Topic: Old negatives

[Clive]

I've come across some old negatives and wonder if anyone knows of a program I could use to see the positive images on my computer.  I have a flatbed scanner and Paint Shop Pro 7 installed.

[Sandra]

You really need a dedicated slide/negative scanner for the best results Clive.
Some flatbed scanners have an attachment that does it but I think the dedicated ones give the best results.
How many negatives have you got as I can borrow a Plustek, a slightly earlier version of these, I think its a 7200 (http://www.nativedigital.co.uk/shop/section.php/125/1/plustek?gclid=CJv3_Zvdl5QCFQ9oQgodVxNytA) and do some for you but its a long and boring process if there are hundreds 

[Clive]

I should have also said that I have a veho filmscanner which handles 35mm very well.  These negatives are too large to fit the device because they were probably taken with an old Kodak Brownie and appear to be (from the clothing) 1930's or even 1920's.  They were actually "concealed" in a copy of the Book of Mormon which was signed and dated 1870 by my great great grandfather.  They are almost certainly family photos, some  taken at the seaside.  There are around two dozen in all.

[sam]

hmm, any chance you get an attachment for large film? Or take them into a photography shop? I doubt there are many in your neck of the woods though.

[Clive]

I tried Googling and it seems that photography shops no longer print old negatives.  Jessops discontinued the service around 2 years ago. 

[Sandra]

If they are so big then you may get decent results off a flatbed Clive.
I think paint shop pro has a negatizer feature as I have played around with it and turned a normal pic into a negative but I am not sure if it will work in reverse.
Do the negatives scan to the PC ok ?

[Clive]

Scanning makes the negatives much worse - they lose all the detail you can see by holding them up to the light.  Maybe that is why you can make a negative from a positive but not the other way around? 

[Simon]

Are these baby pictures of yourself, Clive? 

[Camstop]

Find someone who can develop their own pictures Clive.

Anyone with an enlarger and the chemicals could sort you out 


Edit: Thinking about it, it may still be a problem with the format size but an enthusiast should be able to sort it out for you.

Try contacting the local camera club.

[Clive]

Are these baby pictures of yourself, Clive? 

Everything is possible Simon!   

Try contacting the local camera club.

That's a brilliant idea Cammy!   

[daveeb]

They won't scan without the adapter Clive as the process needs transmitted rather than reflected light.  Can you not lay the negative under the 35 mm adapter (which should have a light source above it) and be prepared to lose  the information not in the 35 mm field.

[Rik]

Or find someone with a 6cm scanner. If the worst comes to the worst, rig a holder which you can use with a camera to photograph the negative - these used to be standard bellows attachments. The final option would be to find someone with a wet darkroom (possibly the camera club) who  would make contact prints for you. Scanned at 2400dpi, you'll get reasonable results from these.

[Clive]

Can you not lay the negative under the 35 mm adapter (which should have a light source above it) and be prepared to lose  the information not in the 35 mm field.

I tried that yesterday Dave but it just doesn't work.   

 

The final option would be to find someone with a wet darkroom (possibly the camera club) who  would make contact prints for you. Scanned at 2400dpi, you'll get reasonable results from these.

I've found a local camera club from the Internet so I will phone them tomorrow and see if one of their members might be prepared to print them for me.

[Reno]

You can probably find a dark room at your local university if the camera club doesn't work out.

[Clive]

Very true Bob.