# Mamiya RB 6x7 film scanning



## darliaargyris (Nov 22, 2011)

I have had my Mamiya RB67 for just overt a year and a half. I absolutely love the quality produced on 120mm film. Since graduating from my study. I have been using a flatbed scanner to scan my negatives. However when scanning anything other than 35mm, the 120mm 6x7 dimensions don't scan as the 'template' is too small. Does anyone know a nice big scanner with great qualities to avoid the streaky affect I am getting from scanning negs? Placing on the glass Directly is causing 'newtons rings' which I am spot healing out via photoshop. Not ideal! Thanks for any assistance!


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## Big Mike (Nov 22, 2011)

Are you developing the film yourself or are you sending it to a lab?  If it's the lab, you could just have them scan it.

For a high quality scan, there are drum scanners, but it's not cheap to have that done, I'd assume it would be really expensive to buy one.


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## Proteus617 (Nov 22, 2011)

What template?  Why are you placing the negatives on the glass?  A flatbed for film will have some sort of illumination unit in the lid and a holder for the negatives or slides.


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## unpopular (Nov 22, 2011)

Scanners really are something that you can get pretty old equipment that once was astronomically priced but are now very reasonable. A $10,000 drum scanner in 1996 is still a very good scanner, but might cost only $500 plus freight today. There are a few options, depending on your budget. Older drum scanners can be found pretty inexpensive, and are probably your best bet if you have the space and you're willing to learn how to use one.

Something like this is probably one very good option:

Scanview ScanMate 3000 Color Photo Desktop Drum Scanner | eBay

You are going to want to research how to use one before investing, but that is probably your best cost to performance ratio.

Older Flextights are also a good option, and are starting to show up at prices of the prices of higher-end flatbeds on ebay.

Imacon Flextight 343 Virtual Drum Film Scanner Mint- | eBay
Imacon Flextight 2848 Scanner Excellent Condition | eBay

I personally have experience with the Minolta Dimage Multi PRO scanner, though I would not pay $3,000 on a 10 year old scanner, it's a very, VERY good option. I think they went for around $5,000 new and it seems like you should be able to get one for less than $1200 pretty easily.

Minolta Dimage Scan Multi PRO | eBay

If you want a flatbed scanner, I have used the predecessor to the Epson 10000XL. Be certain that you get one that has the film attachment. Be aware that this thing is GINORMOUS. It comes with film holders for various sizes up to, iirc 8x10:

Epson Expression 10000XL- Photo Scanner - Product Information - Epson America, Inc.

It's a really fun scanner to use.

In the late 1990's the CreoScitex Jazz was a $16,000 scanner, and a real beast of a machine. You can pick these up pretty cheap on ebay as well.

Creo Scitex EverSmart Jazz+ Desktop Scanner | eBay

This was the flatbed I was drooling over back then, and I can assure you   that it's every bit as good, if not better than, the 10000xl.

Other EverSmart scanners I don't know much about because - get this - they were too expensive, as if $16k, was a steal:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Creo-Scitex...621?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f097399dd

Some later models also exist:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Creo-Scitex...465?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f0aac1559

Then there is this, which I know nothing about:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Scitex-Smar...030?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2569858926

If a $100,000 scanner is up your alley:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Screen-DS-7...tu=UCC&otn=15&ps=63&clkid=4377683091067144377

Ok. Maybe that last one is a bit over the top. But it's like the deal of the century! 

As always, when dealing with older equipment make sure that your OS will support it, or you can find scanning software that will. You can also get an old PowerMac G3 or early model G4, max out the memory and use it only for scanning. 

The older scanners which I recommend here were being produced at the heyday of film/digital workflow. It was extremely competitive back then (Seybold was like a zoo in the late 1990s), so I am unsure whether or not you'll find something in these price ranges today that will be even remotely as good. There isn't as huge a market anymore for $15-30,000+ scanners since it's much cheaper just to have the photographer use a similarly priced digital camera.


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## djacobox372 (Nov 22, 2011)

Epson V700 works well.


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## Sw1tchFX (Nov 23, 2011)

If you want to do it yourself, either a Nikon Coolscan 9000 or an Epson V700. Otherwise, Richard Photo Lab. Their 25MP Noritsu scans are awesome and comparable to what i've gotten off a Nikon.


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## Buckster (Nov 23, 2011)

I'm using the Canon Canoscan 8800f for my RB67 negs, and have no complaints about it.


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## AlanKlein (Nov 24, 2011)

I use an Epson V600 flat bed with my RB67 shots. There are better scanners but the cost for the V600 is under $200. You can check some of the scan on my link. Good luck. Alan.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alanklein2000/sets/


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