Scanning a transparency using EpsomScan: the input/output selection?

[l2oBiN]

For BW it quite logical, select the white and black points and then scan. However, for transparencies it apperas that each color has a selectable range. I have been looking at each histogram (red, green, blue) and seeing which contains the biggest range, then adjusting the combined levels to that range. While this seems to capture all the infoation, it often provides an undesirable exposur/look. Is this the right way to scan a transparency?

[Lenny Eiger]

It is really much more complicated than that. Both in b&w and color. You scan for the kind of print you want. You need to separate the tones so that they can be manipulated in photoshop... and the scan should be in range of the print you want to make... not necessarily matched, but in range.

Lenny

[l2oBiN]

Lenny, I would love to learn more. Could you point me to the right direction? Are there any tutorials or is there any literature on the web that would be helpful?

[Greg Lockrey]

Once you made a profile for the film type and printer-paper combination used, I would leave the adjustments post scanning in a program like Photoshop. I don't care what anybody says you can not calibrate LCD screens to be as accurate as the final output on paper if that's where your going. How your image will look on your screen will be different than mine. My work flow is: make the scan- sharpen in PS-make an 8x10 sample on paper and then tweak more in Photoshop. FWIW my business is copying artwork and making limited edition prints. So I have real world colors to match and not some subjective colors that I think look good. Don't make it harder than it is..... it ain't rocket science.

[Peter York]

It is really much more complicated than that. Both in b&w and color. You scan for the kind of print you want. You need to separate the tones so that they can be manipulated in photoshop... and the scan should be in range of the print you want to make... not necessarily matched, but in range.

AFAIK the only hardware-driven adjustments on an Epson, besides resolution, are the black and white points. All else is software driven, and many prefer to use Photoshop for these adjustments. A drum scanner is quite different.

The only reference to this that I have seen is Diallo's "Mastering Digital B&W." I think this is the least-known aspect of scanning workflow.

[Frank Petronio]

I generally treat my consumer level Epson and 35mm film scans as auto-raw input devices and often go with the auto-levels for film that isn't too wacky. Sometimes the highlights - white point can be moved over to hold more detail, sometimes I'll move the black point to open up the shadow... but beyond that, the Epson and Vue Scan software is so crude that there doesn't seem much point in fine-tuning it. And if you don't like the scan, do it over a few minutes later....

I haven't used a drum scanner since the G3 days so I don't know if the software has gotten better at previewing and pre-scan adjustments... but I remember the old Howtek and Leaf-Scan apps were nothing to get excited about either. It's just not going to get developed any further, we're stuck with small, crap previews and 1996 interfaces... it's a shame since Epson and Nikon must have milked their scanning software development costs a generation ago.

[Mark Stahlke]

AFAIK the only hardware-driven adjustments on an Epson, besides resolution, are the black and white points. All else is software driven, and many prefer to use Photoshop for these adjustments.

This brings to mind something I've often wondered about. When I scan in 16 bit mode on my 4990 with EPSON Scan is the hardware extracting 16 bits of data or is the software outputting a 16 bit file?

[Ken Lee]

This brings to mind something I've often wondered about. When I scan in 16 bit mode on my 4990 with EPSON Scan is the hardware extracting 16 bits of data or is the software outputting a 16 bit file?

Make an 8-bit and a 16-bit image, and compare the histograms in photoshop. If you are only getting 8 bits spread over 16, there should be gaps in the 16-bit histogram, like a hair comb. If the curve is smooth, then you are getting true 16-bits of data.

[l2oBiN]

I am also a little intrigued by how the hardware + Epsonscan works because if it's only the black and white points that are hardware limited, why does the gamma value play such an important role in determining the malleability of the scanned image? Is there any way tiger the "full raw data" from the scanner? This should shurely be the best file for post manipulation if it fallows the raw file format found in cameras?

[Lenny Eiger]

I haven't used a drum scanner since the G3 days so I don't know if the software has gotten better at previewing and pre-scan adjustments... but I remember the old Howtek and Leaf-Scan apps were nothing to get excited about either. It's just not going to get developed any further, we're stuck with small, crap previews and 1996 interfaces... it's a shame since Epson and Nikon must have milked their scanning software development costs a generation ago.

Frank,
Digital PhotoLab is quite good. You can preview down to the grain if you want. It's excellent at pre scan adjusting and adjusting the scanner's range so it scans with the pre-scan settings vs doing it afterwards.
Lenny