How do I get my 35mm film's sprocket holes on my prints or scans?

Firstly, in order to get sprocket hole 35mm prints or scans, you must bring your film to a professional photo lab. Drugstore labs or one-hour photo labs will not have the ability to scan or print the entire negative, including sprocket holes.

When you call or bring your film in to a professional lab, ask if they can scan your 35mm film with the 120 or medium format film scanning mask. Remember that because the 120 film scanner scans a much larger image surface, you will have black areas above and below the edges of your 35mm film. Because of this and the fact that 35mm film won’t sit straight and tight in the 120 film scanner, you might have to do some cropping using an image editor later on.

You may also find it very convenient to have your films developed by our very own LomoLab since we offer sprocket development as well.

Do not forget that you need to expose your sprocket holes to the light first before you do this. The best way to achieve this is by using a 120mm camera and putting your 35mm film in it. Some cameras that allow you to do this are: the LC-A 120, Diana F+ or Lubitel 166+ . If you’re a fan of breathtaking detail, the Belair X 6-12 will most certainly also do the trick!

written on 2010-03-30 in #35mm #techniques