LaserSoft Imaging

Hello,
that is the difference between IT8 Targers handmeasured and batch-measured. (excluding price). I've got Epson 10000XL and Silverfast 6,6 - IT Targets included (batch-measured) for software. I'm not satisfied of results of calibration. Can I buy new targets handmeasured and results will be better?

Hi there

Hand measured targets are individually measured and have an individual reference file. Batch-measured targets have one common reference file created from measuring one single target from the entire batch. For every batch there is one reference file.

mguli wrote:Can I buy new targets handmeasured and results will be better?

You can buy new targets any time you want.

The fact that batch target have one reference file for the entire batch does not mean they are of bad quality, as a matter of fact our batch measured targets are way below the tolerance given by the IT8 standard.

Cheers

Hello again,
thanks for reply.
And that is the difference between Kodak and Fuji targets? Better to use is large (16x21) format or small (10x15)? I've got 4 targets on Kodak Endura paper and best results is on small (10x15). Mayby DCPro Target is more precise for calibration?
Please advise me which target can I choose to get the best reslts - handmeasured 10x15, 13x18 or 16x21 Fuji or Kodak or maybe DCPro Target.
Please advise.
Cheers

Hi mguli,

Actually the price difference between kodak and fuji is due to fuji materials being more expensive than those of Kodak.

In theory the bigger the target the less prone are scanners to fail reading a color square.

But there are more things to consider than simply having a target.

Photographic materials change with time and different atmospheric conditions, this is true for the target as well as the scanner.

Hence it is recommended to replace the target every two or three years.
Following the manufacturer of the targets materials (in this case Kodak or Fuji) storage instructions is also very important to slow down the aging or degrading of the targets.

But it is also important not to forget the scanner, it also changes its conditions constantly according to its age, operating and environmental conditions.
As an example, if the scanner is heavily used in a factory with lots of dust in its environment and the scanner is located in a humid cold corner is not the same as a scanner which is seldom used in a clean room with dry atmosphere.

All this parameters produce fluctuations in the scanner and color reproduction

The best way to minimize this is trying to recreate always the same operating conditions before doing the calibration and any scanning job.

Ideally you should have a relatively new target
Start your scanner and do some prescans (not using the target for this but a different material) for 10 Minutes until a constant operating temperature has been reached by the scanner
After the warm up time make the IT8 calibration
Start your scanning job immediately after calibrating the scanner and try not to interrupt the scanning for more than a minute, if you have to have a bread for longer periods, you should not expect the scanner to respond the same way after that break. You should warm up the scanner again for another ten minutes and then continue the scanning job.
Calibrating is not necessary every time you take a break. Remember that long exposures to light affect the target. It is enough to calibrate the scanner once a week or if need to perform very accurate jobs then on a daily basis.

Kind regards

Thanks Mr. Morales,
please write obout DCPro Target - it is the diference between that target and Fuji or Kodak paper based targets? Which gets the best results for callibration?
I've got brand new targets delivered with software - (date of produce 08.2010) therefore my problem with calibration is not in old or wasted targets. I look for better way to calibrate my scanner.
I use scanner to digilitaze old materials (photos, graphics, maps etc.) - effect must be the same like oryginal therefore callibration and use profile is very important. Materials there are very old - the youngest one is 70 years old. I have to get a few profiles for different materials (sepia, cyjanotype, b&w, drowings on yellow paper etc.)
Please write something about transparency targets - basic difference between Fuji Provia, Kodak and Kodakchrome targets - Which is better fot general transparency positive?

At last - Is any profiles for Nega Fix for old glass large format negatives or I have to indyvidualy modify profile on Expert Mode in NegaFix?


Regards
Martin

Hi there,

The DCPro targets are only to be used as a camera calibration target with the application SilverFast DC Pro, these can not be used to calibrate the scanner

mguli wrote:it is the diference between that target and Fuji or Kodak paper based targets? Which gets the best results for callibration?

I believe I had mentioned, the only difference is the price of the raw materials for its manufacture.
Either Kodak and Fuji targets follow the IT8 calibration standard, so they pretty much work in the same way!

mguli wrote:Please write something about transparency targets - basic difference between Fuji Provia, Kodak and Kodakchrome targets - Which is better fot general transparency positive?

Kodachrome targets are to be used to produce a calibrated profile for scanning Kodachrome slides only (due to the special blue cast of this type of material). For normal slides you can use Kodak or Fuji (similar to reflective targets).

mguli wrote:At last - Is any profiles for Nega Fix for old glass large format negatives or I have to indyvidualy modify profile on Expert Mode in NegaFix?

There is no specific NegaFix profile for scanning glass negative plates. In that case it is better to start from an existing profile and modify its existing curve to match your needs.

Cheers

Hallo again,
is there any guarantee for hand Individually measured targets (1 year, 2 years?) and is there any local dealer of LaserSoft in Poland (like LaserSoft Polska in Cracow few years ago)?
Info about guarantee is necessary to prepare order in our corporation.
Thanks for quick reply
Regards
Martin

Hi mguli

mguli wrote:is there any guarantee for hand Individually measured targets (1 year, 2 years?)

We recommend to replace the calibration targets every two or three years due to the fact the change with time and under different conditions. That is also the reason why we can not provide warranty for the targets.

mguli wrote:is there any local dealer of LaserSoft in Poland (like LaserSoft Polska in Cracow few years ago)?

Not that I know. But you can place your orders directly on our online store, We will ship from Germany.

Cheers

Hallo,
we order (my firm) brand new handmeasured target. I have to wait.
I still have a problem is with my batchmeasured target. After profiling profile das't work properly. It seems that IT8 Silver Fast target scanned with profile (calibration process founded on this target) look not properly. There is to much blue dominant. I have to equal gray value on Photoshop in every scaning material. I think, what should profile done well, not me.
I think that SilverFast das not introduce correction between scanned target and data from reference file.
It is the reason that profiling dasn't work properly becouse of my Silver Fast Ai Studio Archive is not registered?
Please write what I doing wrong?
Best Regards
Martin

Dear Martin,

The calibration process does not automatically correct your colors.
The IT8 calibration can only measure the colorspace of your scanner.
It ensures that the full range of colors the scanner can see is fully used and that the image information is correctly interpreted.
You still have to make sure your image is scanned in the way you need it.
Highlights and shadows for example always have to be set so that the image's color range can be rendered correctly into the target workspace.
It is also possible that the combination of scanner lamp, sensor and film material show a color cast not otherwise visible.
In case you need a neutral grey you can use the mid grey pipette to neutralize the image.
In SilverFast 6.6 this is located in the settings window in the icon with the white and black triangel.
It is located between the two triangels for defining highlights and shadows.
Clicking on the pipette turns the curser into a pipette as well and allows you to define a neutral grey spot in your image.

kind regards.
Arne Ketelhohn.