How to scan a real dense negative (Epson 750)

[emo supremo]

Hi,
Am the new owner of an Epson 750 and am happy with this upgrade from my REAL old scanner. I exposed some 5x7 Tmax and got a couple negatives that were (i'm guessing) 2 stops overexposed. These dense negatives are perceived by the software as blank fields of white. I played with the sliders and got the white-nothing-field to display a ghostly image of lousy contrast. I don't want to give up on these negs because I can see detail faintly in them.

Is there some setting I should change?

(I'll try printing them when I get access to the darkroom on Tuesday)

[sanking]

Hi,
Am the new owner of an Epson 750 and am happy with this upgrade from my REAL old scanner. I exposed some 5x7 Tmax and got a couple negatives that were (i'm guessing) 2 stops overexposed. These dense negatives are perceived by the software as blank fields of white. I played with the sliders and got the white-nothing-field to display a ghostly image of lousy contrast. I don't want to give up on these negs because I can see detail faintly in them.

Is there some setting I should change?

(I'll try printing them when I get access to the darkroom on Tuesday)

Make sure you set the historgram to 0 and 255, and adjust the brightness slider.

However, there is only so much you can do and if the negative is grossly over-exposed or over-developed you may not be able to capture the detail. If that is the case, you can always reduce the negative.

Sandy King

[Richard Littlewood]

Depending on what you want the finished scan for it might be an idea to make a darkroom print a bit on the soft side, and scan that.

[David de Gruyl]

What software?

With the 750, in silverfast, I have never had an issue with getting "a scan" from a negative that was very dense but still had some detail.

Remember to unset all the curves and such and start from scratch, and set the exposure way down.

All that being said: I have had film exposed more than two stops over that scanned. In fact, I am mildly surprised how well this scanner handles dense negatives.

[csant]

you can always reduce the negative.

Sandy, how would you recommend to proceed for doing that?

[sanking]

Sandy, how would you recommend to proceed for doing that?

Step 1 -- Mix a liter of reducer, using 5 g potassium ferricyanide and 5 g potassium bromide. Place the negative in the bleach and agitate for a couple of minutes. This should bleach the negative, converting the silver to silver bromide. Wash thoroughly.

Step 2 -- Now redevelop the negative in a slightly dilute solution of your favorite developer, say D76 1+4 where D76 1+1 is normal. Develop until the negative looks "right", then transfer it quickly to an acid stop bath.

You can repeat the process if the negative does not come out right. When it does finally come out right, fix the negative.

Sandy King

[csant]

Thanks Sandy! Am I right assuming that all of above can be done in (subdued) tungsten light?

[Bruce Watson]

You may have exceeded your scanner's capacity. That would indicate that your film is more than a couple of stops overexposed. But just because a consumer flatbed scanner can't read through your film doesn't mean it can't be read. If there's any detail hidden in the density, a drum scanner will capture it for you.

[sanking]

Thanks Sandy! Am I right assuming that all of above can be done in (subdued) tungsten light?

That is correct. You can reduce and re-develop in normal tungsten light.

Sandy King