DebAnn Loc: Toronto

Just wanted to let you know about the successful solutions I discovered after posting my request about scanning curled negatives. What often happens if the film strip isn't flat is that it bows a bit out of the scanner holder and the light defraction causes a strange repetitive patterned strip across the middle of the scan - looks like moire.

Thanks Esther for suggesting cutting negs apart and placing them in slide mounts. I used plastic hinged slide mounts and put narrow strips of acid-free double-sided tape along the sprocket edges of the film. This forced the film to lie flat and it worked really well in the scanner film strip holder.

For strips that weren't too curled, I ran the double-sided tape along the top and bottom edges of the scanner holder where the film sprockets sit. Then I carefully placed one end of the film strip in the holder clips and rolled the length of the strip slowly down towards the other end. Because I was gently pushing and rolling the strip downward, it sat flat onto the tape. This worked well also.

It's a bit time-consuming but I was able to get excellent scans because of it. Hope it helps when any of you decide to scan your old film negatives. I wore cotton gloves too.

Darkroom317 Loc: Mishawaka, IN

Look up Newton rings. You can get glass carriers for this reason.

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

Thanks. I didn't know that.