scanning 4x5 black and white negatives

[beichh4046]

I'm trying to figure out the best scanning settings for a collection of 4x5 black and white negatives I have.

I'm using a Microtek i900 with the Silverfast Ai software. I'm stumped as to the best scan type to use.....48 bit color, 48 bit HDR color, 16 bit Grayscale????

I'm using 2400 dpi because when I tried 4800 dpi I got such a large file that it was too much. As it is I'm getting 219 mb using 16 bit HDR Grayscale.

My goal is to make at least great looking 8x10 pictures.

Is there any one experienced using this scanner or scanning b/w negatives that could give me some pointers. The information I'm finding online is not really helping.

[Robert Meier]

If you want an 8x10 file that is 300 dpi, then scan it at 600 dpi at the same size, that is, 4x5 inches, or set it for an 8x10 size print at 300 dpi. Both will give you the jsame size file.