Re: filmscanners: Sharpness of color chrome vs color negative.

["shAf" <rarewolf@roadrunner.nf.net>]

Tony writes ...

> On Thu, 30 Aug 2001 08:04:39 -0400  Austin Franklin
> (darkroom@ix.netcom.com) wrote:
>
> > What do people have to say about the differences in sharpness between
> > same  ASA, same brand chrome vs color negative film?
> > My experience shows that the chrome films are
> > not as sharp as the negative films.
>
> I think I would agree, though it wasn't the case a few years ago, when
> ISO100 slide seemed to be much sharper than col.neg. I think both have
> improved, but neg has improved more.
>
> There isn't much in it though, ...

    Nikon's book "Scanning Essentials" (which came with my original LS-10)
implies the reversal process for chrome processing has a tendency to reduce
the "definition" and increase the contrast (reduce the latitude).  They
describe the reversal process as an intermediate step, when all steps have a
tendency to increase contrast and lose definition.

    It goes on to say (keep in mind this text is 7 years old and doesn't
take into account new films) ... "In general, color negative films have the
potential to scan with better results than transparencies, because they have
a flatter gamma (lower contrast) and the Dmax is relatively low.  Also, the
mask colors help to improve color reproduction, the grain size has been
diminished for the relative film speed, and the emulsions are considerably
sharper ..."

    The text does acknowledge the obvious benefits of trannies, as well as
many applications which demand slides.

shAf  :o)