[filmscanners] RE: 8 bit versus 16

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

Oh Robert,

> Austin Franklin wrote:
> > I believe you're missing the point.  It doesn't matter if you
> have a color
> > file that has 100 bits/color, you simply aren't visually
> capable (because
> > you are a human) of seeing a difference between that and an 8 bits/color
> > file.  It has nothing to do with the "tools [of] tomorrow".
>
> Ahem, I'll clarify, as youve missed the point.

Oh no, I got what you are trying to claim, and I am telling you that what
you are claiming has no merit.  I understand you believe it does, but from
what I can tell, your belief is based on a lack of understanding.

> I AM NOT looking at 16 bit files and saying, "mmmm,
> thats lovely, far nicer than that 8 bit one" - I am
> saying that if I scan it at 16 bit and store it thus,
> then I will be able to go back and get more out of it
> than if I scan it at 8 bit.

But that's a misunderstanding.  A 14 bit scanner does NOT scan at 8 bits if
you ask for 8 bit data.  It ALWAYS scans at 14 bits, period.  It then
applies the setpoints and tonal curves on the 14 bit data and THEN converts
to 8 bits.

Most scanners either return setpointed/tonal curved 8 bit data, or raw 16
bit data (which can really be either 10/12/14 bits actually used).  So,
anyway, my point being that what you are getting from the scanner when you
get 8 bit data IS high bit data that has had the setpoints and tonal curves
already applied.  This 8 bit data should NOT require any major tonal curve
corrections in PS, if it does, you haven't done a good job at scanning.

The other method is to scan raw and simply do the setpoints and tonal curves
in PS.  Again, once you've gotten these done using high bit data, you should
not need to do any major tonal manipulations, and therefore saving only the
8 bit file is, with little exception, going to give you as high a fidelity
as you can get.

> I need convincing completely in this
> case.

That's not my job, nor will I make it my job, but the issue is, you don't
want to listen to people who have many years of experience in this
field/subject.

> You think you are right, I think Im right and were not
> talking of the same things.

Actually, I know I am right (having been in this field for over 25 years),
and would bet you on it, and I know you have some misunderstandings as to
how things work...and as I suggested in another post, you might try to
simply learn something here.

Regards,

Austin

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