We must use a significant amount of materials to scan 8x10 and larger film. Therefore, we have a minimum scan charge of $49.95 per image for 8x10 or larger film. This charge does not apply to 6x17cm or 6x12cm panos. Please contact us for custom pricing if you have a large quantity of large film you need us to scan.

*Quantity Discounts only apply to "scan-only" jobs. It does not apply to Archive Scans and print orders. These discounts apply to the total number of transparencies or negatives included within ONE order. While we will work to complete your order as promptly as possible, there is no guaranteed turnaround time for scans with quantity discounts. If you need your order by a specific date, discounted pricing will not apply to your order. Quantity discounts may not be combined with sales or with any other offers. Quantity discounts apply to scans made from 35mm film, medium format film (645 to 6x17) and 4x5 images. 8x10 images do not qualify for quantity discounts. The quantity scan discounts listed above only apply to scans 100mb or larger - please contact us if you would like to scan a large number of images under 100mb. To qualify for quantity discounts, you must write the words "Quantity Discount" in the promotional code section of the order form. Orders without these words will be billed at our regular pricing.

16-bit RGB Drum Scans Version 5.0 - from transparencies

We're proud to announce Version 5.0 of our famous RGB Tango Drum Scans, now available in 16-bit at the same price as our 8-bit scans!

What are Drum Scans Version 5.0?

In the last nine years, we've used five distinct combinations of software and profiling techniques. Each new combination was adopted because it gave us a meaningful increase in scan quality. Drum Scans Version 5.0 uses new software and profiling techniques to give us the most accurate scans from color transparencies that we've ever seen, and it allows us to produce great scans in 16-bit color. While the Tango's superb hardware may make 16-bit overkill, it's increasingly the choice of customers who want to make sure they are getting every last bit of quality. By default, we scan every color transparency as a 16-bit file.

B&W Negatives

The Tango is an amazing scanner for B&W negatives, with unique capabilities. It can record astounding detail from the lightest and darkest areas of your film. Even severely under-exposed and/or under-developed film often produces results that you would swear came from a "perfect" negative. We've even recorded detail that was invisible to the naked eye; essentially "clear" film.

The Tango has a dedicated greyscale mode that uses a neutral density filter with its photo multiplier tubes. There is no need to scan into RGB (as many photographers do with CCD scanners) to capture a clean, noise-free scan with the most detail.

We've tested three different software packages for greyscale scanning, and the one that produces the best results, by far, works only in 8-bit. This is no big deal. Tango scans are so robust that you can push and pull them to extremes before you'll see any degradation. Museums don't hang histograms, and they don't judge prints on "combing." What matters is how the prints look, and you'll consistently make prints that wow your audience with these scans.

To give you what we think is the best scan possible from your B&W film, our default is to scan in 8-bit. This said, if you would rather have 16-bit greyscale scans, please indicate this on your order form.

Color Negatives

Color negatives can be the most difficult film to scan. You'd think it would be as simple as inverting the data and removing the orange mask, but it's not. The orange mask is not simply a 40cc orange; it varies in density at every point in the photograph, depending on what is recorded on the film at that point. Variations in processing and exposure mean that the same settings for one negative rarely work for another, even if they are on the same film. And while color negative film is capable of recording great latitude, the highest quality scans consistently come from film exposed in "chrome light" and carefully processed.

Despite these challenges, we consistently produce scans from color negatives that are Museum Quality. We have three scanning software packages to choose, and can pick and choose which one works best for your film. It is not uncommon for us to scan your film using two different software packages so that we can choose which one produces the best results. Our favorite software choice for color negatives makes 8-bit scans. We'll use the software that we think works best for your image. This said, if you would rather have 16-bit scans, please indicate this on your order form.

About Our Tango Drum Scans

• How we mount your film
  We mount all film with KAMI fluid, NEVER oil. Film is cleaned with PEC-12 archival film cleaner before and after scanning. Read a step-by-step explanation of how we handle your film.
  
  
• Our Tango can scan images up to 18x22 in size
  Prints, transparencies and negatives up to 18x22 can be scanned on the Tango.
  
  
• We use custom ICC profiles to capture accurate color
  Our Tango scanners are carefully profiled ensure that each scan captures the richness in your original film.
  
  
• We give individualized attention to each image we scan
  Each scan we do is given individual attention by one of our scan masters Jeff Grandy and Ron Iudice, our by one of our Expert Printmakers, who make careful adjustments to black point, white point, color and contrast, preserving all the information you need to make a good print.
  
  
• The Tango delivers excellent D-max and Resolution
  The Tango’s 4.2 DMax, excellent shadow detail, and 10,780 maximum resolution, allow you to make large prints with detail that is unparalleled.
  
  
• We scan without unsharp masking
  You have far more control over Unsharp Masking (USM) in Photoshop, so USM is always turned off on our scanner.
  
  
• We can scan into any workingspace
  We can save scans into any workingspace you choose, including Adobe RGB, Ekta Space PS 5, or any other space you want. Our default is to save all color scans into Ekta Space PS 5, created by Joseph Holmes, which is the standard RGB space for fine art photographers. We use it here at WCI for our Custom Exhibition prints, as well as our personal work. After using it for tens of thousands of prints and scans, we find that it has a much better gamut that Adobe RGB, and responds to adjustments like curves in a very photographic way.
  
  
• We can deliver your scans on CD or DVD for free--or if you need them more quickly, we offer Online Delivery.
  For no charge, we will save your scans to CD, DVD-R, or your USB/firewire hard drive. Please indicate your preference on your order form. If no preference is provided, we will burn your scans to DVD. Need your scans ASAP? For $15 per order, we can deliver your scans to you as soon as they are finished via our web delivery service.
  
  
• Normal turnaround times
  We work on a first-come, first-served basis for Tango Scans. Our reputation is based on giving each image our undivided attention, and striving to make the best scan possible from each image. We work to complete each order as quickly as possible, without sacrificing quality. This said, turnaround generally runs 72 hours in-house, though our workload may dictate a longer turnaround. If you need your scans by a specific date, please call us and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. Orders that require us to fall outside our first-come, first-served basis may incur a 100% rush charge. 8-bit scans larger than 300mb, 16-bit scans larger than 600mb, and scans of images larger than 4x5 may take longer.

  RUSH SERVICES: We offer rush services with prior approval, including same-day turnaround if we deliver your scans via our web server. Read more information on rush services and online Delivery.

What size scan do you recommend for my images?

You should scan your image large enough for the largest reasonable possible use you anticipate. This eliminates the need for rescanning and reworking at a later date.

A 100mb 8-bit scan and a 200mb 16-bit scan are scanned at the same dpi, so they will resolve the same amount of detail. The 16-bit scan makes a file that is twice as large because it uses twice as many bits to define each pixel. The same is true for a 300mb 8-bit scan and 600mb 16-bit scan.

I ordered a 200mb 16-bit greyscale scan. Why did I get a 100mb 8-bit scan at the same price?
To keep things simple, our scan pricing and ordering is specified in 16-bit, but when we scan black and white and color negatives, we get the best results with a software package that only creates 8-bit files, so if you ordered a 200mb 16-bit scan, what you'll actually get is a 100mb 8 bit scan. A 100mb 8-bit scan and a 200mb 16-bit scan of the same film are made at the same dpi, so we're scanning the same amount of resolution, but using 8-bit halves the bit-depth of a 16-bit scan, hence it is creates a file half the size. There is no price difference for 8 or 16-bit scans. If you absolutely, positively want 16-bit greyscale scans, please mark it your order form "16-bit only."

View more Scanning FAQ