LaserSoft Imaging

PC: Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40 GHz, 4Gig Ram, Nvidia GeForce GTX 275
Platform: Windows 7 Home Premium
Software: Silverfast SE Plus. Version 6.6.2r4
Scanner: Plustek OpticFilm 7600i

My first post, so hi everyone

I'm beginning the process of scanning all my old B&W neg's in from the 80's 90's, there's thousands of them, going to take forever ... Anyway, I have begun, I want to scan in at 7200 DPI just so at anytime in the future I need to blow anything up to A1 / A0 I have that option within the saved file. I just wanted to make sure I was going the correct way about it before I got knee deep into the work .. This is what I'm doing neg by neg and my settings;

I have Scan Type set to 16>8 Bit Grayscale, Filter = Gain (Medium), Image type = Standard
Original Scale 1.4 wide by 0.9 length.
Output Scale 1.4 wide by 0.9 length. ( the same, is this correct ? )

NegaFix settings; Film type & speed matched to the negative when possible.
( When I cant match the film type I'm using a profile as close to the missing profile as possible, is this correct ? )
Auto & CCR boxes Checked.

I have the Scan Pilot begin prescan, set parameters, image auto adjust, gradation adjustment and finally start scan. ( Is this correct please ? )

So just to recap.

Original & Output Scale settings ok ?
NegaFix profiles unavailable for old stock, try find the nearest match ?
Auto & CCR boxes checked ?
Scan Pilot settings correct ?

I also had iSRD active on a few images but found that the client would freeze 3/4 of the way through the dust removal process. Is there something I'm missing here ?

And finally, can I rotate the "box" at the pre-scan stage, sometimes the edges aren't completely horizontal in the viewer ?

I'm looking at doing the final work needed in CS4 as and when the time comes, if that's at all relevant.

Many thanks for taking the time to read, I have searched for relevent topics, but each user's needs seem paticular to there own project, hence the new thread.

Kind Regards, Flappers.

Hi there,

Flappers wrote:So just to recap.
Original & Output Scale settings ok ?

Ok

Flappers wrote:NegaFix profiles unavailable for old stock, try find the nearest match ?

OK

Flappers wrote:Auto & CCR boxes checked ?

OK

Flappers wrote:Scan Pilot settings correct ?

OK

Flappers wrote:I also had iSRD active on a few images but found that the client would freeze 3/4 of the way through the dust removal process. Is there something I'm missing here ?

Try not using iSRD with Silver halogen Black and White pictures (the infrared light might create artefacts in your pictures)

Flappers wrote:And finally, can I rotate the "box" at the pre-scan stage, sometimes the edges aren't completely horizontal in the viewer ?

Sure, you should be able to free rotate the scanning frame using the semi-circles on every side of the scanning frame for that purpose.

Cheers

Many thanks

Since that scanner can only resolve about 3200 ppi through its optical path, you may be better off reducing to 3600 ppi for scans and then up res or down as needed in PS. Jeff Schewe discussed at Digital Pro Photo a method that allows up to 2x enlargement with PS bicubic. If you stay at 7200, it will be a storage and processing time issue. Luminous Landscape forums are a good place to get more information.

For editing purposes, now and future, stay at 16 bit for your master scan even if the scanner doesn't output the full 16 bits. i know CS4 doesn't do much in 16 bit, but CS6+ will and other programs already use 16 bit data path. if you want to preserve maximum flexibility, scan to HDR +i for your master. If you drop to 8 bit, when you have to do significant tone correction, you may start seeing posterization. 16 bit allows you editing elbow room. You can always reduce to 8 bit when you need.

Many feel that scanning into RGB for B&W is a better approach since it gives you the flexibility to work on noise and other issues in the channel that it is dominant with better tools than what the scanner +software can provide.

Frank

Please forgive my ignorance, much of what you said did just go right over my head Thank You for the mention of the "Luminous Landscape forums" and "Digital Pro Photo" I'm sure they will be a big help down the line.

degrub wrote:For editing purposes, now and future, stay at 16 bit for your master scan even if the scanner doesn't output the full 16 bits. i know CS4 doesn't do much in 16 bit, but CS6+ will and other programs already use 16 bit data path. if you want to preserve maximum flexibility, scan to HDR +i for your master. If you drop to 8 bit, when you have to do significant tone correction, you may start seeing posterization. 16 bit allows you editing elbow room. You can always reduce to 8 bit when you need.

Many feel that scanning into RGB for B&W is a better approach since it gives you the flexibility to work on noise and other issues in the channel that it is dominant with better tools than what the scanner +software can provide.

