scanning B&W negatives for high quality prints

[lrobbin]

I have Studio 8 and a Canon 9000F scanner. I want to scan 35 tri-x negatives to produce as an end product the highest quality prints I can. Are there best practices that you can share?
Under scan dimensions: I am scanning as 16 bit depth tiffs. What resolution should I choose? The native resolution for the canon is, I believe, 2400. What dpi do I choose? 2400? Do I scan so the scanned image is 100% (the size of the negative frame) or do I scan for the size of final print?
Under densitometer: do I choose 1 bit or 2 bits in the expert setting?
Any suggestion are welcome.

[LSI_Morales]

Hi there,

Under scan dimensions: I am scanning as 16 bit depth tiffs. What resolution should I choose? The native resolution for the canon is, I believe, 2400. What dpi do I choose? 2400? Do I scan so the scanned image is 100% (the size of the negative frame) or do I scan for the size of final print?

16 bit Tiff will give you the best tonal reproduction.
Scanning resolution is a more complex decision, If you choose the highest physical (optical) scanning resolution, the scanner will give you the best reproduction of your pictures without any interpolation. For this you will just choose any of the steps provided by the resolution slider (but the last one, which is an interpolated resolution).
If you want to print to a specific size, then choosing the final print size is better, however if the print size does not match one of the optical resolution steps provided by the scanner, the program will interpolate the image (which is most likely to happen) and might introduce undesired interpolation artefacts.

Densitometer is a tool to measure values, it does not affect your image in any way, it is up to you how you want to measure your values.

Kind regards

[lrobbin]

Thanks, Alejandro.
Let's see if I understand.
16 bit tiff of course is the right choice.
I'm still not sure I understand when you talk about interpolation.
Should I choose 2400 dpi with an image size of the 35mm frame? This so I have flexibility in making a print in the 10 x 6/7 inch range or the 11 x 7/8 inch range? Or...?

And about choosing 1 bit or 2 bits in the densitometer setting... are you saying I need to pick one and look at the tonal range of the image and then compare it to a different bit choice and it's tonal range?

Lawrence

[LSI_Morales]

Hi Lawrence

I'm still not sure I understand when you talk about interpolation.

Interpolation is the increment or reduction of the image resolution using mathematic algorithms as opposed to the optical resolution of a camera or a scanner in this case. Increasing resolution using interpolation might produce artefacts in your image because you are inventing the pixels which are being increased (the ones that do not exist in the image).

Should I choose 2400 dpi with an image size of the 35mm frame? This so I have flexibility in making a print in the 10 x 6/7 inch range or the 11 x 7/8 inch range? Or...?

2400 dpi is a pretty reasonable scanning resolution for the size you mentioned.

And about choosing 1 bit or 2 bits in the densitometer setting... are you saying I need to pick one and look at the tonal range of the image and then compare it to a different bit choice and it's tonal range?

I think you do not mean bits but pixels, it is the radius size which you will use to measure any spot. Again this is not affecting your image, it is a measuring tool. In that way you can see the values of any spot before and after your corrections.

Kind regards