my Neg scanning methods

pellicle · Oct 10, 2009

Hi

since I'm often giving parts of this in disjointed locations I thought I'd prepare a more detailed description of the steps involved.

I've put that on my blog here.

stradibarrius · Oct 11, 2009

What about B&W scans???

pellicle · Oct 11, 2009

Hi

same thing but without the colour management ;-)

stradibarrius · Oct 11, 2009

So you scan your B&W negatives as "positive film" opposed to "B&W negative"?

timbo10ca · Oct 15, 2009

I was just thinking of having a closer look at your scanning technique, after seeing how sharp you got an image in a post a while back- quite impressive. There must be more to your workflow though- what about sharpening techniques? What about slide film?

Tim

pellicle · Oct 16, 2009

stradibarrius said:
So you scan your B&W negatives as "positive film" opposed to "B&W negative"?

yes, I scan as positive film ... that's what I meant above when I said same as for colour but without the colour management

pellicle · Oct 16, 2009

Tim

timbo10ca said:
I was just thinking of having a closer look at your scanning technique, after seeing how sharp you got an image in a post a while back- quite impressive.

thanks for the pat on the back

There must be more to your workflow though- what about sharpening techniques? What about slide film?

well, yes there is some sharpening. Typically its not much as I feel that well focused shake free film has a lot going with it to start with.

My technique varies a little between the Epson and the Nikon

With the Epson I first do some sharpening at about 1.7 pixels radius to get around the fact that the Epson is not "sharp" out of the box. I'll vary this figure between 0.9 up to 2.1 and strength of between 70% and 100% depending on how it looks to me, so its subjective. I then apply a little of what I call local area contrast enhancement which is unsharp mask to around 60 pixels and between 10 and 20%. I do this before applying curves.

With the Nikon I usually don't do much of the first sharpening ... as it seems to just build grain.

I've never ever been really satisfied with slide. I understand the colour management advantages for the advertising set, but for me scene representation is always a little subjective too ... so what Negative may loose out in that area it gains so much in usability for me.

From the first velvia I scanned on a LS-1000 (way back in 1996 or something) till now on my LS-4000 I just don't like it. For decades people around me seem to chant the mantra of Ohm ... slide slide slide ... Ohm

but I have never ever got as good a result on any side by side I've done. And interestingly the results always look the same (over the years and varied equipment).

For example on this page I publish the results of a test between Provia and Pro160S in 4x5 sheets (scanned with an Epson 4870) ... interestingly I see almost exactly the same sorts of issues in the details when I repeated it here years later with Sensia and Superia using an LS-4000
with the results spread across a few blog posts here and here.

I intend to do a better blog page comparing the images of the day and then to incorporate mrred's findings with his scanner (a Pacific Film type) when I get about to posting him that

hmm ... did I answer your questions?

timbo10ca · Oct 21, 2009

pellicle said:
Tim

thanks for the pat on the back

well, yes there is some sharpening. Typically its not much as I feel that well focused shake free film has a lot going with it to start with.

My technique varies a little between the Epson and the Nikon

With the Epson I first do some sharpening at about 1.7 pixels radius to get around the fact that the Epson is not "sharp" out of the box. I'll vary this figure between 0.9 up to 2.1 and strength of between 70% and 100% depending on how it looks to me, so its subjective. I then apply a little of what I call local area contrast enhancement which is unsharp mask to around 60 pixels and between 10 and 20%. I do this before applying curves.

With the Nikon I usually don't do much of the first sharpening ... as it seems to just build grain.

I've never ever been really satisfied with slide. I understand the colour management advantages for the advertising set, but for me scene representation is always a little subjective too ... so what Negative may loose out in that area it gains so much in usability for me.

From the first velvia I scanned on a LS-1000 (way back in 1996 or something) till now on my LS-4000 I just don't like it. For decades people around me seem to chant the mantra of Ohm ... slide slide slide ... Ohm

but I have never ever got as good a result on any side by side I've done. And interestingly the results always look the same (over the years and varied equipment).

For example on this page I publish the results of a test between Provia and Pro160S in 4x5 sheets (scanned with an Epson 4870) ... interestingly I see almost exactly the same sorts of issues in the details when I repeated it here years later with Sensia and Superia using an LS-4000
with the results spread across a few blog posts here and here.

I intend to do a better blog page comparing the images of the day and then to incorporate mrred's findings with his scanner (a Pacific Film type) when I get about to posting him that

hmm ... did I answer your questions?

Yes- a great answer to my question. I just have to try puting what you say into practice for myself. I am surprised that you sharpen before anything- I have been told time and again that is the work of heathens and evil doers. A big part of my issues are with the sharpness of the image itself. I've read about the steps of "proper sharpening" but haven't found a good step by step how to yet. For example, is local area contrast done to the whole image at the same time by doing USM to the levelks you indicate, or do you apply it to specific selected areas (I've heard people do this too). I think I just have more reading to do in order to understand terms. Most of all is finding the time to do any of this stuff..... I still haven't tested your increased Dmax ND trick for the V750. I have to be honest- a lot of what you experts say goes clear over my head.

Tim

pellicle · Oct 21, 2009

Tim

timbo10ca said:
I have to be honest- a lot of what you experts say goes clear over my head.

for sure I'm not an expert ... I just experiment and try to see what works

my Neg scanning methods

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