Minilab scanners are made for scans to print. So they produce mostly oversharpened images with a very strong grain removal (ROC). Those files a good for printing, but terrible for post-processing.
But, you probably don't have a choice as you run a business and - I guess - most of your clients want prints.
I would vote against the Hasselblad scanners, the are overpriced "virtual" drum scanners, which is an euphemism, because by no means they are drum scanners nor do they deliver the quality of a real drum scanner or even come close.
If you didn't have a business I would strongly recommend a used Minolta DiMage Scan Multi Pro as a dedicated film scanner. But, as you do have a business you have to go with the Nikon 9000 as it is the only high quality dedicated film scanner that is available new (besides much much higher priced real drum scanners).
Personally if I had access to a Noritsu, I'd scan everything on it at top res. Every single frame. Maybe turn down the sharpening? And then if I had something I really really really wanted a big print of, send it out for a drum scan.
As it is, I scan my decent shots at home on my Nikon Coolscan V. Color has been going to NCPS or Precision Camera for scanning on their Noritsu. If I'm unhappy with one of the scans I get from them, I might scan it again, but I've done that with very few frames so far.
The Noritsu is a hell of a scanner. The over-sharpening, etc things Mawz is talking about are not inherent to the scanner but are they choices of the technician doing the scanning. If you scan on the auto setting you are sure to have every issue Mawz mentions.
Call Marsha over at NCPS. Ask her if she'd share some tips as you're working at a lab. She might just be willing to help.
This is absolutely fantastic, one of the best photos I've seen in here easily (There's TONS of fantastic photos in here though).
Patrick, your portraits are another thing that has really driven me to start shooting film again as well.
I've been going through this thread over the past few days as I've got a Nikon F4 on the was and a couple more MF Nikkor lenses. Excited to start shooting some film again.
Than you all for the great response to the scanner question. Yes I know that the drum scanner is the real way to go but there is just not enough business to get one we are down to maybe 20 rolls a week and most of that is one time use cameras. The college students who shoot film are shooting b/w and are working at the college so no more business there. As for our Noritsu scanner, I have always kept the noise reduction filters OFF, they make a mess of details and we would always rather have grain the no detail at all. I will play around a bit today as I am developing my roll from getting back into film. I will try and contact Marsha over at NCPS (thanks TWoK).
One other question that has now come up in the response to the scanning:
- Are you NOT PRINTING your photographs? As you can imagine as a photo lab we stress and strive on printing, photography is a printed media right? I know that the evil underside of digital photography is that so much gets shot and so little gets printed but FILM not being printed? What's the point? I think its such a shame to see $10,000 worth of Leica never truly be seen in print.
Sorry for that rant, but I do think its a shame not to print, the print is what will be here the longest.
So let me apologize for that rant, I do believe that photography is photography where ever it comes from and how ever it is delivered.
Now, let me put my money where my mouth is:
The best response to the question of
"Why we should still print our photographs?"
will receive one (1) 12x18 silver halide print on Kodak Royal Digital Paper printed on our Noritsu 3212 printer with free shipping.
Please PM your responses to me so I can keep track and count it as an official entry.
If you want to post your response here please do but only the PM responses will be judged.
Let's keep the contest open for a week so all entries should be in by July 7, 2011 and I will post the winning response here on Saturday July 9th, 2011.
I most certainly do still print, but I print digitally on an Epson R2400 to Harmann Baryta paper. It's significantly less hassle than wet printing, albeit at definitely higher cost.
Lily shot with Canon T90, on Ektar 100, using a Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f2.8-f4 (version 3) CF zoom. Zoom set to 210mm @ f8. Scanned on Canon CanoScan FS 2710.
Patrick - Excellent portraits! It's cool to see similar shots with so many different cameras!
Here is one more from my hot-air balloon adventure in turkey.
Shot on Velvia 50 then converted to black and white in silver Efex Pro 2 and added grain.
Another, this time with a Nikon F, 50/1.4 (oooolllldddd) and Fuji 400H:
