Scanning Black & White negatives.

[glatt]

Looking up the scanner specifications, it looks like it doesn't do slides or negatives.

I digitized hundreds of negatives a couple years ago, and what I did was basically take a picture of each negative with my digital camera. Do you have a digital camera with a decent macro lens? If so, you can tape the negative to a clean window and take a picture of it with your camera on a tripod with the negative lit up from behind by a uniformly hazy gray sky. And then get the outstanding and free open source software "Gimp" to convert it to a positive image and manipulate the brightness and contrast as needed.

But if I were you, I would do none of that. I would take the negative to Waitrose or some appropriate store that has a self serve photo department, and use their negative scanner to get a print. You may even be able to get an electronic copy there instead of scanning the print yourself when you get home. Around here, I'd take it to CVS, which is a drugstore, and get it done for like 50 cents. If you are doing just one print, it's definitely the way to go.

[Carruthers]

OK, thanks everyone. I'm grateful to you all for taking the time and trouble to respond.

I think that I will see what I can find in the way of self service photo facilities in the area (thanks, Glatt) and take it from there.
I was hoping for a cheap and cheerful 'in house' (in every sense of the phrase) method.

Thanks again.

Carruthers

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by glatt

I would take the negative to Waitrose or some appropriate store that has a self serve photo department

Cheers for the name check
We don't offer any photo services, but Carr will know which places do locally.

And yes, it is a photo of me, Diz and nothing else.
Venus and Fur.