LaserSoft Imaging

I don't know how else to word this. Despite reading the manual and watching the videos this sizing issue eludes me. Namely...

What settings would I use in the IMAGE DIMENSIONS dialogue to export the largest/highest resolution possible of a 35mm negative?

I'm using a Plustek 7600i and scanning 35mm negatives. The scanner specs show it at 3600 dpi max (optical)

I want to scan to the largest size possible to then tweak further in Photoshop (once making initial negative repairs in Silverfast).

Under "IMAGE DIMENSIONS" are a bunch of options that I don't quite understand how they integrate/relate.

Output Size
Q factor screen
dpi

I can't find info in the manual that would help me shape the output I'm looking for. I'm not going to be printing from Silverfast... I'll always want to make tweaks in Photoshop. I just want to squeeze as much detail as possible out of the scans to work on further in Photoshop.

The image dimensions dialogue has different options for many people has different ways to understand and use them.
Basically you do not have to use the three of them.

If you want to get the highest optical resolution of your scanner, then the best way is to use the resolution slider to set it to 3600 or the one step before the last one to the right.

Q-factor and screen are multipliers where the screen gives the input value and the Q-factor is the multiplier to obtain the printing resolution.

Output size is a different factor where you use the scaling percentages or the output size in any measure predetermined by you.

You can combine the slider with the output factor but will make things more complicated.

Cheers

I opted (prior to getting a response here) .. to leave the defaults for input where they were as well as output. (defaulted to 100%)

Then I chose only 1.0 on Q factor given what I read on another thread answered by a silverfast employee.

The scanner I'm using goes to 7200 dpi, but I dialed it back one to the optical resolution of 3600 dpi.

In the end I'm scanning to 8 bit tiffs that end up in roughly around 5100 pixels by 3400 pixels in size. Each is slightly different depending on how I cropped the original.

After reading over the entire manual and learning about the various components I can say the following...

The software is incredibly full featured. For example, I use $5000 and up compositing software for digital compositing and Silverfast has many of the same color controls and features.

SilverFast is an amazing piece of software. But it would not surprise me if it has not been embraced because your training for it sucks. It has no flow. It would not surprise me to hear from potential users that never bought that didn't buy because they couldn't figure out how they'd use it. That and there are far too many modules to make a purchasing decision.

Every study I've seen on purchasing habits of beginners to pros comes to the same conclusion. Too many choices results in no purchase. And I can tell you that I have purchased tens of thousands of dollars worth of software and I was never more confused about what I was buying then when I was trying to buy into a film scanner and your options. Mega fail. You should have ONE or TWO options. That's it. Your current solution is a case study in reasons people don't buy. Complete confusion.

I can navigate Apple Shake, Eyeon Fusion, Nuke, After Effects, you name it... but it took me two full days to figure out what the hell your features and modules added up to. Major fail on your marketing department.

Sorry guys.

Incredible software.

Incredibly bad marketing decisions.

Massive lack of sales from perspective buyers that couldn't figure out what I did only because I was persistent.

Oh.... BTW. You have dozens and dozens of feedback on Bhphoto , etc sites that basically layout in detail what I'm saying here.

Do yourselves a favor. Get rid of the multiple modules. Sell ONE copy or TWO tops. That's it.