film scanning.

bruca003

TPF Noob!
Joined
Feb 22, 2014
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Location
Canada
Hello everyone. I have been searching all week for what seemed to be a simple solution. I am new to film and no longer want to pay blacks $40 for 48 exposures. I am looking to buy a film scanner.
My main question is, once I use up a 24 roll of film and rewind it, at this point is where I am stuck..
Do I,
Remove the film using a film retriever and start scanning?
Or,
Do I need to still have film developed by blacks and then scan?
If the second option here is the way to go then what's the point!!
I'm still paying blacks?
..... and perhaps time to invest into a dark room?

Many thanks in advance..
Nick.
 
You will need to get the film developed ... you can do this yourself. B&W film is easier than Colour negative film.
B&W film chemistry is not that expensive, you just need a dark room/bag to load the film into the developing canister and everything else can be done in the light close to a sink/running water.

That's how I shoot film. B&W only. Develop myself. Negative scanner.
 
You still have to dev the negatives. If you are shooting bw the darkroom investment will be minimal compared to the scanner.
 
After the film is exposed, it must be developed. Either by a commercial lab or you can do it yourself. It costs about $150 CD to get all the stuff you need to develop B&W film yourself.

After that, you can have it scanned commercially or buy a scanner and do that yourself as well.
 
After the film is exposed, it must be developed. Either by a commercial lab or you can do it yourself. It costs about $150 CD to get all the stuff you need to develop B&W film yourself.

After that, you can have it scanned commercially or buy a scanner and do that yourself as well.
And this is what I recommend if you're going to be shooting a lot of film.

I would say that the "break even point" is 20 rolls. That is, after 20 rolls, you will be spending more by sending it out than you would have spent developing yourself.
 
Patterson tank w/ reels = $30
Mixing jug = $10
Containers to hold chemicals = cheap

The chemicals can develop a large number of rolls
Ilford Ilfosol3 = $10
Ilford Stop Bath = $8
Ilford Rapid Fixer = $8
 
Sounds great! Time to start researching my own darkroom. Seems like it's not as expensive as I thought. . Many thanks.
 
I just use my second washroom.
A darkbag is handy if you cannot light seal the door/window.
Develop in the sink.
Bathtub is a great area for drying film.
The highest expense is a good scanner.
 
Sounds great! Time to start researching my own darkroom. Seems like it's not as expensive as I thought. . Many thanks.

A darkroom is only required if you want to make prints directly from the negatives. You can still develop film without a darkroom.
 
I'm not sure what film scanning has to do with darkroom work. My scanner works just as well in my darkroom as in my well-lit workshop. And I develop roll film in a daylight tank loaded in a dark bag. So I no darkroom is needed here as well.

On the other hand when I enlarge those negatives to make pictures out of light sensitive materials (usually gelatin-silver paper) then I need a light controlled work-space, the darkroom. And it's never dark in there; just a restful orange safe-light colour.

I've never figured out why people make photographs on film or paper, take digital pictures of those photographs, then discard those photographs and use the obtained electronic files for print-out or display. Why not go 100% digital from original scene to final product?
 
I found an omega d2v and everything else required for a complete darkroom. Here is the list,
Selling my Darkroom
Incl
Omege D2V Coldhead enlarger with Zone VI compensating metronome
3 lenses* 2 nikor 80mm & 150mm & fujinon 50mm
6 film carriers*** 2-35mm / 1-6x7 / 2-4x5 and 1-4x5 GLASS CARRIER!
direct source light meter
Plus all the usual DR stuff* developing trays/ tray siphon/ 21/4 developing metal reels and tanks* 120 & 220 / chemistry jugs/ selenium toner/ HC-110 / Dektol/* stop/* fix* (components - I used to make my own)* contact sheet printer/ 4 blade easal/ gralab timer/ a lot of photo paper - some RC mostly fibre based / darkroom light.
That's everything. . He is asking $750 obo..
What do you think?
Thank you.
 
Are you planning on printing directly from the negatives then?

I wouldn't put much faith in the chemicals and paper.
 
Yes i plan on printing as well. Glad you mentioned chemicals and paper cause the poster told me the same thing. Apart from everything else what do you think of the omega? I've researched it and it seems pretty rugged. I may start the offer at $450.. Thank you.
 
It's been 30-odd years since I've been in a darkroom. I have no clue what the technology is, nor what anything is worth.
 
I found an omega d2v and everything else required for a complete darkroom... He is asking $750 obo..
What do you think?
Thank you.

The list is strikingly similar to the contents of my own busy darkroom. The Omega D2V is one of the best 4x5 enlargers ever made and I haven't been able to wear mine out in a couple of decades of hard use. Yes, do offer $450 for the complete outfit. It's a fair price in a world where entire darkrooms, enlargers, lenses, everything, often get sent to landfill.
 

Most reactions

Back
Top