Film: 35mm film scan

Hello,

I like to shoot film sometimes just for the fun of it, and today I went to one of the labs to get my photos back, and their were all , what seems to be, croped to a size of 1024 x 1544...

I ve had photos scaned before on other places and the images, were larger 3072 x 2048 ..

So before I go there again and complain about their service, I would like to ask what is the original size of a 35mm film scan?
( google isnt really helping me out on this one )

Its really irritating that they crop the images so small, it makes me so mad!

thanks in advance.

Hi Nuno,

There are a couple of things we need to clarify up front. You mention cropped to a size of 1024 x 1544. What exactly do you mean with "cropped"? Do you mean to say that the resolution of the scanned files is low? Or do you mean that the scanned image contains less image area compared to the printed ones they gave you? If you mean the first one (i.e. low resolution), then you should not mention cropping since there is no actual cropping taking place.

So assuming that the low resolution is your problem, let's continue. You as about the "original size of a 35mm film scan". There is no such thing. The 35mm film area is 24mm x36mm. This is roughly equal to 1 x 1.5 inches. Scanning is done at a certain scan resolution. If, for example, one would scan the film using 300dpi resolution, then the number of pixels in the scanned image would be 300x450. If one used a scan resolution of 1200 dpi, the image would contain 1200x1800 pixels, etc.

If the image you have received is 1024 x 1544 pixels, this is possibly related to their workflow to get the images printed. For example, if the prints are 10cm x 15cm (4 x 6 inches) and the print resolution is around 250 dpi, then the resulting scan resolution would be 1000 dpi and it would deliver a file containing 1000 x 1500 pixels. Their equipment may not be able to scan at a higher resolution. Or it could but take much longer (if you would double the scan resolution) and result in larger files. The longer scanning times can be a problem for their workflow and time is money.

So to summarize, if you want better resolution scans, you will have to ask for it specifically and possibly pay for a premium as well. My own experience with having film scanned during development has been largely a disappointment for all these reasons.

Hello,

The size you mention are scan sizes, not 35 mm film size.

The size of 35mm film is 24mm x 36mm. On a scan it is wise to scan slightly larger than that to make sure the edges aren't cropped.

That being said the size of a scan is measured in DPI. I have gone as far as doing 10,000 dpi scans for 35mm in which I wanted to extract maximum information for very large size prints. On the other hand, a 2000dpi scan is fine for small prints. It all depends what size print you want to make

Nuno Alexandre said:

I would like to ask what is the original size of a 35mm film scan?

Click to expand...

There is no "original size", but my old Nikon coolscan outputs something like 5680 x 3675 pixels, give or take 200 pixels (not all negatives have the same size, it depends a bit on the camera). Of course, typical film does not live up to that resolution.

thank you for your replies.
Am sorry about mentioning "crop" the images are not croped , but are indeed just scaned at a low resolution of 1024 x 1544.

Thank you very much for your time and clarification about this.

Jerome Marot said:

There is no "original size", but my old Nikon coolscan outputs something like 5680 x 3675 pixels, give or take 200 pixels (not all negatives have the same size, it depends a bit on the camera). Of course, typical film does not live up to that resolution.

Click to expand...

I have a Nikon (Coolscan) 2000, which gives around 3890x2590 and I love(d) it. However, it requires a SCSI interface, and when I last upgraded my computer, it left no room for a SCSI card. Do you use SCSI with yours, or have you a more modern interface? I guess yours is a 4000 dpi beastie.

My scanner has a USB interface.

Denbigh Gabbitas said:

I have a Nikon (Coolscan) 2000, which gives around 3890x2590 and I love(d) it. However, it requires a SCSI interface, and when I last upgraded my computer, it left no room for a SCSI card. Do you use SCSI with yours, or have you a more modern interface? I guess yours is a 4000 dpi beastie.

Click to expand...

Hi Denbigh,

I also still have an LS-2000 (amongst various others), and a back-up computer with an Adaptec SCSI card. The requirement fo a SCSI adapter card is unfortunate, but it is a very capable scanner (for its limited 2000 PPI resolution). The Nikon Coolscan scanners have a very pleasing way of getting the correct color from film, probably due to the spectral characteristics of the R/G/B lasers and their interaction with the film dyes. A friend of mine has the LS-4000 which was firewire (and USB, if I'm not mistaken), so I could potentially have access to that should I need to.

I later acquired a 5400 PPI (Minolta dImage Scan Elite 5400, first version with graininess reducing diffuser) 35mm film scanner. That scanner showed me how much more resolution there was to be extracted from my (same) 35mm films images (but only the ones taken with quality optics and immaculate shooting technique, i.e. tripod + mirror lock-up). Since the advent of 16MP+ digital cameras, I haven't looked back though.

Cheers,
Bart

Maybe I should point out that firewire to scsi converters are available: here on amazon.com, but a google search should give you other sellers.

Jerome Marot said:

Maybe I should point out that firewire to scsi converters are available: here on amazon.com, but a google search should give you other sellers.

Click to expand...

That is something I would quite like to have ! I have an LS-2000. I don't really need it any more, but not needing is not the same as not wanting. I have few slides left to scan, but it can't do 6x6 which I might still want to use.

I have spent a fair bit of time on this today. It appears that the manufacturers have discontinued the item although the listing says that they have some; I tried to order and find that it cannot be shipped to France or UK. Strangely there is a Belkin device, but I can't get that either.