Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/11/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 11:28 PM 11/13/97 -0500, FSilberman@aol.com wrote: >Hi Jim: >I was reading your thread on the lug on drum scans & photoshoping files. I >bought a Nikon coolscan II scanner to do just what your taking about. >Unfortunately, I've been using it mainly for fpo's to date. The problem is >that when I scan in my transparencies they scan way to dark. I've tried to >tinker with the Nikon software to no avail. When I pale the scans in >photoshop they pixilate badly, some of the values remain dark & others get >lighter. My answer may be less than entirely useful to you, because you already have a Coolscan II. But the problem you're experiencing is that the Coolscan II has a small dynamic range, too small for transparencies. The Coolscan II is a 24-bit scanner, where the LS-1000 Supercoolscan or the Sprintscan 35+ are 36-bit scanners. Since the dynamic range is small, the scanner can capture either highlight detail or shadow detail -- not both. It sounds like the software has made the choice to capture the highlights and leave the shadows dark. I don't have a Coolscan II, so I don't know if you might be able to use an exposure setting in the scanner software to tell it to go ahead and wash out the highlights and look into the shadows. If the driver and hardware let you do this, then you could make two scans, one for the highlights and one for the shadows, and combine them in a complicated way in Photoshop. You're probably already aware that if you use a film that has a smaller dynamic range (is less contrasty), like a color negative film, you'll be able to get more shadow detail in your scans. PhotoCD's also supply 24-bit images, but the transparencies are usually scanned with scanners that have a greater dynamic range than 24 bits. Here a lot depends on the operator. A poorly-made PhotoCD from a cut-rate shop will have poor color correction, poor exposure values, dust and fibers on the images, and will be very frustrating for you -- you might well be able to do better on your Coolscan II. A well-made PhotoCD from a reputable shop will be very good and will cost extra. Polaroid is reputed to have the most flexible software of the consumer film scanners. Certainly you can perform color correction and brightness and contrast and curves in the scanner itself with it. I certainly recommend it, if it's not too late for you to switch. - -Patrick