Film scanners

[Disastrous]

Anyone have any thoughts on these?

I was considering having a bash at developing my own b+w film (just for fun, more than any real reason) and understand this is fairly possible with developing bucket etc etc. I won't be making up a darkroom, so am thinking about the next stage, which is obviously getting prints.

Ultimately, these things all end up in the computer anyway, so thought a photo scanner might be the neatest solution.

The thing is, I have an unshakeable suspicion that anything short of several £k's worth of pro kit will be ste!

Am I right or wrong?

I wouldn't want to spend more than about £80 but would love to hear any recommendations/experiences?

[Disastrous]

Simpo Two said:

I thought half the fun of chemical photography was dodging and burning under the enlarger, and watching the image appear in the tray of developer...

I'm sure it is, but there's a proper darkroom nearby I can hire if I want to do that, but I'm more thinking something cheap and cheerful that will let me dabble a bit and play with an old rangefinder...

[Disastrous]

Thanks for the link to the other thread-I've had a look at the Plustek and it seems like it would be ideal.

I'd rather avoid a flatbed as I've already got one built into my printer (though it doesn't handle film) and I don't have the desk space for another. Something like the Plustek could easily live in a drawer when not in use.

It looks like all the things around the £50-90 mark will all be a bit st and certainly the links to the black and whites done with the Plustek on the other thread look super and more than enough resolution for me.

I think I'll realign my budget to something like that and see how I get on.

As a supplemental question, I'm putting together a shopping list for developing kit and have:

Change bag
Spirals
Developing bucket
Chemicals
Film hanger thing
Squeejee
Perhaps some pouches to store the negatives in

Have I missed anything and is there a good place to buy this as a 'starter bundle'?

I've ordered up some Ilford film so sensible to pair with their chemicals?

Thanks again - rather looking forward to it!

[Disastrous]

Elderly said:

Thermometer.

Good call.

This maybe warrants a new thread but at risk of asking a silly question: all the stuff I've read/watched suggests temperature is very important. How do you get it right to the degree out of a tap?? And surely the temp begins plummeting the second it's in the measuring cylinder?

[Disastrous]

Excellent, thank you.

I've got my eye on something like this to kick off:


http://www.ag-photographic.co.uk/paterson-film-pro...

And would get the il ford chemicals recommended for my film. Would that be better than say:

http://www.ag-photographic.co.uk/ag-essentials-fil...

Which comes with chemicals? I'm guessing they're not the best, being 'starter pack' chemicals?

[Disastrous]

Right, developing kit and changing bag ordered,

I've gone for a starter kit as it wasn't that dear and I can upgrade components as they fail or not, as the case may be.


Excited!