ink jet or lightjet.
I may be overly sensitive to the differences in look, and I'm sure the paper makes a big difference. I've only compared glossy side by side.
You comment that your process adds a little grain to your scans, is there a way to not add grain to the scan? Perhaps a different glass/mount?
Non-frosted glass would prevent the glass from adding any grain, but then you run into other issues with the film creating Newton rings against the glass. Wet mounting the film on clear glass using Aztek scanner fluid and their optical grade Mylar sheets would eliminate the possibility of grain, but for me, the downsides of doing it that way outweigh the downsides of dry mounting on frosted glass.
I see...
Would it be possible for you to make a film scanning/editing tutorial?
One professional photographer said that lightroom's sharpening is bad and he adviced to always zero it and to sharpen images in photoshop with high pass. Any idea why he said that? :o
Veltto123 sounds like a dumb comment but generally you want to sharpen for your final output and not just sharpen the image
Nick, can I ask the specs on the shim height or what you're used as shims? Thanks.
jw mine are 3mm thick, but it could vary on another V750. Best to do some tests.
Awesome instruction. For one, I couldn't wait for digital to catch up to film quality because, after a while, the old way to do things became extremely tedious and expensive. I personally (at 72 years of age) have not found what you do to be any more satisfying or better fine art than the way you work. I guess I'm a lazy artist. Ultimately I have to create a digital image of the film. It is a nice historic piece to teach to students but the real deal would be to take the negative into the darkroom and print with dodge and burn. No criticism intended because this was a neat tutorial but ...
Yeah I agree a darkroom print would be ideal. Unfortunately, though, it’s quite difficult (maybe impossible) to find a darkroom these days that can accommodate such large prints. Plus, my favorite format to shoot is 6x17 and I don’t know of an enlarger that could work with that film and print any size I would actually use. Alas, I must be content with scanning.
Thank you for the kind words!
Excellent videos, what do you think about the v750?
Thanks! It's a fantastic scanner. But get a good scanner software with it. I use SilverFast.
Hey Nick, where did you get the 3mm white shims by the way?
Filip Milenkovic I used a thin plastic "for sale" sign cut up into strips and stacked to the right height.
can you not tape the film to the actual scanner glass ?
No you can't. The focus wouldn't be right and if you tape film to non-frosted glass, the film will exhibit Newton Rings.
nice video
Thank you
Why not get a second pane of glass and lay it on top of the negative? This would negate the need for tape.
Direct contact between the film and non-frosted glass creates Newton Rings on the film.
Thanks!
Nice video but I wish you would've went through the digital mockup in photoshop a lot slower.
😲 i r a profesor 🤭🤭🤭 but not like my professor Alex Flournoy... 🤭🤭🤭
Fine art photography?