Using the Dual MF Film
Holderä for
Epson® Scanners
(For
use with 4870 and 4990 models)
It pays for
itself quickly by allowing
you to be more efficient with your time and helping to minimize “handling
damage” to your film.
The Dual MF Film Holderä has been designed to mimic the performance
characteristics of the factory supplied Epson® medium format
holders. If you have problems
concerning color balance, system calibration and other software related issues,
please seek help with these issues from Epson® or
your third-party software supplier (e.g. Silverfast or
VueScan). The ScanTips.com
website is also a great resource to learn basic scanning techniques.
Inserting/Orienting the Film Strip
Tip: You will probably find it easier to work with and align your film within the holder if you work on a light table or on a flat surface with a bright white sheet of paper lying underneath the film channels. The higher contrast makes it much easier to align your film within the film channel.
Epson® recommends inserting the film so the emulsion side (dull side) is facing
up and thus the manufacturer’s edge markings on the film appear to read
backwards. If your film is relatively
flat, orient the film this way first, but don’t be afraid to experiment
with the orientation of the emulsion because some users claim they get better
scans with the emulsion side down (most say they can’t tell the
difference). I think the real reason
Epson® tells you to orient
your film “emulsion side up” is so the resulting scans are laterally correct
(don’t need to be manually “flipped”).
If you scan your film “emulsion side down,” you may need to reverse or
flip your image. This is easily
accomplished in Photoshop by using the following menu commands: Image >
Rotate Canvas > Flip Horizontal.
If your film strip has a pronounced arch/curl to it, place the film in the film holder so it
arches/curves away from the scanner glass.
You do not want the film’s arch/curl to allow the film to “bow”
down and come into contact with the scanner’s glass (usually causing “Newton
Rings”). When the film’s arch/curl is
oriented correctly, the T-Lock system (see below) will help to minimize
arching/curling.
Aligning the Film
Place the film within the film holding channel so
that it aligns straight over the Dual MF
Film Holderä window.
(In this picture, the film
has not yet been locked down in place by the T-Lock, so you see a larger than
normal gap along the sides due to the film’s “arch”.)
The Dual MF Film Holderä window is the same width as the Epson® film holder’s window and thus will “mask”/frame your film frames with the same constraints. The film channel (recessed area in which the film is placed) is slightly wider than normal by design. This makes it possible to scan out of specification films and images from cameras that do not center the image on the film (quite common). A clean pencil eraser is a handy tool for moving/final adjusting of film strips placed in the holder.
Important Notes on How The
T-locks Function
#1 – The
T-locks are not
designed to fit into the holder very tightly in order to prevent premature wear
issues. The T-locks only need a slight
tension to stay in place and to push the film down flat.
#2 - With the “dual” type of holders, if you only plan
to use one of the two film channels to just scan a single strip or frame of
film, you should also insert T-locks into the unused/empty film channel. When T-locks are only inserted in one film
channel, the holder can flex to the point T-locks may not fit tightly
enough. At a minimum, you should place
T-locks at positions approximately one quarter, one half and three quarters of
the length down the empty film channel. (See image on the left.)
#3 - Due to the tight design
tolerances of the T-Lock, if you don’t have the T-Lock inserted
perpendicular to the film channel, it will not hold itself within the film
holding channel. If you insert it at an angle, it may not hold
well and may cause premature wear of the T-Lock.
Inserting the T-Lock
The laser cut T-Lock for Dual holders
Grasp both ends of the T-Lock at the “ears”. Align it so that it is perpendicular
to the sides of the Dual MF Film Holder’s
film holding channel.
Now, gently insert one side
of the T-Lock bottom just barely down into the film holding channel (1
mm or less). Any more than this and
you will risk damaging the T-Lock to the point where it will not adequately
hold itself in place.
When applying pressure to the T-locks, press on the
thicker body of the T-lock as opposed to the thin “ears.” Now apply gentle pressure to the other side
of the T-Lock until it pops down into the film holding channel. Continue applying downward pressure evenly on
the T-Lock to firmly seat it into the film channel. While you don’t want to over exert pressure
on the T-Lock, you must push it in down far enough so that it holds the film
strip in place and keeps it from shifting.
***Common sense
dictates that, to avoid damaging your film, it is imperative you let the T-Lock
come into contact with the film only in the frame gaps between the images as
shown in the picture. Once
the T-Lock is secured into the holder, DO NOT try to move it or your film while
the T-Lock is secured in the holder.
