Kodachrome targets

[GitAmager1]

Urgent!!!
I got the message that the last Kodachrome targets are being sold. I am a newbie and in doubt as to wether I need them or not (am going to scan a lot old kodachrome slides and want to get the best result possible). I use the Epson Perfection V750 Pro and just bougth the Silverfast Ai Studio Version 8. Are the targets included in my SilverFast software? Maybe as a plugin? If not, I find it difficult to see why they are being discontinued as there must be zillions of Kodachrome slides lying about waiting to be scanned.
Urgent since they may be sold out in a very short time!
Thanking you in advance, GitAmager!

[LSI_Morales]

Hi there

Are the targets included in my SilverFast software? Maybe as a plugin?

No, targets are not included in the software

I find it difficult to see why they are being discontinued as there must be zillions of Kodachrome slides lying about waiting to be scanned.

Because Kodachrome is practically non-existent anymore. We had the last roles worldwide (as far as we know) and these are the last batch of targets

Cheers

[GitAmager1]

Thanks. At least I got my problem solved.
But I had read that SilverFast did produce its own Kodachrome Targets. That is why I did not understand that the last batch was being sold out now because the old slides are still out there even if Kodak itself is disappearing. Or are the targets that are up for sale a batch from Kodak itself?
GitAmager1

[LSI_Morales]

Hi GitAmager

Or are the targets that are up for sale a batch from Kodak itself?

The targets are produced by LaserSoft Imaging on the last stock of Kodachrome film available.

Cheers

[GitAmager1]

Thank you very much for enligthening me. Sorry - it shows that a 70 years old grandmother who tries to lear everything about Nikon 7000, PS CS5, scanning and printing (with the necessary software to do a decent job) at the same time sometimes does not understand the matters completely at first!

My problem is completely solved.

GitAmager1.

[LSI_Morales]

Hi there

Sorry - it shows that a 70 years old grandmother who tries to lear everything about Nikon 7000, PS CS5, scanning and printing (with the necessary software to do a decent job) at the same time sometimes does not understand the matters completely at first!

Don't be sorry, we are here to help

Cheers

[CRJPilot]

Greetings,

I'm very new to this stuff as well, but share the same profile as the person in the first post. I just received the email regarding the 25 % discount on targets. I would like to take advantage of the sale, but when I click on 'Buy', the link takes me to a page with about 20 or so target choices, with no advice as to which one I need. I will be mainly scanning Kodachrome slides on an Epson Perfection V750 Pro.

Could someone please tell me which target I need to order for it8.

Regards,

PW

[LSI_Morales]

Hi CRJPilot

You need a 35 mm Kodachrome target.

Cheers

[CRJPilot]

Alejandro,

Thanks for your prompt reply. Unfortunately, the website is still a bit confusing.

Under the heading: Calibration targets only, no software, you have:

transparency, Kodachrome
35 mm

and Under the heading: Individually measured targets, you also have:

transparency, Kodachrome
35mm

...But for a much higher price. There are no discriptions that I can see, other than that one includes software...Perhaps the program itself.

Please forgive my stupidity, but could you please narrow down my options to one!

Thanks

[LSI_Morales]

Hi CRJPilot

Please forgive my stupidity, but could you please narrow down my options to one!

Nothing stupid about asking.

I should start by mentioning, none of our targets come with any piece of software.

Under the heading: Calibration targets only, no software, you have:

transparency, Kodachrome
35 mm

"Calibration targets only" are created in batches, one of the targets for each batch is then measured to create the reference file for the entire batch

and Under the heading: Individually measured targets, you also have:

transparency, Kodachrome
35mm

...But for a much higher price.

These are individually measured targets, those are also created in batches but after that, each target is individually measured and provided with a respective individual reference file.
Since it takes much more time and resources to create them, they are in fact pricier.

There are no discriptions that I can see, other than that one includes software...Perhaps the program itself.

Again, none of the targets include the software (nor the other way around).

[CRJPilot]

Thanks again for your response.

