Scanning Old Negatives

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Sunate

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I've found some old (50 years +) film colour negatives which are 57mm square image size, marked as "Safety Film" with a Kodak logo. They have been cut into pairs approximately 127 x 62 mm. I have no idea what type of camera produced these back in the 1960s.
I've tried to scan them on an Epson V370 but the results are dismal and not sharp, using just the flat bed white plate. Also I've been unable in Lightroom to convert the image to its full colour, as so far I've only managed a B&W version https://showbox.bio/ https://tutuapp.uno/.
I realise the V370 is very limited but before I think about sending them off to a lab, I'd appreciate some advice before I give up on the V370.
 
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They'll be 6x6 medium format negatives.

Does the V370 have a film scanning mode (without the white plate?)

My 4490 does.
 
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You need to use a back light and negative holder. I gather that model should have such things. On my scanner, you have to specify with the software you are scanning negatives in order for it to apply the back light and invert the colours.

Failing that, you can actually get acceptable results by holding them up to a featureless white sky and photographing with a dslr.
 
I would suggest starting here: https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/a-big-film-scanner-thread.709453/

Kodak film was marked "safety film" because in the olden days it was highly flammable. "Safety" film was not as flammable and thus classed "safe". 6x6cm negatives were made on medium format film, and were likely made by a twin lens reflex camera of some sort.

Getting decent scans out of medium format film should be possible, but I'm not familiar with your scanner. It could be a combination of negative not lying flat on the glass, scanning resolution, actualy blurred images in the first place... Lots of reasons.

Do you have any photography software? Lightroom for example has a (paid for) plugin called Negative Lab Pro which will flip negative to positive and get decent colour rendition. THere are other options too. I'd strongly suggest reading the thread I linked then coming back with further questions if you have them.

Obviously, the amount of negatives is important. A small number of negatives might make it just far less hassle to get someone else to do it that trying to sort it yourself. A large number though might be a different issue...
 
From looking at the spec, the V370 will only handle 35mm film. My guess is a narrow film scanning window. If this is the case, it would be a scan and stitch job - with several scans per image.
 
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Many roll film cameras were intended for contact prints only - the old box cameras, for instance - and had a lens that was just sharp enough for a 6 by 6 cm print only. Viewing the image at a larger size will not work.
 
 
Yes, I've used a lightbox for my 5x4" pinhole negatives which are too big for my scanner, although any unevenness in illumination will show. I'm refining it a bit though. I've obtained a thick sheet of translucent white plastic and I'm going to experiment with using a flash through it.
 
Wow yes, that sounds ideal (y)
 
john.margetts said:
Many roll film cameras were intended for contact prints only - the old box cameras, for instance - and had a lens that was just sharp enough for a 6 by 6 cm print only. Viewing the image at a larger size will not work.
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Of course it will work! It might be a bit soft depending how much you magnify it. My Box Brownie shots, (assuming they aren't afflicted with camera shake) look perfectly ok on a pc screen
 
Stegosaurus said:
Of course it will work! It might be a bit soft depending how much you magnify it. My Box Brownie shots, (assuming they aren't afflicted with camera shake) look perfectly ok on a pc screen
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They are not working for Sunate, though, which is what matters.
 
Have you got a macro lens and tripod, if yes get yourself a lightbox and photograph the negatives
 
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