[filmscanners] RE: dICE & Scitex Final Touch

["Jack Phipps" <JPhipps@asf.com>]

Thanks for asking Preston--

Any software solution is going to affect high frequency detail (usually seen
as less sharpness). In fact, you can simply use a gaussian blur filter to
reduce the noticability of
surface defects, it is quite effective. Obviously, it reduces high frequence
detail (sharpness).

I have seen two types of software solutions to surface defect removal. The
first is what is mentioned above, all high frequency detail is sacrificed.
There is usually a control to determine how much is lost. The second
identifies high frequency detail and then gives the operator control to
verify what is as surface defect and what is high frequency detail. Then the
user removes selected high frequency detail with cursor control. Another
problem with software surface defect removal is when a defect is wider than
what is detected by the high frequency detail identification algorithm. In
this case a defect is not identifed that can be corrected.

If the first solution is used or the operator is not careful, details like
individual strands of hair across a models face will turn into blurs. In
many cases using the second solution the defect is imbedded in important
high frequency detail. One case comes to mind when a finger print ruined an
image. You couldn't identify the parts of the image that were defect, and
parts that were information. A software solution could not help with this
problem.

Digital ICE on the other hand uses infra-red light to identify surface
defects. The defect channel generated during the scan is used to map
defects. No "cloning" or "nearest neighbor" creation of pixels is done. What
happens is that the "signal" under the defect is amplified to restore the
surface defect to its original state. That is why when there is a severe
defect such as a complete penetration (like a pin hole) or scratch in the
emulsion, the defect cannot be repaired.

The software solutions are a valuable tool for your tool box. They can be
quite useful. But they are in a different catagory from infra-red detection
and correction.

Jack Phipps
Applied Science Fiction

-----Original Message-----
From: Preston Earle [mailto:PEarle@triad.rr.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2002 9:01 PM
To: Jack Phipps
Subject: [filmscanners] dICE & Scitex Final Touch


"Jack Phipps" <JPhipps@asf.com> contributed: "Yes we do get a lot of
comments about our name. This is a fun place to work, and I enjoy what I
do."

Jack, how does Digital ICE compare with Creo-Scitex Final Touch?

Preston Earle
PEarle@triad.rr.com


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