I have an Epson perfection V750 PRO scanner, a copy of your latest software, a few thousand Kodachrome slides and zero expertise. I'm still trying to figure out whether I would need the measured target or is the non measured one sufficient.

[LSI_Morales]

Hi there

I'm still trying to figure out whether I would need the measured target or is the non measured one sufficient.

Both are measured, the difference is that one is individually measured and the other one in batch. I believe you do not need the individually measured yet, you might start with the most affordable first.

Cheers

[PeterEvans]

Hi,

Based on the discussion in this forum, can you validate if the following is the case:

For general calibration of my PlusTek 7600i scanner, the Silverfast 35mm IT8 calibration target currently in my possession is suitable.

However, before scanning a batch of Kodachrome slides, I will get a better result if I re-calibrate my scanner with a Kodachrome target. But whenever I switch to a different scanning task, such as BW negatives or orange emulsion Kodak strip film, I should re-calibrate back to the IT8 target?

While your Kodachrome Transparency target would be the one to use with slides that say "Kodachrome Transparency" and the "Kodak Ektachrome" target for those labeled "Kodak Ektachrome Transparency," what guidance do you have for the following designations--which target to calibrate them to?

"Kodak Ready Mount" [blue print]
"Kodachrome Duplicate" [orange print]
"Color Transparency" [red print]
"Rainbo Color" [green print]
"Guardian Photo" [green print]
[slides with no markings whatsoever]

Or are these all differences in color in such nuance that my iMac screen, which uses sRGB with an LED backlight and displaying only about two-thirds of the range of color in a RAW file (according to Shutterbug magazine, Feb 2012, p 48), will not pick up?

Thank you

[LSI_Morales]

Hi PeterEvans

However, before scanning a batch of Kodachrome slides, I will get a better result if I re-calibrate my scanner with a Kodachrome target.

Correct

But whenever I switch to a different scanning task, such as BW negatives or orange emulsion Kodak strip film, I should re-calibrate back to the IT8 target?

Not exactly, negative scanning has its own calibration with NegaFix, this includes color and B&W negatives. There is no IT8 calibration process for this

and the "Kodak Ektachrome" target for those labeled "Kodak Ektachrome Transparency,"

Not exactly, the Kodak Ektachrome IT8 calibration target will be used for all slides other than Kodachrome

"Kodak Ready Mount" [blue print]

For this you will also use the Kodachrome calibration target.

"Kodachrome Duplicate" [orange print]

Correct me if I am wrong, I believe this is a copy of a Kodachrome image in a negative film with the orange mask. If that is the case then no calibration is possible for this due to the orange mask, you will use a NegaFix curve for this.

"Color Transparency" [red print]
"Rainbo Color" [green print]
"Guardian Photo" [green print]

Excuse my ignorance but I do not know any of this emulsions. Are this normal slides?

[slides with no markings whatsoever]

For this you can use the Kodak Ektachrome

Or are these all differences in color in such nuance that my iMac screen, which uses sRGB with an LED backlight and displaying only about two-thirds of the range of color in a RAW file (according to Shutterbug magazine, Feb 2012, p 48), will not pick up?

Hard to tell

Kind regards

[PeterEvans]

Thank you! That is very helpful.

I'm attaching a scan of one of the "Rainbo Color" slides--which on the reverse says "Patented" at the top and "Made in U.S.A." on the bottom. The slide is circa 1955. I got the best result by scanning with Silverfast Ai 8 with the "Slide" source setting (using "Kodachrome" setting resulted in overblown reds and blues), and after using Silverfast HDR Studio 8 Beta, applying the "Vintage" preset in Aperture.

I'm thinking that the nature of the defects might reveal something about the slide. iSRD took care of just a few artifacts. The orange splotches are only present on the Rainbo Color slides, and must be a chemical reaction to something in, or oxidation of, the emulsion. So I'm just curious--95% of my scanning calibration needs will be meet by the Kodachrome and Ektachrome targets, so thanks again.

Peter Evans