Drum Scanners: Digitizing Your Film Photographs to Perfection
04/07/2019
Techniques/ tips
The drum scanner was the first image scanner designed to be used in coordination with a computer, making its high-resolution quality today that much more impressive. At their earliest stage in 1957, drum scanners offered little more than 176-pixel resolution. They can now reach up to 12,000 pixels, and Duggal’s drum scanning technique produces a scan that will capture 100% of the information your film image provides, at its highest possible quality.
Drum Scanning at Duggal
Rather than take on the hefty upfront investment of roughly $50,000 for a drum scanner and the maintenance it requires, consider Duggal’s wide variety of print options based on your preferred final image quality. For prints of your perfectly digitized film photograph of up to 11” x 14,” Duggal implements the use of a PMT, or “photomultiplier tube,” scanner that:
Replicates your photograph one pixel at a time in order to precisely recreate the original photograph
Provides exceptional tonal resolution
Minimizes errors as a result of refraction
You can also decide between a wet or a dry mount for your final product. Wet mounts are ideal for photographs in which finer details and tonalities are impactful. Dry mounts work well for photographs that require softer grain detail and resolution.
Why Use a Drum Scanner?
Film photography is known to be of a superior standard, so it’s crucial that your final digitized product reflects this level of quality. It’s no wonder that PMT drum scanners are used amongst many of the most noted photographers and brands. The sharpness, tonality improvements, and color contrasts of the drum scanner truly set this machine apart and contribute to its longevity in the photo industry. Learn more about drum scanning and digitizing in the video below.