Wet scanning is nothing new; the process has long been used with professional drum scanners. A drum scanner will set you back between $16,000 and $65,000. Thank goodness for high-end flatbed scanners — under $1,500CA with wet mounting accessories.

I routinely use the wet scanning process when digitally reproducing film-based images. The procedure sandwiches film between a glass carrier and an optically clear mylar sheet, with a thin layer of scanner mounting fluid applied either side of the film.

Regular film holders clamp the edges of film, theoretically to hold it flat.  The holder usually crops part of the image. The wet process allows scanning film edge-to-edge, preserving every last millimetre of the image, including the film edge if you wish, just like in “the old days” when we’d file-out film holders used in our enlargers — hence the jagged black borders you sometimes see on traditional prints. Post-processing apps for digital photos allow us to fake the film-edge look.

Wet scanning also holds the film absolutely flat for more consistent sharpness. As a bonus, as long as the work area is kept dust-free, it also eliminates minor imperfections. Note that tests, like this one, indicate that attempting to wet scan film on the scanner bed will return inferior results.

Epson Perfection V750 Pro

I use the Epson Perfection V750 Pro flatbed scanner in combination with the included wet-mounting kit. The V700, and the newly-minted V800 and V850, do not come with the kit; it’s an extra. The latter units, though LED light source eliminates the warm-up wait, offers no appreciable improvement in scan quality, from what I’ve read.

Mounting fluid and mylar sheets don’t usually come with your scanner. Kits are available from AZTEK. Traditionally, scanning fluid was oil-based; Kami fluid evaporates after use leaving film clean, ready to slip back into the sleeve. It’s recommended, however, that you work in a well-ventilated area.

Wet Mount Kit

Setting up a wet scan is fairly straightforward, as illustrated in the accompanying video tutorial. A few drops of KAMI mounting fluid are applied to the bed of the glass tray, preferably with a nalgene unitary wash bottle. I couldn’t find these locally so I ordered through Amazon. They were cheap, but with shipping cost me $30CA.

The film is then laid on top of the fluid and another squirt of fluid is applied on top of the film. Apply the mylar sheet (cut to size, if necessary). Smooth excess fluid and air bubbles out with a soft wipe, using the grid on the tray to make sure the film is aligned.

The film can then be scanned as usual, using the “film with holder” setting in the Epson scanning software.

All medium-format negatives from my archive — in particular the Eighties Vancouver images — are scanned this way. The results speak for themselves. Prints are available through the shop.