[Amelia]

I am a Mother of 4 and Grandmother of 3 girls. Maybe this isn't the right forum for me I was searching for information on scanning.
I am trying to scan negatives mostly 35mm so that I can eventually put them on cd to give to children and grandchildren. There is so many opinions on what DPI to scan them at. I have an Epson V500 and have photoshop 4 and 7 for photo corrections. So far my biggest opstical
is the scanning DPI and dust. The negatives are in very good shape and I don't want to print large photos 5X7 or 4X6 is good enough. Any suggestions. Thanks Amelia

[davidreilly3207]

I also have this scanner. I am assuming you are using the software bundled with the scanner. My first suggestion is to purcahase a downloadable scanning software called Vuescan. You can download a free trial at VueScan Scanner Software for Windows 8, Mac OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion), Linux, iPhone, iPad, iPod, Android. It is reasonably priced at 39.95 and will greatly simplify and improve your scanning results. It is simple to use and I leave the settings for resolution(dpi) on auto after choosing the input and output options. The color tab has options for the negative or slide brand and type. Definitely chose .tif, not .jpg, for an output to preserve the most detail for editing. After editing you can save to jpeg. Also, your scanner has built in 'ICE' technology. When turned on and scanning negatives, it is supposed to help remove small dust particles and scratches. I have found that it is usually too aggressive and I leave it off.

I clean most of the dust using a rocket blower before scanning. Don't use a cloth as the dust will leave small scratches if wiped.

[SpecialK]

300 DPI should be plenty, without long scan times. I suggest trying a few DPI settings and see which you like. Doesn't cost anything.

[wanderingnome]

You should be fine using 300 dpi. I agree with Dave, use a blower to clean off any visible dust so you don't scratch the negatives.

[John Poirier]

I am a Mother of 4 and Grandmother of 3 girls. Maybe this isn't the right forum for me I was searching for information on scanning.
I am trying to scan negatives mostly 35mm so that I can eventually put them on cd to give to children and grandchildren. There is so many opinions on what DPI to scan them at. I have an Epson V500 and have photoshop 4 and 7 for photo corrections. So far my biggest opstical
is the scanning DPI and dust. The negatives are in very good shape and I don't want to print large photos 5X7 or 4X6 is good enough. Any suggestions. Thanks Amelia

The V500 appears to be a good choice for your needs. Over the last 6 or 7 years I've done a lot of scanning with a V700, which uses the same software.

A key piece of information is that Epson Scan software offers several modes, the most useful of which is "professional" mode. If you go into that mode, you will find a number of options for adjusting images including an automatic adjustment button that works reasonably well reasonably often. You will also find the option for using DIgital ICE, which is a quite effective system for dust and scratch removal. (It won't get all dust/scratches, but it does make things much easier.)

You should review the Epson Scan manual for more information on these functions. You can also consult books about scanning.

Note that if you select the "thumbnail" tab in the preview window, the software will automatically create frames for every image on a film strip, which can be adjusted individually, then scanned as a batch.

In terms of resolution, I suggest that you look for tutorials on the web. Here is a link to one example, which I found very quickly by searching the term "scanning resolution explained": Scanning Basics 101 - All about digital images

I suggest 2400dpi as a starting point for scanning resolution. This gives you adequately large files for 8x10 prints as long as you don't crop too much. (Note that the abbreviation ppi, pixels per inch, is often used instead of dpi. As a beginner, you might as well use the two terms interchangeably.)

I will give an example of a calculation for resolution: A convenient image resolution for printer output is 300 dpi. If you want to make an 8x10 print, you therefore need an image file that is at least 2400 pixels high (8 inches x 300 pixels per inch.) A 35mm negative is about an inch high. If you scan at 2400 pixels per inch, that gives you close to the needed 2400 pixels of image height. You just have to rescale the image in Photoshop to 8 inches high at 300 pixels per inch.

Seems simple to me, but I've been doing it for 20 years. I suggest that you look at books or tutorials, of which there are many, until you find an explanation that makes sense to you- or see if you can find someone at a local photo club to show you the ropes.

One post recommended that you purchase Vuescan software. Vuescan is quite good. I've used it for many years on a variety of scanners. However, the Vuescan interface is not particularly user friendly.

The capabilities of Epson Scan in professional mode are more than adequate for most users.

Genuinely high quality scanning requires a certain amount of knowledge and practice, but can be quite rewarding. Good luck!

John

[stevebrot]

Genuinely high quality scanning requires a certain amount of knowledge and practice, but can be quite rewarding. Good luck!

What he said...

I would add too that you might also want scan the original prints if you have them. I have found that often enough that approach can provide excellent results with less dust problems. A scan of a print done at 300 dpi will provide adequate resolution to print a copy the same size as the original.


Steve

[stevebrot]

300 DPI should be plenty,

300 dpi works great for reflective scans of prints, but a 300 dpi scan of a 35mm negative will allow a print of only 24x36mm. 300 dpi is the nominal resolution for ink jet printing. I usually scan 35mm at 1100 dpi for viewing on a computer monitor and a minimum of 2400 dpi if I want to print. As John points out above, 2400 dpi will allow adequate resolution for an 8x10 print though results will not be as good as with an enlarged optical print of the same image (2400 dpi is at the ragged edge of what the V500 is capable of delivering).


Steve

[SpecialK]

300 dpi works great for reflective scans of prints, but a 300 dpi scan of a 35mm negative will allow a print of only 24x36mm.


Steve

Well, there ya go :-) I don't remember going that high, but I was scanning mostly prints, though a variety of slide sizes as well. I should sell my scanner :-)

[Kerrowdown]

I'm just gonna say welcome to the forum, there's lots of other clever folk that appear to be helping you with your scanning question.

[Amelia]

Hi again everyone. Thank you for all the replies I found them very helpful. I am now scanning 35mm film at 1500DPI. I think this is all I need to print photos that would be comparable to the original prints. I am saving files in tiff to an external hard drive. I want to eventually get the photos saved to cd so that I can give them to my children and grandchildren. I am sure it will work out okay. I read somewhere that saving to cd is better than dvd any comments on this.

I would also like to know if there is anybody who can tell me if very old photo paper is any good or should I just throw it out. My father used to develop his own films back in the thirtys and fortys and I have several unopened packages. I found them when the house was being cleaned up after his passing. I also have a box of old cameras and not sure if they have any value.

[Yos]

Post some photos of the old cameras and I am sure more experienced people here can tell you if they have any value
Can't help you with your Q about the photo paper but I am sure you soon will have an answer from someone here