Scanned 35 mm film look too sharp and crispy

[Aurelien M]

Hello from Paris

INFO:
-I'm using Silverfast SE the updated version (nov. 2015), with a Coolscan V ED, and my computer is a 13 inch 2014 mac laptop, with a glossy retina screen.
-The type of film I'm scanning is 35mm Kodak Portra 160, some Velvia slides, and Ektar 100. The camera I'm shooting with is a Canon AE1 Program, with a 50mm 1.4 lens.
-Most of the time I push-process my films. Most of my films are 100 or 160 iso, pushed to 400.
-I scan my film at 4000dpi, hoping to be able to print them on large photographic paper for exhibitions, or for smaller book printing.
-Some of my film being slightly damaged, I always use the auto ISRD

ISSUE:
When scanning any type of the color film mentionned above (I never tried with B&w because I do mostly color), be it negative or slides, I'm often disappointed by the "oversharp" look. Disappointed because I have chosen shooting film for its softer texture, softer outlines, and "dreamlike look" if I can say so. It is hard for me to let my imagination flow when contemplating a digital photography, because of that "realer than reality" look it has.

At some point I realized that by lowering the contrast within silverfast, I was obtaining softer results. But still, I too often feel that I am looking at a DSLR picture, where everything looks crispy and "too perfect" ... as opposed to the softer esthaetic I'm looking for.

Where does it come from ? Is it because of the retina screen, and its small size? Is it because of the push process ? Could it be the ISRD ?

Thanks for helping.

Aurélien

Is there anything I could do inside Silverfast

[Aurelien M]

Should I try using GANE?

[LSI_Ketelhohn]

Dear Aurélien,

Did you maybe activate the USM tool?
That would be the only tool that would enhance the sharpness software sided.

What you also could do is use the focus control, in manual mode, to take the scan slightly out of focus.
This is what most users do if they want to artificially reduce the sharpness of a scan.

GANE would probably not help.

Kind regards,
Arne Ketelhohn.

[Aurelien M]

Arne

Thank you for your answer. I'll try these options.

If any one else has any idea, I'm interested.

By the way, is the scanner I'm using known for producing this kind of images, too sharp?

Thanks

[degrub]

Yes, the Nikons are known for extracting most of the detail from film and enhancing dust and dirt as well. Not as good as a Drum scanner, of course. The LED light source creates a harder look than the CCFl bulbs used with other consumer scanners. Of course, pushing film increases the effect as well.

Scan to a 24 or 48 bit tiff file at max resolution and apply gaussian blur in Photoshop to soften. There may be some "effects" filters you can use as well to soften the image.
Frank