Epson v750 scanning bw negatives

[Paul Redstone]

Hi
I just started using the epson v750 with Silverfast Ai scanning 4x5 Ilford Delta and fp4.
It seems that on some negs an area that appears to eye to be lighter but still have much detail, scanns as though it is blownout-- loss of detail. I have tried some adjustments- exposure, curves but can seem to extract the "detail" I could be grossly deceived by my eye but don't know what else to do. I am using the flim holder that comes with the Epson.
thanks
Paul Redstone

[Jrewt]

I have had this scanner (my first) for a few weeks now, and I have come upon this situation as well. One of two of my negatives that were to thin did this, and no amount of adjusting could remedy the problem. Although the negs were printable, they just seemed to thin for the scanner- but, I am a UBER beginner at both scanning, and adjustment in PS. Try a denser negative, that is my suggestion.

[sparq]

Try to scan it as a 16bit HDR Grayscale and see if you can salvage the picture in a photo editor.

[Leonard Evens]

I don't use SilverFast, but I have lots of experience scanning. I'm assuming Silverfast shows the corresponding positive curve so that shadows would be indicated by low values. First, make sure your black point is set at zero and set your white point just above where the highlights white out. Adjust the curve control so that the shadows are still anchored at zero but bow upward. That will increase contrast in the shadow areas and lower contrast in the middle and upper range. that should bring out shadow detail if it is there in the negative. You could also read the densities in the shadow areas and see how much they vary. If they are all relatively close together and all close to zero, the fault is probably in the negative.

You might also try scanning the negative as transparency film, inverting, and then applying the above methods.

[Bruce Watson]

I just started using the epson v750 with Silverfast Ai scanning 4x5 Ilford Delta and fp4. It seems that on some negs an area that appears to eye to be lighter but still have much detail, scanns as though it is blownout-- loss of detail.

You are talking about parts of the negative that are lower density, yes? And this is the part that the scanner is struggling with? Odd.

The low density parts of a film are typically the easiest parts for the scanner to read. This makes me think that it's a software problem, or more specifically a software setting problem. First thing to check is whether you are setting your black and white points properly.

Also note that if your image detail is in the least dense parts of the negative it is probably in the toe of the film's response curve. IOW, that detail has been compressed. You'll have to uncompress it somehow, either using the curves cabability of the scanner software or in Photoshop.

If this is indeed the case, you should consider increasing exposure somewhat to move the image detail up to the straight line portion of the film's response curve. There are numerous texts that deal with this, from Adams' The Negative to Fred Picker's Zone VI Workshop and many more.

Look around the 'net and read what you can about scanning. In particular, many people find ScanTips (http://www.scantips.com/) a useful reference.

[Paul Redstone]

Hi all
Thanks for the responses. I'm sorry I mislead you all by my description. The area on the negative is a "darker appearing section" - a cluster of rocks. This area is blown out on the scan- looks mostly white with no detail. Yet on the negative there clearly is a fair amount of detail. The scan makes it seem like that area is almost totally black on the negative. My original description was twisted. Sorry
Paul Redstone

[Brian Ellis]

What happens after you've gotten the image into Photoshop or whatever editing program your're using, edited it (e.g. played around with levels, curves, shadow/highlights, dodge/burn, etc.), then made a print? Viewing anything but especially a raw scan even on a properly calibrated monitor isn't the best way to judge what the final print will (or could) look like. If there's as much detail in the negative of the rocks as it sounds like there is, a V750 and Silverfast properly used should be capable of retrieving at least some of that detail and you can enhance what's there by subsequent editing in your editing program.

[paul stimac]

Try scanning it as a positive or use the epson software for black and white. I know this goes against what more knowledgeable people say about this scanner but .... that's what works best for me.

[tim atherton]

If you want to experiment a bit try this if you are using Photoshop

(You'll end up with multiple cris-cross lines from both the unpaid tryouts, but it should give you an idea if it will work).

Download vuescan and set it up to make a 16 bit greyscale raw (linear) scan (email me if you need all the settings)

The download NegPos, load it into the photoshop filters, open up photoshop, open up the raw scan - you will get a very dark negative - then run the NegPos filter (again, email me if you need some settings)

With NegPos you will completely be able to weak the highlights and the shadows (and get a rough preview) before it converts it to to a positive.

http://www.c-f-systems.com/Plug-ins.html

[tim atherton]

okay, I see he only has the simpler version on there for download now - ColorNeg

try that, but it doesn't let you adjust as many parameters.

Let me know and I can email you the NegPos plugin - which lets you do much more