Re: filmscanners: Filmscanning vs. Flatbedding

["Maris V. Lidaka, Sr." <mlidaka@ameritech.net>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Arthur Entlich" <artistic@ampsc.com>
To: <filmscanners@halftone.co.uk>
Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2001 4:56 AM
Subject: Re: filmscanners: Filmscanning vs. Flatbedding


| 
| 
| Alan Tyson wrote:
| 
| > Just to add an alternative, broader view to the
| > discussion....
| > 
| > I agree that scanning the negative always has the potential
| > for a better result, and that's what I always do myself as
| > first choice. BUT let us not forget that simple flatbed
| > print scanning has its place, because......
| > 
| 
| Great post, and good points.  I couldn't agree more.
| 
| A flatbed is a good first step to scanning, and as you said, a much 
| easier one, in terms of operations, computer hardware demands, and use 
| to get to a final result.
| 
| My only complaint with your statements is you are encouraging everyone 
| to do this... gee, soon I'm just gonna be another regular guy that does 
| digital scanning... where's the elitism there? ;-)
| 
| As an aside, I interact with a lot of local artists here.  One hired me 
| to take some of his very fine detailed rather small sculptures and 
| photograph them and ultimately scan them for several projects he had in 
| mind.
| 
| I gave him a price for the work I expected to be involved, and offered 
| to work "in trade" because I really like his work and also he is really 
| just starting out, (first child on the way)...
| 
| On a lark, before setting up some involved rigging and lighting, I 
| decided to get some idea of the detail I was looking for by popping them 
| on my flatbed scanner and scanning at 1200 x 1200 dpi (the scanner is 
| actually a 600 dpi optical with 1200 dpi in the stepper motor direction)
| 
| I did some clean up and color balancing, and a bit of sharpening, and 
| printed them and showed him.  He was blown away with the results.  When 
| I told him I could cut the cost of the project by over 50% using this 
| approach (no film, no trips to and from the lab, no film scanning) he 
| was chortling.
| 
| As it turned out, a few pieces became more challenging (had white and 
| black in them) but overall the job went well.  Now, he has some other 
| ideas, and I also told him due to the basic simplicity of the method, I 
| can do one or two at a time, at minimal overall cost, and he now has 
| several other ideas in mind, for which we'll collaborate.
| 
| He was dead-set against flatbed when he hired me because a friend had 
| done some for him, and they frankly looked like heck.  I'm using a 
| medium priced (back when it came out 2 years ago) UMAX consumer grade 
| scanner that today goes for under $100 CAN here.
| 
| Of course, it is my Photoshop and photographic skills that make me able 
| to get the results he needs from a flatbed, but never underestimate a 
| flatbed scanner for reflective art.
| 
| Art
| 
|