How do I scan negatives, film, or slides?

MCAD Labs and MCAD Student MacBooks

Scanning negatives, film, or slides is currently only available on the Epson v700 model scanners.

Scanners are located in labs 330, 331, the Service Bureau, the BS labs, the Library, the Comic Studio, the Printshop and Learning Center. There is a laptop scanning station in the Library.

Instructions for the new Epson Scan 2 scanning application are HERE.

(If you want to scan directly to your MacBook make sure the scanner is properly connected to your MacBook using the USB cable provided and powered on before proceeding)

Begin by gently removing the flatbed backing (the white insert) from the inside of the top of the scanner hood. It should easily slide out. A variety of film and slide holders can be obtained at the Service Bureau or Library counters. These holders are necessary when scanning such transparencies. The film holders are all labeled with the model number of the scanner they go with. Please check to make sure you have the proper film holders for the scanner you are using, otherwise film scanning will not work.

And a friendly reminder: the cleaner your glass and film are to start with, the less editing you_ll have to do later. So save yourself some trouble and take a minute to clean up. Cleaning supplies for the scanner_s glass can be requested at the Service Bureau.

Loading Film

1. Insert your film or slide into the holder. Check that the emulsion side faces up (the shiny base side should face down).
2. Place the film holder on the document table. Be sure to align the arrow on the corner of the film holder with the arrow on the scanner frame.
3. Close the scanning lid.

Basic Scanning

Make sure scanner is powered on and properly connected to your computer.

1. Launch Photoshop.
2. Pull down File > Import > (select whichever model scanner you are using)
3. In the Epson Scan Window, select "Professional Mode" on the upper right Mode pulldown,
4. The "Professional Mode" settings appear:
5. Click the blue "Preview" button at the bottom.
6. The "Professional Mode" window allows you to manually adjust settings in the following order:
   • Select the basic settings:
     • Document Type: "Film"
     • Document Source: "Document Table"
     • Auto Exposure Type: "Photo"
     • Destination- Image Type: Choose _24-bit Color_
     • Set the scan area for your image by using your cursor to draw a marquee box around the portion of your image you would like to scan. The size of the selected scan area will appear under the Source fields.
     • Scale the image by raising or decreasing the Target size.
     • Select your scanning resolution. This setting will depend on what you plan on doing with the scan. Typical settings might be 72dpi for Web/Internet and 300dpi for print. Consult your instructor or Service Bureau staff for advice.

Click "Scan". Epson Twain will scan the image and open it in Photoshop. Before altering the scan, remember to name and save the file to the computer's Temp_Storage drive or your connected FireWire drive.

Once you are finished, please move to a lab workstation or your MacBook to further edit or work with your files to allow others to scan.