Best tutorial for color negative scanning

[Corran]

Bryan,

Interesting, thanks for posting. Do you mind sharing the technical information (film size and emulsion, scanner type, scanner software)?

4x5 Fuji Pro 160S. Scanned with my Cezanne scanner and ColorGenius 2.0 software.

I have used various Epson scanners though. I don't like the EpsonScan software personally. You have to wrench it around a lot to get better scans from my experience. But most of the scanner softwares out there have their own quirks and foibles. I know a lot of people swear by VueScan but I hated it. I tried to teach a non-techie friend of mine how to use it and she couldn't grasp even the basic functions. That one seems to be written by a guy well versed in "technical" computing and likes a lot of direct control and numbers. Silverfast in another option that I've used with other scanners and it works pretty well. The best software I've ever used though was Nikon's scanner software with my old LS-8000. Really fine bit of software that made the best color negative scans IMO, and phenomenal with chromes. I wish I could hack it to work with other scanners.

In terms of your Ektar and Portra scans, are you happy with the colors and tone? Is there something you don't feel like you are getting with the scans? I looked back through and found some of your recent C-41 posts and had a look. Color negative film is inherently up to interpretation in terms of color and such so my opinion doesn't much matter, but I was just wondering if you had some specific thoughts on your own scanning.

[Pali K]

When I first started scanning, I couldn't get good color balance for negatives to save my life. I tried Epson Scan, Vuescan, and Silverfast and all produced images that never felt right. Now I can pretty much use any software and end up with very comparable scans that make me very happy with the end result. I am definitely spoiled with drum scans that make the inversion prpocess much easier but I do occasionally scan with Epson V700 and they do turn out great. The key is to train your eye and brain to know where to start and where to stop for consistent color scanning that meets your personal taste for colors.

I do get asked about my process frequently and have started writing a quick article on my scanning workflow using Epson. I will also compare how the same process produces even better results with a drum scan. I will post a link to it soon and hopefully it will give you some tips on other things you can try.

Pali

[chassis]

Bryan, thanks for the details on your workflow. I like the results I am getting, and have learned to get more of the information out of the film, and into the scan. This means setting the input sensitivity and gamma correctly, in my workflow.

I agree color balance and saturation is pretty subjective. At the moment I like saturated colors and strive for realism and believability. Realistic and believable have different meanings to different people. In the autumn this year I will have more chances to work with earth tones, and it will be interesting to see how the film responds, and how the colors come through in the scan and postprocessed image.

[Pali K]

Just posted a quick guide on how I scanned and converted this image using Epson v700 and ColorPerfect. Hope this is helpful.
Link: http://www.analogfilm.camera/2017/05...erfect-plugin/

Regards,

Pali

[Corran]

Bravo Pali!

This thread reminded me that I've shot through all my Portra 160 in medium format, and I just booked a flight to AZ so...off to B&H I guess .

[Pali K]

Thank you Bryan!

I am so jealous that you are headed to AZ again I miss it so much and hope to get back there again. Not only did I have a fantastic time there on my vacation in AZ, the vast landscape there is a photographic heaven. Have a great trip and I look forward to your photos from there.

Pali

[chassis]

Pali, thanks for the writeup, it is thorough and clear.

Below is my latest image. It is a fairly straight or literal color interpretation with a low-ish key tone. The lighting was low and mostly non-directional in mid-evening. The direction of view is looking south, and west is to camera right. Film is Portra 400 in 4x5, exposed at box speed and processed normal C-41. Scanned on an Epson V750 with Epson Scan.

Using Ken Lee's tutorial as a baseline (thanks Ken!), I find that avoiding clipping requires that a wider range of input than the basic histogram alone. I adjust the input black and white points (per channel) so that the Tone Curve Viewer shows input for as much of the abscissa as possible. The explanation my not be 100% clear, I apologize.

In postprocessing using Levels, I adjust the black and white points (per channel) to the edges of the histograms. My workflow to this point is fairly constant and doesn't change for film format, film type or exposure. I have used this workflow with Portra 400 and Ektar in both 120 and 4x5. I recently acquired some Portra 160 in 4x5 and will see how the workflow handles this film.

From this point, it is subjective. I adjust gamma per channel, if needed or wanted. In Levels for overall Value, I adjust black and white points, and gamma per taste. Then a light unsharp mask, resize and export.

[chassis]

Out of curiosity, what is the workflow or theory behind minilab and similar scanners, for color correction related to the orange mask? For example the Noritsu LS-600 or LS-1100?

[stawastawa]

Good question!

Out of curiosity, what is the workflow or theory behind minilab and similar scanners, for color correction related to the orange mask? For example the Noritsu LS-600 or LS-1100?

[EH21]

I've been struggling with finding a fast way to get good color from my color negative scans as well. I have been using my Rolleiflex 6008AF with rodenstock APO rodagon enlarging lenses and my Hasselblad/Imacon multishot digital back to capture the negatives and I think this works decently well for detail and speed, however getting color has been difficult. Normally I use the Color neg plugin, but that's hardly intuitive and sometimes works and sometimes not. I did spend some time shooting the orange mask and then inverting this in photoshop and printing out a page filled with the blue color onto transparency film. I then place the blue film between the light source and the negative (but out of the DOF envelope) this way seems to help some for when I am manually working the color in photoshop but somehow the color neg software seems to get to the same result either way. My theory is that when scanning if I can get the orange out of the capture part then I will have more even data on the different R G B channels. I think this could be similar with a flatbed scanner but haven't tried it. But I am still kind of amazed at how well the photolab machines the fuji frontiers and noritsu can magically get the colors.... anyone know how those softwares work?