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

**Lenny Eiger** · 9-Sep-2011, 13:29

Originally Posted by 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?

I think you're in the right place. There are a lot of folks here who use your scanner to good effect. I like many parts of Amadou's book as well, but I would say there is no definitive manual on how to scan. What you have to do is go find an expert and go thru their workflow with them. Most are very happy to share...

You are always welcome here, especially if you bring that little Wisner to trade... ;-)

Lenny

**l2oBiN** · 10-Sep-2011, 16:03

Lenny your pm box is full!

**Lenny Eiger** · 10-Sep-2011, 16:09

Originally Posted by l2oBiN

Lenny your pm box is full!

Fixed, thanks...

Lenny

**Wayne Crider** · 10-Sep-2011, 16:47

Any thing like a HDR scan possibility?

**l2oBiN** · 11-Sep-2011, 00:22

Originally Posted by Wayne Crider

Any thing like a HDR scan possibility?

+1

**Ramiro Elena** · 11-Sep-2011, 00:54

I spent some time at Ken Lee's site last night and found it extremely helpful. With the few tips he provides you should be able to get good scans and he precisely talks about input/output tweaking.
The green channel tip was great. I already knew about it but never thought to apply it on scanners.
You could work HDR scans by scanning the same image more than once. I think Broadbent does it.

**Ken Lee** · 11-Sep-2011, 04:22

"Is this the right way to scan a transparency?"

Color films have a non-linear response to light in each channel. In other words, each color channel has its own curve, not just a straight line. Making matters more complex, these curves vary, depending on lighting conditions, film processing, etc. Over time, the dyes in color slides and negatives fade - and they do so according to yet another set of curves. So while it might be straightforward to calibrate a monitor or digital camera or scanner, it's more challenging to profile a film.

In the days of color film, professional printers (the people who ran the printing presses) knew how to mix their inks correctly to accommodate popular film stocks. Shooting color film today, it's very helpful to shoot a black/white/gray target at each scene. (Even with digital, which has so-called "white balance" technology, it's still very helpful.) Opteka makes a small one that looks pretty affordable and portable.

Of course, a calibrated monitor is a must, and the paper+printer+ink has to be profiled, or it's a colossal waste of time and materials. See CHROMiX at www.chromix.com

Scanning old color media, we have to approach each image separately. It's much easier if we can find a gray/black/white section of the subject, and let Photoshop do the heavy lifting. There are many free tutorials on the web, for which you can perform a search with your favorite search engine. There are many books on the subject, such as Real World Color Management.

Did I mention CHROMiX ?

Pat Herold (one of their staff) contributes here generously from time to time. They can steer you in the right direction and save you an eternity of frustration. As their name suggests, color is their... profession.

**l2oBiN** · 11-Sep-2011, 05:23

In BW scanning, could someone please explain the gamma value? It seems to be extremely important in obtaining the maximum from the scan? is this a software based post scan application?