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#1
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Any successfulB&W digital images from 35mm film?
If anyone has made a digital image comparable to a darkroom print from
35mm film, I would like to know the "secret". I am using a low end Scan Dual scanner with VueScan Software. The 35mm film is Panatomic X. I am using an Epson Photo printer. I am only blowing it up to a 5X7 image. But when I compare it to an 8X10 darkroom print, the digital print is much grainier and the tonal value is not as great. I have tried to blur the grain with Photoshop but it loses its sharpness. I have tried to control the grain with VueScan but that too results in a less sharp picture and the grain is still more noticeable in comparison to the larger 8X10 darkroom print. I can actually make a better digital image by scanning the 8X10 darkroom print than scanning the negative. |
#2
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Any successfulB&W digital images from 35mm film?
In article , QkaG wrote:
If anyone has made a digital image comparable to a darkroom print from 35mm film, I would like to know the "secret". I am using a low end Scan Dual scanner with VueScan Software. The 35mm film is Panatomic X. I am using an Epson Photo printer. I am only blowing it up to a 5X7 image. But when I compare it to an 8X10 darkroom print, the digital print is much grainier and the tonal value is not as great. I have tried to blur the grain with Photoshop but it loses its sharpness. I have tried to control the grain with VueScan but that too results in a less sharp picture and the grain is still more noticeable in comparison to the larger 8X10 darkroom print. I can actually make a better digital image by scanning the 8X10 darkroom print than scanning the negative. The first problem is that while you think you are getting lots of colors, you only get 256 of them in grayscale. 24 bit color is 256 levels or red, 256 levels of green and 256 levels of blue. Since gray is the same level for each color, that only gives you 256 levels of gray. If you scanner can support higher color resolutions scan in color using the higher resolution. If you wish to save space, you can convert the file to grayscale using photoshop or the GIMP, or a similar program. Second make sure that any dust or scratch reduction software isturned off. They work by making a fourth scan of the negative in infra-red. A color negative will scan as translucent except for dust (black) and scratches (clear), while a silver based monochome negative will scan as grayscale. Make sure to scan at the highest resolution you scanner can actually scan at. Avoid "interpolated" resolutions, they create false data. Remember that almost any film you have will appear to the eye as having more gray levels than any scanner will be able to discern. Unless you have a very carefully controled contrast negative, you have to give up something, either highlight/shadow detail or contrast range. Trying to recreate it photoshop is just a waste and creates false information. The same is with a digital print. No digital printer has the range of film. A laser based photographic printer, i.e. one that prints on silver based paper, will have better range than an ink-jet, but it's still not going to be the same as a "real" print. I've found that the best results I have had are from scanning a negative as a slide and then inverting it in the GIMP. With that said, I've been able to produce good prints from a 35mm negative, scanned with a 1200 dpi scanner and printed on a 720dpi printer. Close up they look lousy, viewed at the "normal viewing distance" (about 1 foot for an 8x10 print) they look fine at A4. You also can get better results if you print on a higher resolution printer in color. That way you can adjust the tone of the ink to resemble your favorite print paper. Using black ink only forces you to the color of black your ink manufacturer decides is correrct. IMHO it's usually too magenta, in the 10-20cc range. Geoff. -- Geoffrey S. Mendelson |
#4
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Any successfulB&W digital images from 35mm film?
My thanks to Geoffrey and Robert for your responses and suggestions.
I did scan the B&W in color mode as opposed to grayscale. I wish I had the 4th infrared channel but I have a low end film scanner. Its resolution is not that bad. It's 2800 dpi for 35 mm film and that should be ample for a 5X7 image. Ithink what I see is grain but what do I know. I am new at this. It looks like a darkroom enlargement of Tri X film. However my negative is Panatomic X. If it is grain, digitized Tri X must look like crap. I'll take a look at your home page Robert but I am getting the feeling that a digitized B&W image from 35 mm film cannot compare to a darkroom print. |
#5
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Any successfulB&W digital images from 35mm film?
