[filmscanners] Re: Scanning negs vs. slides

["David J. Littleboy" <davidjl@gol.com>]

"Anthony Atkielski" <anthony@atkielski.com> wrote:

>>>>>>>>
Since the curve is steeper for
midtones than that of negative films, the difference between adjacent tones
in terms of film density in that midtone range is much greater on slides
than on negatives, thus giving slides more resolution in that area.
<<<<<<<<

I think that the point that you are making, that slides resolve the midtones
better than negative film, is well taken, but the way you are expressing it
is problematic. That's why people are arguing.

>>>>>>>>
> Wrong.  The response curve has NOTHING to do
> with representing the dynamic range/ability
> to discern tones.

Sure it does.
<<<<<<<<<

Come on guys, cool it. You're both right. Slides provide better tonality
_resolution_, and film provides a wider tonality range.

>>>>>>>>>
Latitude is irrelevant.  The information-carrying capacity of the film is a
function of its density range, from clear film to the darkest possible
coloration of the emulsion.  Slide film has a greater density range than
negative film in this respect, and if we assume that both types of film
provide the same resolution between adjacent density levels (a reasonable
assumption), then slide film actually carries potentially more information
than negative film.  It is distributed differently, however.
<<<<<<<<<

But that diffference in distrubution is so large that it makes the
information carrying capacity a much smaller issue than the question of
whether or not the film represent the scene at all. It's interesting to note
that information carrying capacity, but if it can't represent your subject
matter, it's rather moot.

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan



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