Scanner calibration with IT8 target

[Tony-S]

I'm not entirely clear on scanner calibration. Is it something that one considers essential? I use VueScan and a V500, so I have the ability to generate a scanner profile. Adorama has a Kodak 35mm IT8 transparency target for only US$40:

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Will this allow accurate color scans from a variety of slide and negative color films? I shoot mostly Fuji Pro 160S, Velvia 50, Astia 100F, Ektar and sometimes Portra 160VC and 160NC.

Thoughts?

 

[timparkin]

I'm not entirely clear on scanner calibration. Is it something that one considers essential? I use VueScan and a V500, so I have the ability to generate a scanner profile. Adorama has a Kodak 35mm IT8 transparency target for only US$40:

Dead Link Removed

Will this allow accurate color scans from a variety of slide and negative color films? I shoot mostly Fuji Pro 160S, Velvia 50, Astia 100F, Ektar and sometimes Portra 160VC and 160NC.

Thoughts?

Yes it will help. People say you can't profile for negatives which is true. However you can just profile to ensure your scanner is getting accurate colour so that when you use a negative processing software package, you know you are starting from the same point as everyone else and hopefully the software developer.

Tim