Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/03/11

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Subject: [Leica] Plustek Scanner (Lluis)
From: thurmanphoto at gmail.com (Wendy Thurman)
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:21:24 +0500

Lluis-

I'll take all the advice I can get!  Thanks for taking the time to write it.

More on the scanner- some of my problems with the film have not been film
problems, but scanner use (or misuse!)  My frustration level was getting the
better of me so I shot a roll in careful conditions- test work only using a
tripod and a gray scale taped to the wall, handheld shots in my room of
detailed items- text, patterns, etc.  The Hewes reel was a breeze to use.
Processed the film carefully, at 68F, 1:1, 10 minutes, 5 sec initial
agitiation and 5 sec every 30 sec afterwards.  The negatives looked great.
Then I scanned them and was horrified at the results.

Silverfast software asks what sort of film one is using, and from the
beginning I had indicated Tri-X.  However, there is more!  Silverfast is
deceptively simple to use but there's more going on than I realized.
Knowing that the negatives were good, I concentrated on the software
settings.  Here's a result on the test roll I shot yesterday evening-
pedestrian photo but it's got all the tonal range and the look I expect from
Tri-X:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Wendy+Thurman/Untitled-1.jpg.html

Onward!

Wendy

On Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 5:44 AM, Lluis Ripoll Querol <
lluisripollquerol at gmail.com> wrote:

> Wendy,
>
> Many thanks for the Plustek Scanners, this is usefull and I'll keep some
> more.
>
> Concerning your grain on Tri X is IMO more than usual, the reasons coud be
> diverse or a mix or someones, film badly conserved, low exposure,
> developping temperature to high...., as said I've developped a lot with
> ID-11, it is practically the same formula as D-76, but when I've do this 
> the
> box containt a graphic time/temperature very useful. My process was easy:
> pre-soap the film in water about 30 sec. at the same temperature as the
> developper, verse the developper, agitate the first 30-45 sec. and after 5"
> every 30". If I wanted special detail on the shadows I interrupted the
> developping during 5 to 10 minutes putting water - always at the same
> temperature - . The other steps, the usuals. I've used too HCC 110, a very
> nice developper offering clean contrasts, but basically I've used for 
> medium
> format, on 35mm the grain is quite noticeable in my opinion. I've learned
> many things and also I've understood better after I've red "The Negative", 
> I
> always recommend this book.
>
> Sorry to be so long, I'm sure that you already know very well the
> procedure, I've just talk my old method.
>
> Goodf luck,
>
> Cheers
> Lluis
>
> El 11/03/2010, a las 2:24, Wendy Thurman escribi?:
>
>
>  Lluis-
>>
>> I'm struggling with the processing- I haven't hit on the right technique
>> yet.  I've got some Xtol and may try that.  While I don't mind a little
>> grain- expected it with the Tri-X- I am getting more than I'd like.  The
>> other extreme is Pan-F, which I have some of and will try next.
>>
>> While I haven't used the Plustek enough to comment with authority, it
>> seems
>> to be doing the job.  The two SE and AI are the same scanners (I believe)
>> with different software packages.  I have the cheaper version, the SE.  It
>> comes with Silverfast software; if you are using a Mac don't install the
>> Plustek software that also comes with it- it won't work.  Silverfast runs
>> fine on the Mac, however.  This is my first experience with a scanner so I
>> am commenting from a pretty shallow statistical pool; it works fine,
>> doesn't
>> cost an arm and a leg, is lightweight, and easy to use.  I understand that
>> VueScan works with it as well and is more user friendly than Silverfast
>> but
>> I don't know anything about that package.
>>
>> What I can tell you with absolute certainty is do not spill gin and orange
>> juice on your MacBook Pro keyboard.  I'm having issues as a result of that
>> mistake.
>>
>> Wendy
>>
>> On Thu, Mar 11, 2010 at 3:15 AM, Lluis Ripoll Querol <
>> lluisripollquerol at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>  Hi Wendy,
>>>
>>> I'm always interested for your pictures of this far country, I'm usually
>>> quite fascinated by the oriental culture. I like the first one, it shows
>>> a
>>> dessertic place. IMO ther is quite grainy, I've developped on my darkroom
>>> days Tri X and HP 5 with D-76 or Ilford ID-11, almost the same formula
>>> and
>>> the effect of temperature had a certain big influence on the grain, I
>>> think
>>> remember that I prefer D-76 at 1:3 to achieve a more large range of
>>> tones,
>>> and I does a systematic quite vigourous agitation. I'm sorry to explain
>>> this, I want just tell you what I remember.
>>>
>>> On the other hand I see on your EXIF that you have scanned these with a
>>> Plustek Scanner 7500i, I was just planning purchase one of these, I know
>>> that there is the 7500i SE and AI, and I don't know which is the
>>> difference.
>>> I scann with an Epson Photo 3170 flatbed scanner, I'm quite happy for B&W
>>> but not for color. Are you happy with your Plustek?
>>>
>>> Please continue showing us pictures of Afghanistan, I enjoy them!
>>>
>>> Cheers
>>> Lluis
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>


Replies: Reply from jhnichols at lighttube.net (Jim Nichols) ([Leica] Plustek Scanner (Lluis))
Reply from lluisripollquerol at gmail.com (Lluis Ripoll Querol) ([Leica] Plustek Scanner (Lluis))
Reply from images at comporium.net (Tina Manley) ([Leica] Plustek Scanner (Lluis))