Frank

Kinda lost here and a little embarrassed. So, if I begin the process again, begin scanning these B&W negs in from scratch, I would use the setting HDR+i. That would scan like a RAW image ? As good as it gets with regard to scans ? It scans the final image as Negative, & that's something that only the incoming CS6 could handle with regard to processing the file ? Ive stopped work for the time being - dont want to screw up - some of these images will be used for my first website ( I'm building this at the moment ) and I plan to try and make some money selling some of these images to stock agency's , I'm told its a nice way of creating a bit extra income. I'm struggling with film type profiles to at the min, posted separately about the TMAX 3200 Profile in the hope someone allready created a working one. Allot of my work used this film format, so I really wanna nail the correct "curve" before i scan. Just taking baby steps right now and trying to understand and embrace each and every process on the road to creating the best final image I can possibly achieve.

I really do appreciate you input, thanks again for your time

Dear Flappers

Flappers wrote: So, if I begin the process again, begin scanning these B&W negs in from scratch, I would use the setting HDR+i. That would scan like a RAW image ?

Yeah that is correct, but as I explained, you might also have trouble with infrared correction (in other words the infrared channel might be useless if the films are Silver halogen base, which pretty much are all films before the 90'S and most of them afterwards).
In that case you can also use the 48 bit HDR format which also generates a RAW file but without the infrared channel.

Flappers wrote:As good as it gets with regard to scans ? It scans the final image as Negative, & that's something that only the incoming CS6 could handle with regard to processing the file ?

Not really, actually SilverFast HDR or HDR Studio might do a professional job processing the RAW negatives (With the Studio Version you might even create your own curves to match the ones you are missing as noted on a different post)

Cheers

Let me make a suggestion - go ahead and "screw up". It's ok. Scanning is not like taking your negs to the corner photo shop and having prints made. i have been doing this for 15 years and i still find ways to make the scan better. That is why i suggested making a master scan - HDR in this case - so that you have the maximum amount of information from the negative from the start.

i would try using HDR+i and see if you see issues. An easy way to do this is just make a regular scan using negative conversion in Silverfast with infrared cleaning and look for "flares", "streaks", and large tone shifts on a few different negs. If you don't see anything, then most of your images may scan just fine using infrared cleaning.
i mostly scan Kodachrome, which is also silver based, and only saw an issue on about 5-10 % of my scans. TMAX is silver based , so it will be susceptible to the problem.

Alejandro - i have never tried this, but it might be a shortcut. Can he scan to HDR +I output and then use software SRD if need be ? In other words will SRD ignore the i channel in the HDR file ? or does having the i channel in the file lock in the use of iSRD in HDR ?

THere a several good tutorials on starting scanning that i know of.
Basics -
http://www.scantips.com

Ian's tutorials for using Silverfast :
http://www.computer-darkroom.com

Robert has some good techniques specific to B&W.

http://robertdfeinman.com/tips/tip11.html

Photo.Net has some good threads on B&W

http://photo.net/black-and-white-photo- ... rum/00DjpK

as well as Shutterbug -

http://www.shutterbug.net/techniques/di ... 0902sb_bw/

Happy scanning !

Frank

Dear Degrub,

Thanks for your suggestions

degrub wrote:Let me make a suggestion - go ahead and "screw up". It's ok. Scanning is not like taking your negs to the corner photo shop and having prints made. i have been doing this for 15 years and i still find ways to make the scan better. That is why i suggested making a master scan - HDR in this case - so that you have the maximum amount of information from the negative from the start.

I totally agree with you, although people come to this forums asking for ways to minimize experimentation and scanning time.

degrub wrote:Alejandro - i have never tried this, but it might be a shortcut. Can he scan to HDR +I output and then use software SRD if need be ? In other words will SRD ignore the i channel in the HDR file ? or does having the i channel in the file lock in the use of iSRD in HDR ?

Actually it is possible, to use SRD with normal HDR files, you don't need to have HDR + i files to be able to use SRD, but is perfectly valid your suggestion.

Cheers

Is it possible to use SRD on a HDR+i file ?

What happens when you convert the file to 48bit color ?

Frank

Dear Degrub

degrub wrote:Is it possible to use SRD on a HDR+i file ?

Sure it is possible

degrub wrote:What happens when you convert the file to 48bit color ?

Do you mean, What happen with SRD? If that is the case, you can still use the SRD without iSRD.

Cheers

Cheers folks, its all getting bookmarked & followed up. Just one more thing, if - for instance - I'm scanning in Agfa APX 100 and there aint a B&W film listed under the Agfa drop-down menu ( there all colour profiles ) in the NegaFix dialogue, what must I do to second guess the curve if there aint a B&W one there to fiddle with ?

Dear Flappers

Flappers wrote:if - for instance - I'm scanning in Agfa APX 100 and there aint a B&W film listed under the Agfa drop-down menu ( there all colour profiles ) in the NegaFix dialogue, what must I do to second guess the curve if there aint a B&W one there to fiddle with ?

Since you do not have Ai or Ai Studio to modify curves, if I were you, I would try other B&W film profiles like other Agfa or Kodak or Ilford. Most likely one of those profiles will be very similar to that of the film you are looking for.

Cheers