Proofing B&W Negs as Scans for Evaluation

[williamkazak]

I was reading about hybrid processing somewhere as perhaps being the best of both worlds. It was something about; develop your B&W film as usual and then scan it all as a proof sheet. Then, after choosing the pics that you want to commit to, scan those individually. Well, after finally getting some current B&W negs, I was attempting to scan the entire roll that I placed into the Printfile sleeve. (I won't call it plastic). Of course, my result was not a positive print but a negative in appearance. I am using a Canon flatbed scanner. It has a two strip insert for scanning 35mm films and the scanner won't accept an entire Printfile sheet in the strip film insert holder. (It has a cover that must be uncovered so that the scan can take place when the holder is in place). Therefore, making a positive in apperence proof sheet is impossible. Is a negative in apperence proof sheet somehow going to help me decide what to select and then to individually scan or to then make a print? I don't think so. I might as well hold the negs into the air to decide. I thought I was able to make a positive in appearence proof sheet for a proper evaluation. Am I missing something here on this subject? Comments welcome.
Maybe I should ask at APUG?
As I continued reading today-I just use invert in Photoshop to read the proof sheet.

 

[pschwart]

Here is what you are missing:
- if you want to scan an entire sleeved roll you are going to need a scanner that can scan film using
the entire platen -- around 8-1/2x11. I scan sleeved negatives using an Epson V700 and print inkjet
proof sheets and it is a great convenience.
- you need to configure the scanning software for film negatives; sounds like it is set to scan documents

 

[williamkazak]

Right. It won't scan film with the entire platen. (Only two 35mm strips placed in a bottom holder). The top platen is removed to allow a two row capable amount of light to project down onto the holder. As I scan the entire proof sheet, with the top platen inserted again, as in normal document scanning, I can take the result into Photoshop and "invert" the proof sheet. Then I can see it in a positive manner for evaluation. Thank you.

 

[pschwart]

If you have a scanner with a transparency adapter that only covers a couple of film strips, you won't be able to scan a full page of negatives in one go. It sounds like you are covering the transparency adapter and scanning your sleeved negs in document mode so you can use the full platen, but this won't work -- film needs to be scanned by transmitted, not reflected light.

 

[williamkazak]

If you have a scanner with a transparency adapter that only covers a couple of film strips, you won't be able to scan a full page of negatives in one go. It sounds like you are covering the transparency adapter and scanning your sleeved negs in document mode so you can use the full platen, but this won't work -- film needs to be scanned by transmitted, not reflected light.

It does work when you then use "invert" in Photoshop. Nowhere near perfectly but it allows inspection for "real scanning" of chosen individual pics later. I never used "invert" before this.

 

[pschwart]

The resulting scan won't be sufficient to judge the negative quality.
If you like shortcuts: most scanning software will allow you to invert during the scan

 

[pellicle]

If you like shortcuts: most scanning software will allow you to invert during the scan

Well yes, but I don't know many that then keep the scan linear and that don't apply too much roll off at the toe and shoulder.

But anyway