Scanned print or scanned negative

[Chuck Porter]

What makes a better scanned image for web viewing-------a scanned print or a scanned negative (4x5)? Does it matter?

I am interested only in scanning for black and white images for viewing on the web.

Thanks
Chuck

 

[Joe Lipka]

No it does not. 72 dpi is the great leveler.

But you might wish to consider this. If you scan at a higher resolution you have more options available to you should you wish to pursue some other form of output.

Given the choice, I have scanned negatives because it seemed to me there was a loss of image quality in going from negative to print. A negative always holds more information than a print shows, so scan the negative and get more information to work with.

 

[Greg_E]

Are you dodging or burning when you print? If you do any manipulation during the print, then the obvious answer is to scan the print.

 

[Chuck Porter]

Are you dodging or burning when you print? If you do any manipulation during the print, then the obvious answer is to scan the print.

Yes, this is the obvious answer. To be honest, I've been kind of fixated on the scanner question that it did not even cross my mind to think of it this way

But, I have heard of folks that will print, do all the necessary tonal controls, then scan the negative, adjust the tonal values to match the dodging and burning of the print. Now, is this done because scanning the negative provides the best overall viewing?

The scanner I'm contemplating is the Epson v700

Thanks
Chuck

 

[Marco B]

Well, unless you limit yourself to A4 or 8X10" prints only, you will probably have a hard time fitting a poster size print on any affordable desktop scanner...

Of course it's possible to try to match the D&B operations done in the darkroom with the operations done in PS (I've done both: scan neg's and prints), but you will not be able to replicate more creative darkroom work, like developing with a brush... another reason to possibly scan a print instead of neg.

 

[lenny]

Yes, this is the obvious answer.

But, I have heard of folks that will print, do all the necessary tonal controls, then scan the negative, adjust the tonal values to match the dodging and burning of the print. Now, is this done because scanning the negative provides the best overall viewing?

The scanner I'm contemplating is the Epson v700
Thanks
Chuck

No, it's because its what they are used to. It's probably a bad idea, as there is more range in an inkjet print - if you know what you are doing.

I would say the scanner is fine for scanning prints, but if you want to scan negatives, you should move up a couple of notches to a film scanner or better, a drum scanner.

Lenny