Flex tight X5 Flexicolor FFF files to TIFF -- want larger DPI without losing size!

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping someone can help me!

I am scanning my 4X5 black and white negatives with the Flextight X5, which are producing .fff files with Flexicolor. I've been converting these .fff files by bringing them into Photoshop CC, then turning them into .tiff files.

The problem:

The .fff files have an image size of 72 dpi. When I convert them to .tiff, they also have 72 dpi image size.

My goal is to get .tiff files that are 300 dpi, without loss of image dimension! So basically, much larger sizes that I am currently being stuck with. How can I achieve this?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thank you!
Susan

There's really no way to do that after the scan. Are you scanning the 3Fs at the highest resolution available?

from the specs available online, I see that an X5 can scan 4x5 at a maximum of 2040dpi. This yields a print 34"x27", which is the biggest you can go with that file.

Does that help?

Perhaps your default Flexcolor setup was configured at 72 ppi.

The following should help:
In FLEXCOLOR (make sure you have the latest version downloadable from Hasselblad.com)
Select from following titled drop down lists:
Setup: "BW negative Standard" or select from specific BW film types in drop down list
Frame Size: 4"x5"
Mode: Grayscale 16 bit for best quality (vs Grayscale)

IMPORTANT
Output Size Windows:
Width, Height, Zoom - will all default from the Frame size selected above
YOU MUST INPUT PPI - (this will determine size of scan in MB)
From the PPI drop down list select the desired scan resolution in pixels per inch.
Selecting 2048 PPI will give you the maximum size scan for a 4x5 negative

You can scan at 300 PPI, but best to scan at max resolution (I.e. get the most out of the negative and reduce in photoshop if lower res is needed.)

Just make sure you select the desired PPI as noted above.
The above will yield a TIFF output file.
Alternatively you can do a 3f scan - in that case you follow the 3f input template (similar to above).
Hope this helps

Dennis

Christopher and Dennis, thank you so much for replying to my question!

I tried setting the software to 300 dpi (pre-scan), but each time the scan goes through, and I check, the dpi had again reverted back to 72. I can't seem to make the software scan at higher than 72...! Hoping that the software settings just reset themselves post-scan, I checked the images themselves, and sure enough, they are all 72 dpi again.

Can you let me know the correct way to set the software?

In the past, I had been scanning at 16-bit grayscale, but this created so many problems with banding, that I am trying to scan RAW 3F instead. I'm able to scan at really large DPI when doing it 16-bit grayscale, but I am running into problems when scanning RAW 3F. :-(

What am I doing wrong...?

Hi Christopher!

These problems occur when I try to scan 3F RAW. I tried setting the software to 300 dpi (pre-scan), but each time the scan goes through and I check the settings, the dpi had again reverted back to 72. I can't seem to make the software scan at higher than 72 for 3F...! Hoping that the software settings just reset themselves post-scan but had actually scanned at my desired 300+ DPI, I checked the images themselves, and sure enough, they are all 72 dpi again.

Can you let me know the correct way to set the software for scanning 3F?

Hi Dennis!

In the past, I had been scanning at 16-bit grayscale and I got the desired high DPI, but this eventually created so many problems with banding in my scans, that I am trying to scan RAW 3F instead. I'm able to scan at really large DPI when doing it 16-bit grayscale, but I am running into problems when scanning RAW 3F. :-(

can't you just use the image size in photoshop to change them to 300 dpi and turn off the "resample image" off. this won't change the physical size of the file

Hi monsta,

Your suggestion will affect the resolution, which won't be good enough to print, no?

I would rather start with a 300 dpi image, than increase the dpi in photoshop. The main issue I have is that Flexicolor is refusing to scan at 300 dpi, and keeps doing it at 72 dpi. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

Is it true that Photoshop CC has a much better algorithm for ressing images up than PScs6? In other words, maybe the sizing up isn’t going to result in a noticeable quality loss since it’s not a huge difference?

If you make sure you uncheck "Resample" and then change the dpi to 300, it will give you print resolution with no actual change to the file itself. It's basically just telling the file, fit all these pixels into a 300dpi space instead of spreading them out over 72dpi. If you're scanning 4x5 (assuming here) then the X5 can give you about 2040 dpi. Here's what the file's dimension would look like in Photoshop at 72 dpi...

https://scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...90029297_o.jpg

and here, if you change the DPI to 300 with "Resample" unchecked...

https://scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...04232215_o.jpg

Note that the new inch dimensions have changed to reflect 300dpi and these are about the largest you can get out of an X5 scan of 4x5. Also, see how the image size and the dimension in pixels remains the same? This shows that you're not degrading (interpolating) the file with the dpi change. Make sense?