From film to scanned images

[alaios]

Hi all,
I would like to start shooting film, and if I understood it right some of you do not print all their shots but you scan them somehow to computer files.

Can a professional do this job for me? What do you do once you get the scanned negatives? Can you develop those digitally in the computer? What is your workflow in the cases you do not have a darkroom?

I would like to thank you in advance for your reply

Regards
Alex

[hexi]

Hello there

Of course a professional can do the job for you. the best thing nonetheless is to buy you a film scanner and do it yourself, professional doesn't always equals quality work

Once your negs are scanned, you can do whatever you want in any tool, like Lightroom, Silver Efex, Photoshop... whatever

the workflow... well it depends how many films you shoot, and how many images you'd like to print.

My advice is to develop yourself your films, and print them with an enlarger, maybe you have a photoclub nearby that allows this ?
It's more pleasure and you control all the steps

[nurkov]

you do not need a darkroom, all you need is a paterson developing tank or simillar plus a film scanner, you only scan film. Once it's scanned the workflow is identical to raw files, so for me lightroom and maybe photoshop in some cases. If you want to have prints you can send out digital files and get them scanned. If you want to do prints yourself in the old "proper" way you will need darkroom, enlarger etc

[alaios]

Hi guys
thanks a lot for the feedback.

Do you know any links that I have to visit? I guess I need to have a way to take the film out of the canister...

Right?
Alex

[nurkov]

no you do not take film out that's whole point. All you need is a light tight bag, it cost next to nothing. You load a paterson reel in the bag it is very easy and when it is in tank you take it out and it does not need to be in dark anymore. Plenty of inks on youtube

[philslizzy]

Take the film to a colour lab and they will do it for you. I take mine to the local supermarket. They dev the film and give me the photos on a CD. Of course I can have prints too. Cheaper, faster and more reliable than doing it yourself. For black and white film you may have to do it yourself. Some black and white film can be processed in C41 at a normal colour lab.

[nurkov]

i was talking about black and white films of course, non C-41, as for scanning I would do myself, I always do.

[philslizzy]

Developing b&w film is a simple process and the equipment needed is basic, just a tank and somewhere dark to load the spiral. Developer and fixer is easy to obtain - sometimes art shops sell it.

I have experimented with caffenol, simple developer made from 'household' chemicals. No homebrew fixer though

[mmelvis]