# Holders for Scanning Film Negatives: What do you use? How about "betterscanning" products?



## cayenne (Oct 15, 2019)

Hi all,

I just got back my first B&W negatives from my 6x12 Ondu wooden pinhole camera.
In spite of myself, I think I might have gotten some keepers on the first 3 rolls of 120.

I have the Epson V600 scanner and the holders/tray for film that came with it, no glass and look a bit rickety.

I'd seen video that extolled (sp?) the virtues of getting the ones for the V850...but I can't seem to find those available online...they have glass in the holder which seems would be good to completely flatten the negatives.

I'd seen a video about using the ones from :
Better Scanning

The review I watches was from:
Nick Carver: 5 Epson scanning methods compared.

But the reviewer was mainly using these for "wet mounting"...which seems a bit much for me starting off, but their holders do have what seems to be quality parts and glass to hold your negatives.


Does anyone have experience with them?

What are your best solutions you use for scanning in images/negatives from an old fashioned film shoot?

Thank you in advance,

cayenne


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## dcm (Oct 16, 2019)

I’ve scanned thousands of negatives, 35 and 120, on my Epson V750 using VueScan. I found the provided trays quite workable for my purposes so far. If I need higher quality I’d send them out or shoot them with a high MP sensor and macro lens.

I initially used the the 4 strip tray provided with the V750. I was always a bit concerned about the heat from the scanner bulb so I only scanned two strips at a time to minimize the number of passes the strips were exposed to the lamp. I also scanned at lower resolution, 1600 dpi, which is sufficient for my online purposes. Higher resolution scans are slower, resulting on more heat/light on the negatives which concerned me. In the end I didn’t need to scan at higher resolutions.



I obtained the 3 strip tray provided with the V800/850 via Amazon a few years back (no longer available). It includes the glass cover between the negative and the light source to provide a more diffuse light and shield the film from the heat. I assume it holds the negative flatter as well. Supposedly eliminates Newton rings(?) but I never noticed any without it. I still only scanned 2 strips at a time because VueScan assumed the 4 strip tray that came with the V750 and wouldn’t align the middle strip. I didn’t notice any significant difference in scans from the different trays.



For 120 negatives I used the provided plastic tray which did a good job. I don’t know if there is a version of this tray with glass, but I might consider it to protect my negatives. However, I’ve already scanned all of the 120 film I have from family archives and I’m not shooting any new 120.



The latest Epson scanner models offer an LED bulb so the heat may be less of an issue (if it ever was). If my current scanner craps out before I finish scanning, I’ll probably do the upgrade to LED.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Oct 16, 2019)

The Epson V850 parts can be found here, and in other places as well. You can buy a complete set or just what you need.









Epson Perfection V850 - Bundle! Includes Slide, 4x5 Holder, 35mm & 120 Holder!


Up for sale are all four holders for the Epson Perfection V850. Use these holders for 35mm slides, 35mm negatives, 120s and 4x5 film! These are true Epson parts and are NOT knock offs! Three of these holders come with installed ANR Resin! The ANR Resin is installed by Epson and NOT by a third...



www.parts-distribution.com


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## Graphic.Artifacts (Oct 16, 2019)

I photograph all of my film rather than scan it these days. My 5D Mark IV with a 100 L IS macro is easily capable of resolving film grain and in my opinion retains the "feel" of the film better than all but the best scanners. For larger negatives, where I want a big file with a lot of detail, I do a few shots and build them into a panorama. Generally 1 frame for 35mm, 2 frames for a 56-70MM medium format and 4-6 frames for panorama med format or 4x5 large format. B&W negs shouldn't be a problem as far as DR goes. For dense color positives I sometimes also do multishot HDR.

You'd have to rig up a light source if you don't have a light box. It sounds like you already have negative holders which should work. I use the holders from a Microtek M1 flatbed.

Just my opinion but I'll never buy another scanner. There are few things in life I hate more than scanners and scanning film.


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## cayenne (Oct 16, 2019)

dcm said:


> I’ve scanned thousands of negatives, 35 and 120, on my Epson V750 using VueScan. I found the provided trays quite workable for my purposes so far. If I need higher quality I’d send them out or shoot them with a high MP sensor and macro lens.
> 
> I initially used the the 4 strip tray provided with the V750. I was always a bit concerned about the heat from the scanner bulb so I only scanned two strips at a time to minimize the number of passes the strips were exposed to the lamp. I also scanned at lower resolution, 1600 dpi, which is sufficient for my online purposes. Higher resolution scans are slower, resulting on more heat/light on the negatives which concerned me. In the end I didn’t need to scan at higher resolutions.
> View attachment 187119
> ...




Thank you for the reply.

You mentioned that you were able to get the V800/850 trays and as you mentioned, they have the glass in them that help flatten, etc.

Since they're no longer available, do you think the ones from here:

Better Scanning for V600 Epson

Might be better than the trays that came with mine? They have no plastic or glass where the negatives are located.

If not them, any recommendations for other 3rd party scanning trays out there?

Thank you in advance!!

C


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## cayenne (Oct 16, 2019)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> The Epson V850 parts can be found here, and in other places as well. You can buy a complete set or just what you need.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Oh...just saw this.

I see the bundle in your link, and now...found the individual parts....the 120 is like $40.....$130 for the bundle of all 4 units.

Hmm...I'll need to research....but do you know off hand if the bed size on the V850 is the same as on the V600 or the other Epson scanners in this range?

Just wanting to make sure the V850 trays will fit on my V600.

I'll go look, but if anyone knows off hand, please post....

Thank you everyone!!

C


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Oct 16, 2019)

cayenne said:


> Oh...just saw this.
> 
> I see the bundle in your link, and now...found the individual parts....the 120 is like $40.....$130 for the bundle of all 4 units.
> 
> ...


I expect that the bed size is the same, legal size. I have a V700 which I bought used a few years ago. It did not include the holders so I bought a set for the V700. They worked well for me, obviously, glass might work better. I've found 4 large boxes of old family photos and negatives that I'd like to scan this winter. When the negatives are available, I scan them.


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## cayenne (Oct 16, 2019)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I expect that the bed size is the same, legal size. I have a V700 which I bought used a few years ago. It did not include the holders so I bought a set for the V700. They worked well for me, obviously, glass might work better. I've found 4 large boxes of old family photos and negatives that I'd like to scan this winter. When the negatives are available, I scan them.



Ok thank you.

I may go with these then. Trying to figure if I go for the bundle....or just the 120 that I need now.

I did find a bunch of old slides at Mom's house last year, and thinking I might rescue them...so, heck, I might get the whole bundle, as that I also saw lots of 35mm negatives in boxes there.....

C


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## dcm (Oct 17, 2019)

cayenne said:


> Ok thank you.
> 
> I may go with these then. Trying to figure if I go for the bundle....or just the 120 that I need now.
> 
> ...



I inherited some Minox 8mm, 110, 126, and 127 negatives to scan as well. Also had a lot of APS from wife and kids Canon Elphs. Used these inserts that drop in the 120 tray to scan them all.


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