Question for Les Sarile - Nikon Coolscan

[Cerro Bravo]

Hi, I have a question for Les Sarile . I have read quite a few posts of your (long) experience with the Nikon Coolscan 5000 and 9000 scanners. I own the former and I have been getting getting mixed results, certainly due to my inexperience.

You mentioned a document here http://www.fototime.com/inv/B48262629CF3ECB where you had written some "guide" to work with the scanner.

Sadly, the link is no longer available. Can I find this document somewhere else or could you post it here?

Thanks in advance,

S.

 

[Les Sarile]

It was too bad fototime folded so I uploaded it to flickr at Coolscan 5000 create and retrieve using Nikonscan
1- 5 to create a setting and 6 - 13 to retrieve snd apply.
I usually have color settings off.

 

[Cerro Bravo]

Les, thank you for the link! I have been doing some things differently (applying settings on a frame by frame basis). I'll try this workflow.

Now, may as I ask a few things on how you actually use specific settings?

1) Do you use ROC and GEM? If yes, are there particular films or cases were you do and some where you don't?

2) Do you use the analogue gain section?

3) Do you use curves ? (you mentioned you leave color balance off)

4) In general, which settings should be taken care of when scanning (to get the max. quality ot of the film), and which are equivalent of just post processing in PS?

One problem I have been having is that the frame limits are not always recognized by the scanner and it leaves a band on one side and a cropped portion of the other with certain images. Is there a way to take care of this?

I scan only negatives, Portra, Kodak Gold and Ultramax in color, Foma 100, Tri-x, Superpan and APX in B&W.

I'd really appreciate to know how you go around with specific settings. Thanks in advance!

 

[Les Sarile]

For the most part, I correct frame orientation, ICE as appropriate, no crop and set all coolor controls off. I have not found a need for ROC, GEM and Digital DEE as I would prefer to do any corrections in post. ROC exacts an overhead of longer scan times and I prefer to apply a more selective grain manipulation just before the final step. Same for sharpening. BTW, ICE does seem to "tame" the look of grain already. Fine mode a tad more then Normal.

I also tend to use Analog Gain to make sure I don't blow any of the highlights and adjust in post for SHADOWS and HIGHLIGHTS. Recently it was pointed out that adjusting curves may be more exacting but that would mean I would have to do scan of the frame first in order to adjust so I still prefer to continue my workflow as-is.

Of course this is in no way to suggest my workflow is the be all end all. It isn't since these are all personal aesthetics.