Scanning Negatives
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Posted 02/04/2012 - 08:28
I find it's not so much the scanner, (although clearly important for best quality), but the scanning software. I've abandoned a project to scan all my negs/slides largely because of the time I'm spending trying to get the results I want, and frankly I'm not looking for perfection, just something with reasonably realistic colours.
Perhaps one of the issues for me is that 'in the day' I was using photolabs that also provided no-name film, or branded film like Agfa, and I can't match the film against any of the Vuescan profiles.
Anyone suggest a solution other than trial and error?
Perhaps one of the issues for me is that 'in the day' I was using photolabs that also provided no-name film, or branded film like Agfa, and I can't match the film against any of the Vuescan profiles.
Anyone suggest a solution other than trial and error?
Last Edited by JohnX on 02/04/2012 - 08:29
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Posted 02/04/2012 - 13:33
I've been scanning slides taken over 50 years ago (c.1959 Kodachrome, Agfa, Ilford, Perutz) with a Minolta Scan Dual IV. I've used the Minolta software via Twain from PS Elements. Even got it working on Windows 7 despite the fact it isn't supposed to be compatible!
Some of the slides look nothing like they did when they were taken - colour balance and density have shifted so what use is a profile for those?
However Elements gets them looking their old selves again in moments. Some looked complete right offs but digitally they are now fine.
When I first started scanning some of my slides more than 10 years ago profiles and the like didn't exist (or if they did I wasn't aware of them) so not worth getting hung up over lack of profiles.
John
John K
Some of the slides look nothing like they did when they were taken - colour balance and density have shifted so what use is a profile for those?
However Elements gets them looking their old selves again in moments. Some looked complete right offs but digitally they are now fine.
When I first started scanning some of my slides more than 10 years ago profiles and the like didn't exist (or if they did I wasn't aware of them) so not worth getting hung up over lack of profiles.
John
John K
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Posted 02/04/2012 - 19:10
JohnX wrote:
I find it's not so much the scanner, (although clearly important for best quality), but the scanning software. I've abandoned a project to scan all my negs/slides largely because of the time I'm spending trying to get the results I want, and frankly I'm not looking for perfection, just something with reasonably realistic colours.
Perhaps one of the issues for me is that 'in the day' I was using photolabs that also provided no-name film, or branded film like Agfa, and I can't match the film against any of the Vuescan profiles.
Anyone suggest a solution other than trial and error?
I find it's not so much the scanner, (although clearly important for best quality), but the scanning software. I've abandoned a project to scan all my negs/slides largely because of the time I'm spending trying to get the results I want, and frankly I'm not looking for perfection, just something with reasonably realistic colours.
Perhaps one of the issues for me is that 'in the day' I was using photolabs that also provided no-name film, or branded film like Agfa, and I can't match the film against any of the Vuescan profiles.
Anyone suggest a solution other than trial and error?
I used a mixture of films. From name brands to no names. So probably 50% of my negs have a profile in Vuescan.
remember that over time the colours in the negs will face at a different rate, especially after 20 years, so even the correct profile won't work accurately.
personally I just use the correct profile, or if there isn't one, a profile that looks the best, and then tweak the colour balance, contrast and so in Lightroom
[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Last Edited by Smeggypants on 02/04/2012 - 19:15
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Smeggypants
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Smegland
Any idea of how the Opticfilm compares to a Nikon Collscan V? The Coolscan is quite expensive (and obviously used) and by what i have read it is still considered best in class. But you can get a new Opticfilm for less than half the price of a Coolscan. So I am wondering if there is really a big difference...
Probably the law of diminishing returns. The resolution of the Opticfilm exceeds the resolution of my negatives and any other tweaking can be done in PP anyway.
[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283