QkaG wrote:
: My thanks to Geoffrey and Robert for your responses and suggestions. : I did scan the B&W in color mode as opposed to grayscale. I wish I had : the 4th infrared channel but I have a low end film scanner. Its : resolution is not that bad. It's 2800 dpi for 35 mm film and that should : be ample for a 5X7 image. : Ithink what I see is grain but what do I know. I am new at this. It : looks like a darkroom enlargement of Tri X film. However my negative is : Panatomic X. If it is grain, digitized Tri X must look like crap. : I'll take a look at your home page Robert but I am getting the feeling : that a digitized B&W image from 35 mm film cannot compare to a darkroom : print. When you are scanning a silver based B&W negative the IR channel won't help you. You cannot use the IR based dust and scratch removal feature for silver based B&W scans. Ray -- E. Ray Lemar |
#6
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Any successfulB&W digital images from 35mm film?
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#7
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Any successfulB&W digital images from 35mm film?
If anyone has made a digital image comparable to a darkroom print from
35mm film, I would like to know the "secret". I also have never make a good scan from a negative color or otherwise but my slides always looked great. So I got this crazy idea of contacting B&W negatives onto litho film and process in Dektol to make a positive slide. Then I scan that. Best scans are low contrast slides resulting by pulling the lith film out of the Dektol in less then 1 minute. I get really great looking 8x12 B&W Kodak dye sub prints at 5MB. Ten MB if I am using a color ribbon which is tricky. Larry |
#8
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Any successfulB&W digital images from 35mm film?
If you plan on processing all of your negatives this way, you should
process the negatives in such a way as to reduce the dynamic range (contrast) on the negative (less time in the developer - or colder temp). The problem is that most good b&w film will allow for a DMAX of approx 3 - 3.6 - which is a ratio in density between the darkest and lightest parts of the negative of anywhere from 1000:1 to 4000:1 - the film scanner is probably 8 bits per colour, which means that when scanning b&w it has an ability to see a ratio in density of 256:1, so when you scan the negative, you lose a lot of the information that is there. Paper prints have a maximum density ratio of about 100:1 - which is one reason that we spend time in the darkroom burning and dodging - there is more ability for the negative to hold more detail than there is for the paper to display it, so we select what to emphasize when we print - your scanner is not so smart. I personally do not bother trying to scan B&W negatives, if I need an electronic version of a B&W image, I will print it in the darkroom, then scan the print. - I do scan my colour transparancies, and have much better luck with those. Mark On Sun, 04 Apr 2004 04:53:26 GMT, (QkaG) wrote: If anyone has made a digital image comparable to a darkroom print from 35mm film, I would like to know the "secret". I am using a low end Scan Dual scanner with VueScan Software. The 35mm film is Panatomic X. I am using an Epson Photo printer. I am only blowing it up to a 5X7 image. But when I compare it to an 8X10 darkroom print, the digital print is much grainier and the tonal value is not as great. I have tried to blur the grain with Photoshop but it loses its sharpness. I have tried to control the grain with VueScan but that too results in a less sharp picture and the grain is still more noticeable in comparison to the larger 8X10 darkroom print. I can actually make a better digital image by scanning the 8X10 darkroom print than scanning the negative. |
#9
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Any successfulB&W digital images from 35mm film?
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#10
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Any successfulB&W digital images from 35mm film?
It is quite possible to get a good B&W image by scanning a B&W negative and
printing on an inkjet printer; it is not the same as a darkroom print, but it can be very pleasing in its own right. Various methods are used to make B&W prints on inkjet printers, from using color inks and messing with the color controls to using dedicated B&W inksets with profiles to match them to specific papers (Piezography BWICCProfile system, for example {see www.inkjetmall.com or www.piezography.com for more on this). Also see the digital darkroom forum at www.photo.net (check the forums under "Community.") One of the advantages to scanning and printing is that once you have the photograph done and saved you can print identical copies without additional manipulation. Another advantage is the ability to make tiny manipulations that are difficult on a darkroom print; indeed, you can exert all sorts of control over the photograph. (See also www.johnpaulcaponigro.com--he is a very accomplished digital worker.) Good scanning practices, appropriate equipment (CRT probably has an advantage over LED for B&W), and dilligence in learning and applying Photoshop skills will be of great value. Best regards, Dan Kapsner |
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