Benefits And Options For Medium Format Film Scanning

When you search in a box of old wedding photos, or some photos of your child hood, you may come across the negatives that are quite different from the negatives that you might have captured from your old film camera. This is because these photos are taken from the professional photographer on a medium format film.

Before knowing about medium format film scanning let us know something about medium format film-It is a film of 56mm in height, and the width of it depends on the camera that you are using. The medium format film was initially introduced for the amateur film market, but soon the professional photographers started using it. Now in this high modern era also the medium format images quite popular among the professional photographers.

Some of the benefits of using Medium format film scanning are

The medium format film itself is larger that you can produce clearer enlargements. If you are using 35mm negatives than the picture that you may get after scanning might not be clear and the picture may be blur. Since most of the people want to enlarge there pictures to hang them in there room medium format film scanning will be a better option.

Below I have mentioned some of the options for medium format film scanning.

Opting for Professional Lab

Most professional labs are still offering the services of medium format film scanning. But the number of professional labs are very less as the demand to medium film scanning is very less. You will get this lab only near large city.

Opting for send-away labs services
Most of the one-hour photos developing labs are not offering medium format film scanning. As it is not very cost effective for them because the demand is less and they cant purchase the equipment. But most of the one hour labs have the send away labs lab services they will take your films and send that to the large labs, which offer the medium format film scanning. The send-away services are good but it also has some draw backs like you have spend more money and wait for long time to get the usable prints. The size that they will provide is also limited (3X3).

Opting for mail Order services
This is similar to the send-away services but in this the films are directly mailed to the large labs which has the facility of medium film format scanning. The films are mailed via the posts, courier, etc. This option may save your time and money but there are chances that your precious negatives could get lost in the mail. Even if you have insured your packages, there is no chance that you may get the images back if the mailman loses them.
Finally if you are capable of buying a medium format film scanner then you can go for it.
Some of the draw backs of doing it your self are.
1. This type of scanners are very rare in the market because of less demand, if you get also it might be expensive.
2. Medium format film scanning is quite time consuming so if you have enough time to spend then only go for it.
3. The quality of final images that you get may not be good, as you are not professionally trained. So it’s better to go for any other option then by doing it yourself.