Scanning black and white and color negatives: I have very many negatives I wish to scan and save them to my computer. The negatives are both color and black and white, but mostly B&W.

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Scanning black and white and color negatives

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Mar 12, 2019 16:23:49 #

piniongear

I have very many negatives I wish to scan and save them to my computer.
The negatives are both color and black and white, but mostly B&W.

So my questions are:
If I scan a negative is the result a negative image? I assume that will be the case.
If so, how do I convert that to a positive image to save?

I have an Epson Perfection 4870 Photo flatbed scanner and an Epson Perfection 750 Pro flatbed scanner.
Is one better to use than the other to scan negatives? I have a lot of 2-1/4 square medium format negatives.

I tried scanning some B&W negatives long ago when I first purchased the 4870 Photo but the result was a negative image. Maybe I failed to use a particular setting to make the scan result a positive image?
Thanks for any comment you may make.
pg

Mar 12, 2019 16:26:25 #

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

piniongear wrote:

I have very many negatives I wish to scan and save... (show quote)

The Epson V600 Photo scanner is likely your best bet, and only $200. I have been using one to scan literally 10's of thousands of 35mm and MF slides and negatives for 7 years now. Epson software automatically converts negatives to positives and can fix MANY issues with the film when scanning, even severely faded colors.

Mar 12, 2019 16:33:59 #

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Please the negative onto the scanner facing the proper direction and you'll have a digital image file, when scanned.

Mar 12, 2019 16:57:45 #

piniongear

Thank you both for your comments.
Can you tell me what it takes to turn the resulting negative scan into a positive?
pg

Mar 12, 2019 17:01:08 #

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

piniongear wrote:

Thank you both for your comments.
Can you tell me what it takes to turn the resulting negative scan into a positive?
pg

When you select your negative strips to scan, place them so the text along the negative faces down toward the scanner surface. This link from the Epson manual demonstrates.

https://files.support.epson.com/htmldocs/prv6ph/prv6phug/html/set2_2.htm

Mar 12, 2019 22:54:12 #

toxdoc42

I have scanned quite a few negatives and choose the source as negative, so Epson's software does automatically convert the file, a jpg, to positive. One caution, each scan takes a while, so the process is long and tedious. You need to call out those you really don't feel you MUST save.

Mar 12, 2019 23:51:19 #

piniongear

OK, so the software does the conversion to a positive jpg image.
I must be missing something because if I scan a negative it comes out as a negative.
Thank you for clearing that up for me.
pg

Mar 12, 2019 23:54:52 #

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

piniongear wrote:

OK, so the software does the conversion to a positive jpg image.
I must be missing something because if I scan a negative it comes out as a negative.
Thank you for clearing that up for me.
pg

Because you are not using a film scanner. You are using a photo scanner which cannot invert while scanning.

Mar 13, 2019 06:37:13 #

Dik

piniongear wrote:

OK, so the software does the conversion to a positive jpg image.
I must be missing something because if I scan a negative it comes out as a negative.
Thank you for clearing that up for me.
pg

In the scanner software, you must select "negative".
It sounds like it's set for slides.

Mar 13, 2019 08:40:39 #

piniongear

No, I have it set for negatives.

Mar 13, 2019 08:49:46 #

Dik

To convert negative to positive, open file in Photoshop, then Image>Adjustments>Invert
From there you adjust whites, blacks, and contrast, etc as required.

Mar 13, 2019 08:57:05 #

A.J.R. Loc: Devon, UK

MT Shooter wrote:

Pg has said he already has an Epson 750 Pro, which is a better specified scaner than the V600. The Epson 750 should give him excellent results.

Mar 13, 2019 09:12:45 #

piniongear

DIK and A.J.R.
OK I guess I need Photoshop to do the conversion.
AJR..... I will try using the V750 Pro and see what happens.
Thanks guys.
pg

Mar 13, 2019 09:54:18 #

A.J.R. Loc: Devon, UK

piniongear wrote:

DIK and A.J.R.
OK I guess I need Photoshop to do the conversion.
AJR..... I will try using the V750 Pro and see what happens.
Thanks guys.
pg

I have used the V750 Pro to scan colour slides and negatives and B&W negatives of sizes up to 5"x 4" for a few years now with very good results, probably the best flatbed scanner there is for this purpose (although now superseded by the V850) . To set up for negatives launch Epson Scan and under document type go to film with film holder. If you need anymore help let us know.

Mar 13, 2019 10:13:23 #

charlienow Loc: Hershey, PA

be sure the document mat is removed and that the cover cable is installed correctly...this is a great scanner and will scan negatives and automatically convert to positive...

if this is not the problem contact epson for help with the process...you do not need to manually convert these scans to positive...

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