QUESTION: I have several rolls of 35mm Microfilm that I would like to scan, but I can not cut it apart to put it in the 35mm holders. Do you make or have you any suggestions on how to adapt the scanner, so that I will be able scan the 35mm microfilm.
ANSWER: We have gotten similar requests like this one before, so we did a test on a negative holder and found the results to be very good. Below are the steps you can take to alter the Negative holder for the PhotoSaver or Photo2File product so that you can put uncut rolls of film or feed Microfilm reels into the holder. Please note that the film width needs to be 35mm wide in order for this to work properly. If you have smaller sized film this can still work however the product will capture the entire 35mm frame and then later you will need to use BlazePhoto to crop out the extra area of the frame.
WARNING: please follow these steps at your own risk and take safety precautions not to injure yourself or the product.
STEP ONE:
Cut off the ends of the Negative holder using a Miter saw and miter box. Make sure to make your cuts past the hinges of the Holder.
STEP TWO:
The cut holder should look like the photo below. You may discard the end pieces:
STEP THREE:
Open the holder and cut off the sprocket hole catches on the inside. Please take caution to cut AWAY from yourself to avoid personal injury.
STEP FOUR:
Using some medium sand paper gently sand off any excess plastic around the sproket holes so that the guides for the negative are smooth.
STEP FIVE:
Close the holder and insert it into the PhotoSaver or Photo2File product. Make sure that it locks into place. Then feed one end of the film roll or microfilm roll into the PhotoSaver. Open BlazePhoto and select “GET PHOTO> Acquire from Film Scanner” to bring up the preview window. You can now manually feed the entire roll of film through the holder and manually line up each frame to capture it.
If you would like for Spectare Products to alter some holders for you please contact our support Department and make a special request
You may also purchase additional holder through our Spectarestore.com
Good Luck!
The spectare is great for 35mm negatives, however I have 100’s of old negatives that are 2″ X 2″. Is there a way to alter the holder so that I may process these? I would appreciate any help. I will be waiting for your reply. Thank you! Marge Cundiff
Hi Marge,
Unfortunately the current version of our Photo2File and PhotoSaver products only handle a maximum film area the size of a 35mm frame. So your 2×2 negatives will not fit. It may be possible for you to place them into a modified negative holder but you could only capture a portion of your frame that would be the size of a 35mm frame. We have considered developing a product that will accommodate the larger negative sizes so you can check back with us later. Currently I believe the only choice for this larger size would be a more professional drum scanner. If you go to Google Shopping or other shopping sites and type in “Drum Scanner” you will be presented with many choices and a huge range of prices. Sorry we could not provide this to you at this time. Thanks for your interest.
..alex