6×17 Drum Scan Proof: Why Panoramic Film Needs a Real Drum Scanner
6×17 is one of the most demanding medium format panoramas to digitise properly. It’s long, it loves to curl, and it exposes the limits of flatbeds and typical lab scanners. Below is a real 6×17 drum scan plus detail extracts that show what the file holds when you zoom in.
This is a practical proof. With panoramic film, the hard part is scanning flat, keeping even focus across the whole frame, and capturing usable detail without turning the image into crunchy oversharpened noise.
Why 6×17 is difficult to scan
- Film flatness: long panoramas love to curl, so parts of the frame can go soft if the film isn’t held flat.
- Edge-to-edge focus: even tiny focus falloff becomes obvious across a frame this wide.
- Real detail vs “fake detail”: many scans look sharp from sharpening, not from true resolving power.
- Dynamic range: panoramas often include sky + shadows in one frame, so tonal quality matters.
The full 6×17 drum scan
Here’s the full frame. For panoramas, this is what you’re paying for: consistent focus, smooth tonality, and a file that stays coherent when you start zooming. If you’re comparing output options, see film scan prices and scan sizes.
Detail extracts (real-world zoom)
These are extracted sections from the scan. The point is not “pixel peeping for sport”. It’s that the file stays stable and readable: fine detail doesn’t collapse, and texture stays natural.
“Only drum scanning can scan 6×17” — what that really means
To be precise: there are different ways to digitise 6×17. Some methods can create a usable file, especially for small output. Photographers choose drum scanning for 6×17 because it’s the most reliable route for:
- Even focus and sharpness across the whole panoramic frame
- Natural detail without aggressive digital sharpening
- Smooth tonality for skies, gradients, and shadow separation
- Print-ready results when you go big
Want a second reference? See our high resolution drum scan sample (6×7) with 25%, 50% and 100% crops. If your film is negative, read negative conversion for drum scans.
Want us to drum scan your 6×17?
If you’re shooting panoramas, you already know the point: you want a file that justifies the camera. See the workflow on our drum scanning services page, then order film scans. Deadlines or special handling? contact us.
