[filmscanners] RE: 8 bit versus 16

["Austin Franklin" <austin@darkroom.com>]

Hi Robert,

> Austin Franklin wrote:
> > It really depends on if you are talking color or B&W.  For B&W,
> there is no
> > question, you need to use 16 bits for doing all but a minimum
> tonal curve
> > adjustment, but for color, for most applications you won't see any
> > difference using 8 bit data or 16 bit data.
>
> Have to agree on the B&W front - 16 bit is essential -
> after scanning in a roll of old FP from some years ago
> and I forgot to set to 16 bit - I got a shock when
> doing curves - boom - highlights would just explode :)
>
> As for 16 bit, I cant agree. If you take a picture of
> a heavily red scene...

I agree, and that's why I said "for *most* applications"...

> 8 bits is only 256 possible reds/greens/blues.

of each individual color, true, and it's also 16M colors.  Also, you're not
likely to get only one color out of three.  For most images, there will be
no visible degradation in the image using only 8 bits/color.  If you haven't
tried an experiment, and are only speaking of "theory", you really need to
try an experiment for your self.  Many people have done this experiment, and
that's why they say that 8 bits/color works perfectly for most images.

Regards,

Austin

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe by mail to listserver@halftone.co.uk, with 'unsubscribe 
filmscanners'
or 'unsubscribe filmscanners_digest' (as appropriate) in the message title or 
body