[filmscanners] Re: 8 bit versus 16

["Alan Eckert" <alan@aeckertphoto.com>]

I couldn't resist throwing in my two bits (or eight bits, as the case may
be).  I tried using my SS4000 at 14 bits, or maybe it was 12 bits (it's not
capable of true 16 bits) because I had read that you lose less information
when making color corrections on high-bit files.  However, I found that my
carefully developed scanner-specific ICC profile didn't work on the high-bit
file, and so I had to go through a lot of agonizing effort just to get it
back to what it would have been after an 8-bit scan.  And I didn't entirely
succeed.  So for me, at least, _profiled_ 8-bit scans beat 16-bit scans
every time.

Alan

----- Original Message -----
From: "Austin Franklin" <austin@darkroom.com>
To: <alan@aeckertphoto.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2003 10:30 PM
Subject: [filmscanners] RE: 8 bit versus 16


Hi Art,

> ...and that's even concluding that the scanner is really
> capturing the full 16 bit depth, which many do not.

I'm not sure ANY do.  Do you know of a scanner that really has a usable 16
bits of data for each color?  I know a few (and only a very few from what
I've seen) *claim* 16 bits, but that doesn't mean that they actually can
deliver 16 bits.  If they could, their dMax would be 4.8, and I've not heard
that claim.  I believe the best I've seen is 14 bits, or a dMax of 4.2...but
even at that, I'm skeptical that they actually meet that.

Even if they were capable of that, that doesn't mean the bits are always
used, especially for negative film.  Color negative film, say, with a
density range of 3.0, would only be able to use 10 bits our of what ever
range is available, anyway.

Regards,

Austin

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