Re: filmscanners: RE: Vuescan 7.1.18, LS-30 and Fuji Superia negatives: What in hell am I doing wrong?

["Rob Geraghty" <harper@wordweb.com>]

"Ralf Schmode" <rschmode@gmx.net> wrote:
> my approach is a little different. I try to avoid clipped highlights
> and/or shadows as thoroughly as I possibly can, at least as to the big
> original scans. The problem is that I don't have the full version of
> Photoshop, and PSP7 won't open those 16 bit files.

PSP will open uncompressed 16 bit TIFFs.  But it immediately converts them
to 8 bit. You can't edit in 16 bits in PSP.

> So my current
> workflow is bound to getting as much out of the 10 bits of the LS-30 as
> I possibly can, which means tweaking it very close to the result I am
> looking for prior to scanning, so that oprimized 8 bits are handed over
> to my image editing application.

OK, but you can't get 10 bits per channel with Nikonscan, and Vuescan
doesn't give you a levels tool.

> I tried generic as well but it didn't make a lot of difference,
> especially as to the blueish cast.

Did you try including part of the mask?

> I am aware I could correct it but I'd *hate* to do it on a 24 bit basis.
> The only option would be to open the 16 bit Vuescan output in PS 5.5 LE
> (which I have), save in a format that supports those 16 bits, then open
> in PSP7 and do the tweaking. That would be a workflow I'd rather not go
> through if I can get the same quality in Nikon Scan.

Do you mean do the levels adjustment in PSLE?

> Moreover, as I mostly do animal photography, white parts are usually
> reddish or greenish white rather than the "technical" blueish white.
> Nikon Scan will allow me to set the "white" point for each color
> separately, and a negative that is improperly exposed can still be
> pushed into the scanner's tonal range by using the analog gain function.
> If those controls were implemented in Vuescan, that would really make
> things different for me.

Fair enough.

> [Vuescan TIFF and PSP7]
> As I wrote, I am reluctant to do lots of editing on a 24 bit basis. I'd
> have to find another format that preserves the 16 bits but will open in
> PSP. I'll probably try but the whole workflow gets awfully complicated,
> for little or no gain in image quality.

See above about PSP.  Have you tried Picture Window Pro or Photoshop
Elements?  PWP can do all its functions in 16 bit colour but I don't know
if it has the histogram functions you want.  I haven't had the chance to try
PS Elements myself to see whether it supports levels in 16 bits.

> Agreed, but a file with shadows clipped, converted into 24 bits at that
> so it can be edited, does not provide me with the maximum data range.
> Believe me, I am really into getting as much data as possible out of my
> negs (especially the old ones whose dyes already have faded
> significantly) but there's still something missing to make Vuescan the
> tool I'd be willing to use for that purpose.

I mustn't be as fussy about the whole clipping thing.  I try to save the raw
scans so if I need to I can go back and recrop without rescanning.  Makes
for a lot of CDRs though!

Rob