I wouldn't abandon 400 speed outright - you might just have found a film
that's not too happy in combination with your scanner. The interaction
of the scanner resolution and the film resolution can cause 'grain
aliasing', which magnifies the apparent grain. Some films will be more
susceptible than others when scanned. Try a few different 400 speeds.
There's a good article about this at:
http://www.photoscientia.co.uk/Grain.htm
I've scanned 400 speed films with my 2700dpi scanner, and often the
high-resolution file does look pretty bad, but when you resample them
down things improve massively. When I resize them to 700px wide they
look just fine. For example, this shot:
http://www.worldtraveller.f9.co.uk/photo/photos/sydney.jpg
was shot on Fuji Super G 400 (Superia's predecessor) and scanned on a
Scanwit at 2700dpi. If I've got time I'll find my full-resolution scan
and put up a section of it to illustrate the effect.
Since that photo, though, I've become a convert to slow slide film,
especially Fuji Sensia, but occasionally Velvia. They scan absolutely
beautifully.
Roger
Olympus wrote:
>
> I just recently bought a film scanner... I have almost always taken pics
> with 400 speed film; (Fuji Superia400) and have always liked the saturation,
> and the 2 extra stops plus a fast lens like the 50mm/1.8 allows me to do
> indoors pretty well without a flash.. But, with the purchase of a film
> scanner, I've been more than unhappy with the grainyness... 4x6's aren't
> bad at all, but when scanned at 2700dpi, the grain is very visable.
>
> What I have also found was the 28mm/f2.8 to be a bit soft.. even stopped
> down. My tokina 90mm/f2.5 is TACK sharp, and the price was great so I am
> very happy with the purchase even if it's not a Zuiko...
>
> I'm curious if anybody else there have enlarged or scanned 400 speed film,
> and have, afterwards, changed to a slower speed film. I'm trying a roll of
> Reala right now, see if the 100 speed film is really that much smoother and
> less grainy...
>
> Any other slower speed film selections and recommendations welcome. Also,
> I'm sure there's techniques on how to shoot slower film, so any advice on
> that is solicited and appreciated. Yes yes yes I know, I will be saving up
> for a tripod..
>
> Thanx.
> Albert
>
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