Started scanning my old negatives with a flatbed instead of my lab's Noritsu and the grain is completely different.

I compared a roll of Portra 400 I shot last spring, same strip of negatives scanned at the lab and then on my Epson V600 at home, and the lab scans looked smooth and clean while mine showed way more texture in the sky - has anyone else noticed that level of difference between scanner types?

2 comments

2 Comments

noahchen12d ago

I watched a YouTube comparison last month from a guy who tested a Noritsu and an Epson V800 side by side, and the difference was huge on Portra 400. The flatbed scanners just hit the grain differently because they use a different light source and sensor than the dedicated film scanners. A lot of people say the Epson picks up more of the actual film structure, while the Noritsu smooths it out or hides it somehow. I think it comes down to how the software processes the raw data too, since the lab scans go through more advanced algorithms. Your V600 is still fine for most stuff, but you might want to save the important shots for the Noritsu if you care about the smooth look.

shane_ross12d ago

And now I have to look at all my old scans and wonder if I've been printing dusty sweater fuzz this whole time instead of actual grain. @noahchen is right that the Noritsu probably just hides the ugly truth through software magic, which makes me feel like an amateur for ever trusting my V600. Guess I'll just save the flatbed for family snapshots and keep the lab for the shots I actually want to look decent.