Meet the newest member of our team... Poli!
Meet the newest member of our team... Poli!
Poli is a Polielettronica Digital Imager 2 with a 45 megapixel CMOS sensor. She scans every format we handle, from 110 to 35mm and 120 to all of the odd sizes we see on a regular basis, and eliminates the manual camera scanning for almost all formats. Poli was hand-built in Italy.
What actually changed
Our Noritsu HS-1800 topped out at 30.4 megapixels and was 20 years old. It fed the film through and captured images in a single line that the film was moved across. That was the edge of what the machine could do, and processing and transferring was VERY slow, especially for 16-bit TIFF files (think over 20 minutes for a roll). Poli captures the entire frame at once on a native 45 megapixel sensor with a modern controller (actually a crazy high end gaming pc) for image processing.
Let your film shine
There are two "traditional" film lab scanners. The Fuji SP series, and the Noritsu. Each handles color differently. They have their own personality. Neither one is completely neutral. So much so that many creators now make "film look" presets based on those scanner looks. But wait... You're shooting film. Do you want the look of the film lab's scanner? Or do you want to see what your film should really look like?
Sprocket Scans
Sprocket scans are for 35mm only. We ordered Poli with a custom made carrier that reframes so the negative fills the frame completely, so you get the full width of the film, perforations and edge markings and all, at the same 45 megapixels.
For the DIY crowd
Already camera scanning at home?
A lot of film shooters get their negatives back and scan them themselves, with a digital camera, a macro lens and a copy stand. It is a good way to work and we are not going to talk anyone out of it.
Poli is the same idea, built for nothing else. Her sensor is 45 megapixel CMOS, the same class of chip as the full frame bodies people buy for this job. What she adds is a proper mask for every format we handle, a light source made for the purpose, automatic dust and scratch removal on every color scan, and somebody who does this all day looking at the results before they go out.
If you already own the rig, keep using it. If you were about to go buy one, try us out first. And you get a lot more time for editing and color correcting when you are not fighting to capture the frames in the first place.
Shooting 120? Get the 45 megapixels.
A 6x7 negative has about four and a half times the area of a 35mm frame, and a 6x9 more than five times. That is the entire reason to carry a medium format camera around. An 11 megapixel scan of one works fine, but it leaves most of what you captured sitting on the film.
If you went to the trouble of shooting the bigger negative, go see what's on it.
Questions
Film scanning FAQ
Do you offer TIFF film scans?
Yes. Our ProScan is a 45 megapixel uncompressed TIFF at 8191 x 5463 pixels, and it is $15 for 35mm and 120. TIFF is available for every format we scan, including 110, APS, 126 and 127 at $18. A lot of mail-in labs do not offer a TIFF option at any price.
What is the highest resolution film scan you offer?
8191 x 5463 pixels, which is 45 megapixels. You can have it as a JPG or as an uncompressed TIFF. That is the native resolution of Poli's sensor, not an upscale or an interpolation.
What is the difference between a JPG scan and a TIFF scan?
Both come off the same scanner at the same 45 megapixels, so the amount of detail captured is identical. The difference is compression. A JPG is compressed and throws away a small amount of information to keep the file manageable. A TIFF keeps everything.
For posting, printing and normal editing, the JPG is genuinely fine. If you push files hard in Lightroom or Photoshop, recover a lot of shadow detail, or you want an archival master you will never have to rescan, get the TIFF.
Is this better than camera scanning my negatives at home?
It is the same approach done with dedicated equipment. Poli uses a 45 megapixel CMOS sensor, which is the same class of sensor as the full frame cameras people buy for home scanning, and she adds a proper mask for every format, a light source built for the job, and automatic dust and scratch removal on every color scan.
If you already own a copy stand setup you enjoy using, keep using it. If you are pricing one out, give us a try first and it leaves you a lot more time for editing and color correcting when you are not fighting to capture the frames yourself.
Do you remove dust and scratches?
Yes, on all color film. Poli removes dust and scratches automatically on every color scan we do. There is nothing to ask for, nothing to tick, and nothing to add to your order.
She will not repair a deep gouge in the emulsion, but she handles the ordinary dust and light surface marks that would otherwise leave you spotting frames by hand. Dust removal is not available for black and white film.
How large can I print from a 45 megapixel scan?
18x26 inches at 315 DPI, which is a genuinely large print at full photographic quality. Our 11 megapixel scan prints to 8x12 at 341 DPI. Both of those numbers are comfortably above the 300 DPI most labs treat as the print standard, so you have room beyond them if you are willing to come down slightly in DPI.
Should I get the 45 megapixel scan for 120 film?
Yes, we would. A medium format negative holds far more detail than a 35mm frame, and the 11 megapixel scan cannot show you all of it. If you are shooting 120, SuperScan is the one we recommend, and ProScan if you plan to edit hard. We scan 120 up to 6x9.
Do you scan slide film?
Yes. If we process your E-6, the scans run through Poli exactly like any other 35mm or 120 film, at the same scan prices. There is no slide surcharge.
Scanning slides you already have mounted is a separate service, so get in touch and we will sort it out with you.
What resolution is your standard scan?
4095 x 2731 pixels, which is 11 megapixels. That is a good deal more than most mail-in labs include as standard. It prints to 8x12 at 341 DPI and it is more resolution than any screen can display.
Do you scan 110, APS, 126 and 127 film?
We do, and they get the same three resolution choices as everything else.
Do you offer sprocket scans?
Yes, on standard 35mm film. Poli reframes so the negative fills the frame completely, so you get the full width of the film including the perforations and the edge markings, at the same 45 megapixels as a normal scan. Sprocket scans are $6 extra.
Can I get a higher resolution scan of a roll you already scanned?
Yes. Send the negatives back to us and we will rescan them at whatever resolution you want. This is worth knowing if you are not sure which tier to order. Start with HighRes, and if a frame turns out to be a keeper, we can go back and pull the full 45 megapixels out of it later. Please reach out for a price quote.
What scanner do you use?
A Polielettronica Digital Imager 2, which we call Poli. She has a 45 megapixel CMOS sensor and she replaced the Noritsu HS-1800 we had been running since 2006. We were among the first labs in the United States to get one.
Send us some film!
Round-trip shipping is included, with a prepaid label to send your film in. Your negatives come home cut and sleeved, every roll, no fee.
Start Your Order
