Scanning Negatives in oS X?

Even if the software the scanner comes with has no option for negatives, you can still do it with black and white images. All you have to do is scan them as is and then invert the image in Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, or any other image editor that will do the same thing.

As far as use on the web, just scan them at 72 dpi as a Grayscale image to the size you want and save them directly from the scanner as a JPEG. Other than inverting them to a positive if the scanner software can't, you're done. Well, other than doing a little cropping and rotating.

As far as what scanner to purchase, the most important features are optical resolution and D-Max, or density. Get the scanner with the highest values of these two features as you can afford.

How is the 4 x 5 inch negative placed in the machine?

With most flat bed scanners, you just place it on the glass. Others require the use of a film holder. You scanner of course must be one that can scan transparencies and not just reflective art. Whether you place the negative on the scanner emulsion up or down to get a right reading image depends on the scanner and its software. If you're unfamiliar with handling film, the emulsion side is normally the dull side of the negative. On some types of film, it's hard to tell just be looking at it. But you can always take an X-Acto knife or anything else with a sharp tip and scratch a black corner away from the image. If it creates a line you can see through, you scratched the emulsion side. In all cases, no matter what brand of film or camera it came from, emulsion side down is the correct orientation of the image.

The best scanners for negatives have film holders, so the negative is not against glass. This eliminates some reflections, and give a better picture.

See if you can get a scanner that is supported by VueScan
<http://www.hamrick.com>,
without using the manufacturer's drivers.

Many scanner companies write terrible OSX drivers, and may not bother to update them when OSX is updated. Often, they only provide updated drivers for their latest models. They don't mind if you have to junk you old scanner and buy a new one.

VueScan gives you some protection in that case.

The best scanners for negatives have film holders, so the negative is not against glass.

Not true. It all depends on whether the glass has an anti Newton ring coating. If it does, the only quality difference between a scanner with glass and one with a glass free holder is that the glass free type don't have an extra surface to clean for dust.

4x5" negatives?!

How high quality of a scan are you looking for? If you go with a flatbed scanner you can get decent (but not great) quality scans of those. Depends what you're looking to do.

If you want a film scanner, you're talking BIG dollars. Epson just came out with a couple nice shiny new flatbed scanners.

If you go with a flatbed scanner you can get decent (but not great) quality scans of those.

Not true. As I first mentioned above, more than anything else, it's all in the optical resolution and D-Max the scanner is capable of. The flatbed I use is the best scanner available. Better than even many drum scanners. But it's far from cheap, either.

The software is also a big part of the overall quality. Good or great hardware is wasted with lousy scanning software.

I don't think you want to buy a scanner.

You've never used a scanner before and you say you don't expect to use this scanner again. It's not worthwhile for you to do this yourself.

Contact professional photography stores in your area and ask if they do negative scanning or if they can recommend a local company that does.

You will be far further ahead to bring the negatives to a professional to scan for you.