In addition to very high quality Flextight scans of film up to 4x5in or 6x17cm, Macquarie Editions can now offer digitisation of glass plate negatives in a range of sizes up to full-plate.

Glass plate negatives were in common use for photography from the mid 1860s. They are a significant part of our cultural heritage with large collections held in libraries, archives, museums and public galleries around Australia. Due to their larger size, in good condition these plates can result in extraordinary image and/or print quality today.

Macquarie Editions photographs these with a high resolution camera, state-of-the-art optics and laser alignment to deliver the best results possible and at resolutions up to 4000ppi (with quarter-plate). Unlike flatbed scanning, the fragile plate is held above a diffuse light source (see above) and need never touch a scanner’s glass platen. Depending on the plate’s condition some cleaning (of the non-emulsion side only) prior to photography may be recommended. Digital retouching to remove blemishes (if required) is also possible.

If you have glass plate negatives that you would like to bring back to life please get in touch for a quote.