RE: filmscanners: Sprintscan 120 and new negative proile scheme

["Austin Franklin" <darkroom@ix.netcom.com>]

> Austin Franklin wrote:
> >
> > I do not believe you can characterize a film such that you are color
> > managing it in the same way you are with the monitor/printer
> etc.  Those are
> > all deterministic.  Film is image dependant, and is far from
> deterministic.
> > Too many variables, lighting, exposure, development etc.
>
>       But a properly developed neg will usually have a standard "general"
> correction. In my RA-4 days, I had a different basic filter pack for
> each film, sounds a lot like profiling to me...

Absolutely, but it can really only be used as a starting point, I believe,
unless you do your own development.

> > Unless you truly profile/characterize a film/system (which I do
> BTW) for a
> > consistent set of conditions (or include a color chart on every
> frame), I
> > believe it just can't "work".  There is far more to it than
> providing one
> > film profile for everyone to use!
>
>       I believe that this system is how most of the minilabs are run...
> Obviously a profile won't give you a perfect result, but what does? It's
> not like they're going to prevent you from adjusting parameters...
> sheesh. Profiling neg films is a potentially good way to get in the
> ballpark, you'd be surprsied how accurate they can be, as long as there
> are updates on a regular basis... Besides, why make such a fuss? This
> may help some people out, and if you don't like it, don't use it! It is
> always better to have more optioons than less. I'm happy to see a
> scanner manufacturer trying to improve their product and including us in
> the testing phase...

I guess for someone who doesn't want to go beyond pushbutton scanning (or as
I said above, as a starting point), it is probably better for them.  I'd
prefer to lessen the automation, and teach people how to do the basics, that
way they can get a perfect scan most every time...and rely on themselves.

Typically, people don't know what good results look like, and when shown, it
opens up a whole new world for them...  Ever think something you did was
just great (even a print you made) and you saw someone else's, and saw just
how not so great yours was?  Most people have nothing to compare their work
to, and that's a shame.  Even though it's humbling, I think it'll make you
better at what you're doing ;-)