LaserSoft Imaging

Hi --

I have a couple of questions: we (an archive) are playing around to see the best possible way to scan black and white archival quality images (we don't want to manipulate the images, just best capture them; our researchers can manipulate them as needed).

When scanning in black & white negatives in batch mode and arranging frames and settings, the images change (either to wash-out white or super dark) when I click on the next frame.

Also, how does the image quality (in terms of dark/light and contrast) change when a black margin is left around the frame versus not? It seems to adjust the levels, but I don't quite understand why. They scan fine, but it just throws me off when I'm prepping for scanning.

Also, Is there any way to zoom in on the batch so that I may capture the frames tighter around the image? For the archive, we cannot crop any of the image, but need as small a margin as possible.

Should there be a change in quality between scanning images as a batch or versus individually?

Thanks,

L.

Dear d_o

I think the best solution in this case is to create unmodified raw files from your pictures, this are actually the best format files because they are copies of your pictures with the entire information perceived by the scanner.

In that case you should select the scan type "48 bits HDR" and save your files as TIFF. Later on your colleagues from research might use the files to create copies they can modify as desired.

d_o wrote:When scanning in black & white negatives in batch mode and arranging frames and settings, the images change (either to wash-out white or super dark) when I click on the next frame.

Perhaps you have the automatic correction always active. When you create many frames, the one you select changes to perform corrections according to the content of the image, when you switch to the second frame then it will change again according to the content of the second image and so on...

d_o wrote:Also, how does the image quality (in terms of dark/light and contrast) change when a black margin is left around the frame versus not? It seems to adjust the levels, but I don't quite understand why. They scan fine, but it just throws me off when I'm prepping for scanning.

Of course, when including a black area surrounding the image all that black is also taken into account to make the automatic adjustments.

If you scan in 48 bit mode HDR or even in 16 bits HDR greyscale, including a black margin will not affect in any way the picture because those raw files are unmodified.
If you still want to scan using the 24 bit mode or 8 bit greyscale mode you will have to deactivate the automatic corrections (check our user manual at: http://www.silverfast.com/download/docu/manual,complete_en_2006-11-27.pdf)

d_o wrote:Also, Is there any way to zoom in on the batch so that I may capture the frames tighter around the image? For the archive, we cannot crop any of the image, but need as small a margin as possible.

Sure, you can select the frame you wish to correct, then press the magnifying glass, make the adjustments and press the magnifying glass again to zoom out.

d_o wrote:
Should there be a change in quality between scanning images as a batch or versus individually?

Not really!

Cheers

Alejandro,
You're the best.
Thanks for clearing that up!
d_o

Dear d_o

Thanks for the compliments

Cheers