Source: https://restorebunny.com/guides/scan-photo-negatives-and-slides/ # How to Scan Photo Negatives and Slides Before Restoration Choose a film-capable capture workflow, calculate 35mm scan pixels, check negative inversion and avoid destructive handling or unsuitable dust correction. Scanning & preservation5 min readUpdated 13 September 2026 Quick answer ## The short version Negatives and slides need transmitted light, a suitable holder and a film-capable scanner or camera-copy setup. Identify the film type, capture a small test batch, and inspect focus, orientation and colour conversion before restoration. Print-scanning DPI advice does not transfer directly to a tiny film frame. ## Identify the object before choosing settings A mounted slide is normally a positive transparency: its light and dark areas already describe the scene. A negative reverses those relationships; colour negatives also need an appropriate colour conversion. Prints reflect light, whereas film is captured with light passing through it. A flatbed that scans paper well does not necessarily include the illumination and holders required for film. Read the manual for your exact scanner and film holder. Epson's film-scanner documentation, for example, distinguishes film placement and film-type settings from document scanning. Do not copy a holder orientation or emulsion-side instruction from an unrelated model. Keep strips in their existing sequence, note frame numbers and capture the envelope or slide-box labels before separating anything for the session. ## Choose between film scanning, camera capture and a service A film-capable scanner is convenient when you already have compatible holders and working software. A camera-copy setup needs even backlighting, a stable support, close focusing and careful alignment; photographing film against an ordinary room window is not an equivalent controlled setup. A specialist service can be practical for unusual sizes, dense slides or a large collection, but ask for a sample before committing the whole box. Your sample request should specify full-frame coverage, output pixel dimensions, file format, whether a minimally corrected file is available, and what automatic dust or colour processing is included. Ask that frame identifiers remain connected to the delivered files. A huge JPEG with no record of which negative it came from is harder to use than a well-documented scan with realistic detail. ## Worked example: why 600 PPI is small for 35mm film For a nominal 36×24 mm frame, divide millimetres by 25.4 to get inches, then multiply by capture PPI. At 600 PPI the result is about 850×567 pixels. At 2400 PPI it is about 3402×2268 pixels; at 3200 PPI, about 4535×3024. These are arithmetic estimates before cropping, not measured scanner performance or a recommendation that every frame deserves the largest setting. The 2400 PPI example gives roughly 11.3×7.6 inches at a 300 PPI print target before crop losses. Real useful detail depends on film focus, grain, scanner optics and holder alignment. Compare one detailed frame at two supported optical settings. If the larger capture reveals no additional subject detail, a bigger advertised number is not a reason to rescan every frame. ## Test three frames before starting a batch 1. Choose a normal frame, a darker frame and one with fine detail such as lettering or hair. Work only with sound film that can be handled safely; leave brittle, sticky, flaking, broken or otherwise suspect materials for specialist advice. 2. Use the correct supported film type and holder. Capture the whole image area without accidentally selecting a neighbouring frame or cutting off heads. Include identifying edge information in a separate reference capture if your final image crop excludes it. 3. Inspect the actual saved files at close view. Check corners as well as the centre for softness. Look for clipped bright areas, blocked shadows, visible dust and accidental mirror reversal. Read known text where available instead of guessing orientation from a face. 4. For negatives, save the scanner's delivered positive conversion and document that conversion. If your workflow provides a minimally processed capture, retain it too with an explicit role label. Do not call a positive TIFF 'camera RAW' merely because it has had little editing. 5. Only apply the approved settings to similar frames. Recheck when switching from colour negatives to slides, changing film size or encountering unusually dense material. One exposure choice need not suit an entire mixed archive. ## Dust correction has film-specific limits Infrared-based defect correction is not automatically appropriate for every film. Epson documents limitations for conventional silver-based black-and-white negatives and, on some equipment, Kodachrome. Check the exact scanner documentation and make an on/off comparison on a duplicate output when supported. Ordinary software dust reduction and infrared defect detection are different operations, even when their labels sound similar. Inspect thin objects, hair and high-contrast edges after correction. A dust-free result is not better if it has erased genuine detail. Do not scrape a negative or use household cleaners to rescue a scan; a permanent mark on the physical frame affects every future capture. Digital spot repair on a copy can be slower but avoids making the source problem irreversible. ## Choose the restoration source, then keep the film If a print and its negative both survive, compare captures of each. The negative may contain more scene area or detail, while a period print may preserve intentional cropping or useful printing choices. Neither automatically makes the other disposable. Keep both linked to one scene record and choose the appropriate input for the particular restoration. Before uploading, make a compatible positive image rather than assuming a restoration service understands a negative's orange mask or a scanner-specific format. Review any AI output against the positive source for identity and scene details. Retain the film in suitable storage: scanning creates another useful representation, not a replacement for the object or its context. ## FAQs Can I scan negatives on an ordinary flatbed? Only if it supports an appropriate transmitted-light film setup. A reflective document scan generally cannot substitute for a film scanner's illumination and holder. Is 600 DPI enough for negatives? A nominal 35mm frame at 600 PPI produces only about 850×567 pixels. Calculate from the film's physical dimensions and compare supported optical settings for the detail you actually need. Should I throw away negatives after scanning? No. Keep them and their labels. Later equipment, a better capture or a different crop may reveal useful information your current scan does not preserve. ## Sources Preservation and technical guidance reviewed for this article. - Epson: [Perfection V600 Photo user's guide]() - Epson: [DIGITAL ICE for Film specifications and limitations]() - U.S. National Archives: [Care and handling of photographs]() ## Related - [Calculate scan resolution from physical size]() - [Prepare scans for larger prints]() - [Compare surviving versions of a photo]() ## Ready to restore your photos? Upload an image, choose your settings, and preview results with a before/after slider. [Get Started]()[View Pricing]() RestoreBunny Team Photo restoration editors Guides follow our [editorial policy]() for sourcing, product claims, AI limitations, updates, and corrections.