Photographic Film Digitization
Three different scanners are utilized to cover a wide range of client requirements. These include the Hasselblad Flextight X5, Kodak HR500 Universal and Betterlight 6K-HS.
Technical specifications are listed below for reference. For recommendations specific to your project, contact us for a free consultation.
Included with all scans from photographic film:
- Uncompressed RGB (or Grayscale) TIFF file, plus one JPEG derivative
- Custom sequential alpha-numeric filenaming
- Technical metadata embedded in file header
- Delivery of finished files on external hard drives
- Backup copy of all files kept on our servers for 30 days
Available options:
- Archival gold media (DVDR)
- Upload to FTP, Dropbox and Hightail (formerly Yousendit.com)
- Complex/unique filenaming
- Filenaming from spreadsheets and databases
- Descriptive metadata and keywords
- RAW files (from X5 and Betterlight scanners only)
- Non-destructive editing in Adobe Lightroom
You can use these charts associated with each scanner to determine maximum available resolution for each film format. Of course, we can provide scanning at lower resolutions when needed.
Hasselblad Flextight X5 Film Scanner
Film Sizes: 35mm, 120, 4x5
Optical Resolution: 2,040 – 8,000 pixels per inch (depends on film format)
Bit Depth: 16 bits per channel - scanning and file output
Auto-Dust Options: FlexTouch; adjustable, works with all film types
RAW File Options: 3F file format
Maximum resolutions available for each format:
| Film Size & Format | Maximum Resolution (Pixels) | File Sizes (Mb) - RBG TIFF | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long | Short | 8 bit | 16 bit | |
| 35mm - Portrait | 11,000 | 7,333 | 231 | 462 |
| 35mm - Landscape | 6,900 | 4,600 | 91 | 182 |
| 120 - 6x4.5 | 9,000 | 6,750 | 174 | 348 |
| 120 - 6x6 | 7,200 | 7,200 | 148 | 297 |
| 120 - 6x7 | 8,800 | 7,543 | 190 | 380 |
| 120 - 6x9 | 10,400 | 6,933 | 206 | 413 |
| 4x5 | 9,600 | 7,680 | 211 | 422 |
Lower resolutions are also available. Please inquire for Hasselblad X5 scanning of panoramic images in both 35mm and 120 formats. For more information on scanning 35mm mounted slides, see our 35mm Slides page.
Kodak HR500 Universal Film Scanner
Film Sizes: 35mm, 120, 70mm, 4x5
Full Roll Capability: 35mm only
Optical Resolution: 4,000 pixels per inch maximum (depends on film format)
Bit Depth: 8 bits per channel file output (12 bits per channel scanning)
Auto-Dust Options: Digital ICE, works with color negative and E6 transparency film
RAW File Options: Not available
Maximum resolutions available for each format:
| Film Size & Format | Maximum Resolution (Pixels) | File Sizes (Mb) - RBG TIFF | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long | Short | 8 bit | 16 bit | |
| 35mm | 5,600 | 3,733 | 60 | na |
| 120 - 6x4.5 | 5,952 | 4,516 | 77 | na |
| 120 - 6x6 | 5,950 | 5,950 | 101 | na |
| 120 - 6x7 | 7,472 | 5,848 | 125 | na |
| 120 - 6x9 | 8,228 | 5,352 | 126 | na |
| 70mm | 7,952 | 5,260 | 120 | na |
| 4x5 | 7,396 | 5,796 | 123 | na |
Lower resolutions are also available. For more information on scanning 35mm mounted slides, see our 35mm Slides page.
Betterlight 6K-HS Scanner
We have adapted a Betterlight 6K-HS scan back to produce extremely high quality scans from film. Typical applications include scanning of film sizes larger than 4x5, glass plates and lantern slides.
Film Sizes: 4x5, 5x7, 8x10, 11x14, 16x20, glass plates, lantern slides
Optical Resolution: 6,000 pixels per line x 3
Bit Depth: 16 bits per channel, scanning and file output
Auto-Dust Options: Not available
RAW File Options: Adobe DNG
Resolutions are available up to 9,000 x 12,000 pixels, but the resulting pixel dimensions and file sizes will vary depending on aspect ratio and the desired coverage area of the scan. These typical resolutions are for the 150% setting on the scanner.
| Film Size & Format | Maximum Resolution (Pixels) | File Sizes (Mb) - RBG TIFF | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long | Short | 8 bit | 16 bit | |
| 3.5x4 (Lantern) | 10,250 | 8,969 | 263 | 526 |
| 4x5 | 11,250 | 9,000 | 290 | 579 |
| 5x7 | 12,000 | 8,571 | 294 | 589 |
| 8x10 | 11,250 | 9,000 | 290 | 579 |
| 11x14 | 11,450 | 8,996 | 295 | 589 |
Lower resolutions are also available. For more information on scanning 35mm mounted slides, see our 35mm Slides page.
