Standard School, Stutsmanville

Abandoned Standard School, Stutsmanville

I'm going to keep putting up some of my large-format Michigan pictures, but, pace one of the comments, you mustn't expect too much fidelity on your monitor. These are quick-and-dirty JPEGs pulled from the original scans. I'm  a) not going to correct the full scan files until I've begun printing them, because if I did I'd probably have to re-do everything anyway once I started printing, and b) I'm not going to work forever on small JPEGs to get them "just so" since the only use I have for them is to post them online, and everybody's monitors are different anyway. I'll get them in the ballpark, and then you'll just have to let your visual imagination take over. On your screen, some of these will doubtless look better than others. The final form of any of these would be prints, nothing else.

Since yesterday I heard from Doug Fisher of BetterScanning.com. He had another valuable tip for getting good results from the Epson V700. Doug says, "I couldn't tell from what you wrote if your issue was one of disappointment compared to a scan from an expensive high-end scanner or if maybe a setting was incorrect. Just in case it was the latter, one thing that is not explained well and that has tripped up a lot of my customers is the software setting that switches between the two fixed-focus lenses. The 'film with film holder' setting chooses the lens that focuses somewhere around 3mm off the glass and which has a more shallow depth of field. The 'film with film area guide' switches to the lens that is supposed to focus at the plane of the glass bed (I say 'supposed to' because these relatively inexpensive optics have focus-point variance). I mention this because I have found many people who said they were obtaining terrible scans found that they just needed to switch the software settings. You must make sure the 'film with film holder' setting is selected any time you use a film holder. This setting sometimes mysteriously gets changed, so it is important to double-check it before each scan is started."

Consider it done. Doug also offered to send me one of his custom-made 4x5 film holders for the V700 (he also makes holders for 35mm and medium-format film), which should be interesting as the stock Epson holders come in for criticism in most reviews. I'll keep you posted.

__________________________

Mike

Comments

[Eric]

The first shot is pretty interesting from a historical standpoint, but that second shot is classic Midwest. Thanks for posting these, Mike.

[Andreas]

Interesting to read on the filmholders. I also have the V700 and i like it for scanning 24 35mm-negatives at once, but sharpness is a hit-and-miss thing with the supplied holder. Found that i had no problem with my old Polaroid Sprintscan. No i never know unless i print it in the darkroom - which is the point anyway ;-))

But keep us informed, please!

[charlie d]

I know nothing bout no scanning. I do however like the photos MIke. Just the kind of stuff I suspect you would shoot.

I won't complain if you post more. Good luck with the scanning and Field cam search.

[dalton]

I'll vouch for Doug's holders, as I have done on Photo.net many times before. I am a repeat customer, and I will say that they are leaps and bounds beyond the holders that came with my Epson flatbed scanner.

I have recently moved into fluid mount scanning, which Doug's holders support. Yet another technique to try, if you're interested in really pushing the limit of fidelity available from a flatbed scanner.

[dyathink]

Doug Fisher..he's da man, great products, terrific service, wonderful prices..the man is utterly dedicated to getting you the sharpest scans possible via the best holders he can make and the best anti-newton ring glass he can provide. And he provides customer service the old fashioned way..one on one and promptly at that. He'll probably hate me for saying this but i first wrote him at midnight and received a reply before morning, he's that devoted to his craft.

[John Frendreiss]

Mike,

Sometime back you indicated your desire to "be" Henry Wessel. I have the book you touted at the time and the shots you've been posting lately strike me as reminiscent of his work, particularly the Miller Road shots and the Tree in this post. I can see why you admire his style. Looking forward to more scans from your archive.

John F.

[Carl Leonardi]

Mike, I solved the scanner problem for B&W film by using a light box, film holder and my digital camera with a macro lens.
Scan time 1/30 of a second. With larger negatives shoot in sections, stitch in PS CS3. CS3 is much cheaper than a V700 in the long run--The stitch program is worth the price. For landscapes you don't need a wide angle lens.
Don't add more junk to the pile, use what you have--a digital camera a few lenses and knowledge will serve you well.

[Paul Glombick]

Mike:

I like the Michigan scans I have seen so far. They are similar in many ways to rural Alberta (Canada). The schoolhouse is a gem. I hope you will offer something like a box set of matted prints.

Paul

[Charles Maclauchlan]

Mike:
I use a V700 for my film and use one of Dougs film holders. They work quite well and with some adjustment for focus allow the V700 to produce some great scans. I have also found Doug to be quite helpful.

[Tom]

Mike:

If you have not discovered or read about the film height adjusters on the V700, you might find the review at photo-i very helpful in your scanning

http://www.photo-i.co.uk/Reviews/interactive/Epson%20V700/page_1.htm