How to Scan & Print Negatives
As digital cameras became more affordable and easier to use, millions of people switched from the old method of taking photographs on film. But left in the dust of the transition were boxes of old negatives from weddings, vacations and countless other family gatherings waiting to be scanned, archived and printed for future generations to enjoy.
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Things You'll Need
- Film scanner
- Negative cleaner
- Computer
- USB cable
- Storage mediums
- Labels
- Photo editing software
- Photo paper
- Inkjet printer
Instructions
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Hardware and Scanning
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1
Buy a scanner. Choose a negative and slide scanner and not a flatbed scanner. Negative scanners are designed to copy large numbers of negatives at a time and in high resolutions. Flatbed scanners are mainly used to scan paper documents and photos. The higher the resolution, or DPI (dots per inch), the larger the photo can be printed.
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Hook up the hardware. Load the software that came with the scanner onto a computer, connect the scanner to the computer, usually with a USB cable, and connect the printer, also with a USB cable.
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3
Clean the negatives. Use a negative cleaner or lint free cloth to remove dust, grease and fingerprints. Hold negatives on their edges to prevent further dirt or scratching.
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Begin scanning. Most negative scanners come with a plastic or metal attachment that allows you to place the entire negative strip into the holder. Place the strip in the holder. Do not cut the negatives into individual pieces.
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Open scanning software. Select options such as color, black and white, resolution, dust filter --- the options vary with the scanner. If you want to print large images such as 11 by 14 inches or bigger, select the highest DPI available, usually 600 or more.
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Open the scanned image in your photo software. Once you have the image scanned, you can color correct or make any adjustments to the file such as erasing scratches or other blemishes.
Printing and storing
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Load photo-quality paper into the printer. Make sure you are loading paper that is at least as large as the final print you want to make.
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Open the photo in your editing software.
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Select file size. Most programs allow you to select 4 by 6 inches, 8 by 10 inches or other common print sizes.
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Print your photo.
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Copy the images you have scanned onto storage mediums such as CDs, DVDs or external hard drives.
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Tips & Warnings
Scan at the highest resolution you can. You can always down sample the image without losing quality, but you can't up sample it without losing quality.
Categorize and name the files as soon as you scan them. Copying information from the negative sleeves will ensure that you don't forget where or when the photo was taken.
Old negatives can be brittle and can curl with age. Handle them carefully.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images
