Too much contrast

shutterboy · Jun 6, 2014

Another scanning question. I am trying to scan a few negatives. Coming from a digital background, I tend to have a lot of contrast in my photos. However, I am trying to find out if I am overdoing the contrast.

Thanks

markbarendt · Jun 6, 2014

DPUG.org

snapguy · Jun 6, 2014

not

Does not look overly contrasty on my monitor.

shutterboy · Jun 6, 2014

which one of the 3 looks well balanced?

snapguy · Jun 6, 2014

middle

The middle one.

ic-racer · Jun 7, 2014

What are you trying to evaluate? Negatives? Prints? Inkjet Prints? Your Computer Monitor Screen? If the negatives are in question, post a scan of the negatives. It looks like you have posted scans of prints. Otherwise check out DPUG.

thegman · Jun 7, 2014

Middle is probably best, but all are completely acceptable to my eye.

markbarendt · Jun 7, 2014

shutterboy said:
which one of the 3 looks well balanced?

1-With this question you are essentially asking us to tell you what shade of black you like. That's not a question anyone can answer for you. Adjusting contrast is an "art" thing and there are lots of ways to nuance it. There is no right or wrong or best.

2-You are asking for advice about a digitally manipulated photo, that's off topic here at APUG. Please ask scanner related questions where it's on topic like over at DPUG.org or Flickr or whatever.

shutterboy · Jun 7, 2014

ic-racer said:
What are you trying to evaluate? Negatives? Prints? Inkjet Prints? Your Computer Monitor Screen? If the negatives are in question, post a scan of the negatives. It looks like you have posted scans of prints. Otherwise check out DPUG.

This is a scan of a negative. I am trying to evaluate if I am putting too much contrast into the scan. But again as others said, it might be very subjective.

Thanks

Alan Klein · Jun 7, 2014

1 and 3 look the same to me, less contrast. Any are OK. Like others said, it's pretty much to your taste. Once you decide and only show one picture, no one will know the difference because there will be nothing to compare too.

Jaf-Photo · Jun 7, 2014

You haven't killed detail in any of the versions, so they are all ok to me. No 2 pops a bit more so people will probably like it more than 1 and 3.

ic-racer · Jun 7, 2014

shutterboy said:
This is a scan of a negative. I am trying to evaluate if I am putting too much contrast into the scan. But again as others said, it might be very subjective.

Thanks

I can't help you with your scanner controls but it shows up as a positive on my screen. Best to show the whole strip, edge markings and all. A lot of information can be obtained from the edges. Seeing the sprocket holes can give clues to overall base density. Seeing the frame numbers and their density is important, etc. Also, you can go over to DPUG and learn how to use your scanner as a densitometer and come back over here with some density numbers for parts of your negatives (shadow, densest highlight, film base, etc).

pentaxuser · Jun 7, 2014

If I were trying to reproduce the negative as a "best print", number two has the clearest writing and the best contrast in my opinion. The other two are either too bright and/or lack contrast by comparison

You'd probably need at least 20 people to comment before you could decide if there was one "print" that stood out for the significant majority of viewers but I'd be surprised if it wasn't number two

pentaxuser

removed account4 · Jun 7, 2014

shutterboy said:
Another scanning question. I am trying to scan a few negatives. Coming from a digital background, I tend to have a lot of contrast in my photos. However, I am trying to find out if I am overdoing the contrast.

View attachment 89153 View attachment 89155

Thanks

hi shutterboy

how about just using the one YOU like best and not worry about what other people say ?
if it matters, they all look kind of the same to me ...
you might consider making a photographic print with paper, even a contact print and seeing how the scan compares to that.

markbarendt · Jun 7, 2014

jnanian said:
how about just using the one YOU like best and not worry about what other people say ?

Yep. (To the contact print too.)

Too much contrast

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