If an adjustment is needed, pull the T-Lock out and then reposition
items into the desired location before reinserting the T-Lock.
The T-Lock System Allows Infinite Adjustability
One of the main advantages of the T-Lock system is
its infinite adjustability. If you plan
to scan only one or two frames, you can “mask off” just the frames you wish to
scan. By placing the T-Lock right up against/next
to the frames to be scanned, you maximize the T-Lock’s film-flattening
abilities. Lock down one end of the
single frame with a T-lock across the top end of the film channel (where it can
lock and fully grip/compress the film against the lower part of the film
channel all the way across).
If you plan to scan a longer strip consisting of multiple frames, there are a few T-lock
placement strategies that can be used.
If you are using three T-locks, one technique is to FIRST insert one
T-Lock close to the middle of the strip at/over one of the film strip’s frame
gaps. Then insert the second T-Lock at
the top end of the film strip and the third T-Lock at the other end of the film
strip (see picture at left). If you are
using four T-locks, the strategy is pretty much the same where you first insert
toward the middle and then work your way outward. By inserting the middle T-Lock(s) first, you
minimize the chance of a wave or hump forming in the middle of your film strip.
An alternative technique is
to place the film in the film channel, lock down one end of the film strip with
a T-lock across the top end of the film channel (where it can lock and fully
grip/compress the film against the lower part of the film channel all the
way across the opening instead of at just one point on/along each side of
the film channel), create a slight tension at the other free end of the film by
pulling on it the end of the strip, and then press in the second T-lock at this
other end. Finally, insert the other
T-Lock(s) in film frame gaps in the middle of the strip. This technique really helps to keep the film
as flat as possible during the heat buildup of scanning. If you plan to scan a
longer strip consisting of one frame (e.g. 6x12 or 6x17), I recommend this tension
technique.
Users of longer panoramic images, or film
that is severely arched or curled, may wish to purchase the optional ANR Insert
that utilizes anti-Newton Ring glass. Users
of XPanã images and smaller film formats must use the ANR
Insert. Click here for more
information on the insert.
Removing the T-Lock
Due to the thinner “ears” on Dual MF Film Holderä T-locks but
thicker overall body, it is best to remove a T-lock by grasping the T-lock
toward the middle with both hands and gently pull upward. If there is an
occasion you need a little extra leverage, you can grasp the T-Lock in the
middle with one hand while inserting a fingernail under the end of the T-Lock
and gently
pull up.
Correctly Placing the Dual MF Film Holderä on Your Scanner
The Dual MF
Film Holderä should be placed directly on the scanner’s glass so that the film
holder channel and T-Locks face up (away from the scanner glass). For illustrative purposes an original MF Film Holderä is shown in the picture on the left, but the
placement will be the same.
Once the film is
inserted in the holder, do not let the
holder drop or slap onto your work surface or the scanner’s glass. If you do, an air cushion created by
dropping/slapping the holder can possibly shift your film’s position as well as
cause waves in the film. Always place
the holder gently down on any surface.
It is important to make sure the Dual MF Film Holderä is placed in
the upper right hand corner of the scanner (nested directly against both the
top and right sides of the scanner bed).
The Dual MF Film Holderä is designed
to use almost all of the scanner’s light lid area, so unsatisfactory
positioning could result in partial miscropping of
your images. The correct positioning
makes sure the calibration notch is correctly positioned and will ensure
repeatability if using VueScan’s batching scan function to scan multiple frames
on your film strip.
A finger grip has been built into the each lower
corner of the Dual MF Film Holderä to help you
get a grip on the holder and lift the corners from the scanner’s glass. After using the finger grip to lift the
corner off the glass, you should be able to easily slide your hand under the Dual MF Film Holderä in order to
fully grasp the holder and then remove it from the scanner.
The surface on top of the
rubber bumpers can have a great deal of grip/stick. If the bumpers begin to stick to the
scanner’s transparency adapter when you open the lid, put an extremely fine
coat of baby/talcum powder dust on the top surface. Gently and lightly wipe off any excess
powder. This will eliminate the
sticking.
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to go to:
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Optional Anti Newton
Ring Glass Insert for the Dual MF Film Holderä
Batch Scanning
Notes and Tips Page
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E-mail Contact:
scanning@betterscanning.com
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information contained in this website ©2003-2008 by DSF OmniCorp, LLC and Doug
Fisher and it may not be reproduced in whole, part or spirit without written
permission
Dual MF Film Holderä Patents Pending