Things You'll Need:
- Nikon Coolscan V ED scanner
- Nikon slide scanning adapter
- Exposed film
- Scissors or X-ACTO knife
- Slide mounts
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Step 1
Set up the Nikon Coolscan V ED film scanner with the slide adapter. This adapter allows you to scan individual mounted slides. Even though you will be scanning negatives, this is the adapter to use.
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Step 2
Buy slide mounts. These come with glass or without it. The quickest and least expensive way to go is with glassless mounts. However, mounts with glass will protect your film from dust, debris and scratches. Both types are available online or at your local photo store. A common brand is Gepe. Some glassless mounts have metal masks that help keep the film straight when exposed to the heat of a projector. Since the Coolscan uses an LED light, this probably isn't necessary for scanning.
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Step 3
Cut your negatives apart. You can do this with scissors or an X-ACTO knife. There also are high-end film cutters available that light the negative from underneath, provide guides for straight cuts and some even have automatic film positioning. These are mostly for people who have a lot of slides or negatives to mount.
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Step 4
Mount each negative in a slide mount. The mounts generally have guides inside to position the film frame. These also help to keep the film frame straight when you close the mount. Even though slide mounts are designed for slides, you can use negatives in them.
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Step 5
Place the mounted negative in the slide scan adapter and scan the image. Reverse the image to a positive in the software provided or in a photo editing software package such as Adobe Photoshop.
