Color rendering in scanned 4x5 reversal film

[norly]

Hello.

How does slightly over/under exposed film effect the colors on a color reversal film like the Kodak 4x5 160?

Sometimes when I scan a project, the colors are much less precise then normal...

[Alan Klein]

Hello.

How does slightly over/under exposed film effect the colors on a color reversal film like the Kodak 4x5 160?

Sometimes when I scan a project, the colors are much less precise then normal...

Kodak 160 is color negative film not reversal film.

[jnantz]

Hello.

How does slightly over/under exposed film effect the colors on a color reversal film like the Kodak 4x5 160?

Sometimes when I scan a project, the colors are much less precise then normal...

Hi norly

While I do not use a lot of e6 or c41 film, I have noticed when I did that it rendered colors differently depending on how it was exposed / scanned as you said. it can range from intense to muted. I'd bring film to the lab (I don't develop color myself ) and the person I was friendly with at the counter would say, "I think there is something wrong with your camera". and I'd just kind of smile ... it's like over or under exposed black and white film/paper or glass plate can render different expressions of the negative depending on it's exposure and method of scanning. This is one of the reasons I love using this old medium, there are so many options, it's a very plastic and fluid form of art.

have fun !
John

[bmikiten]

You do have an array of color adjustment tools in most scanner software. Also, if your system isn't calibrated the color could be off on your monitor as well.

[norly]

Hi norly

While I do not use a lot of e6 or c41 film, I have noticed when I did that it rendered colors differently depending on how it was exposed / scanned as you said. it can range from intense to muted. I'd bring film to the lab (I don't develop color myself ) and the person I was friendly with at the counter would say, "I think there is something wrong with your camera". and I'd just kind of smile ... it's like over or under exposed black and white film/paper or glass plate can render different expressions of the negative depending on it's exposure and method of scanning. This is one of the reasons I love using this old medium, there are so many options, it's a very plastic and fluid form of art.

have fun !
John

Thanks for the replies. Ofcourse wrongly exposed film differs in contrast. However I still don't know if colors are affected by the exposure. Sure if I underexpose I will get magenta shifts when trying to force the black point but 1-2 steps over under, does it shift the colors of a negative. It feels like it does sometimes.

I do work professionally with this since 15 years so I know all the basics. But this questions I haven't found a simple answer to. Therefore I asked here.

[jnantz]

Thanks for the replies. Ofcourse wrongly exposed film differs in contrast. However I still don't know if colors are affected by the exposure. Sure if I underexpose I will get magenta shifts when trying to force the black point but 1-2 steps over under, does it shift the colors of a negative. It feels like it does sometimes.

I do work professionally with this since 15 years so I know all the basics. But this questions I haven't found a simple answer to. Therefore I asked here.

I think you answered your question yourself. Seeing there aren't many people doing what you are interested in learning about, your experience is what one might refer to as "primary research" As you insinuated about what I was doing, others without your interests might suggest you exposed - processed - scanned your film all-wrong.
While you might have thought otherwise, my film was not exposed or developed wrong at all. It did exactly what I expected / gave me exactly what I was looking for. Film has a lot of potential (visual) energy stored in it, not many people want to unlock it.
good luck!

[norly]

True that, but thanks anyway for the input. Maybe I will make some tests one day

[Alan Klein]

Thanks for the replies. Ofcourse wrongly exposed film differs in contrast. However I still don't know if colors are affected by the exposure. Sure if I underexpose I will get magenta shifts when trying to force the black point but 1-2 steps over under, does it shift the colors of a negative. It feels like it does sometimes.

I do work professionally with this since 15 years so I know all the basics. But this questions I haven't found a simple answer to. Therefore I asked here.

I bracketed Protra film +1 and -1 stop and found a difference in color rendition after scanning it.

[jnantz]

True that, but thanks anyway for the input. Maybe I will make some tests one day

excellent !
I hope when you do your tests you post your results here or if you have a website that hosts your work, thoughts, successes and failures you post the results there (too)
Someone emailed me a year or two ago after scouring my work online, and she said my website was a blog full of epic failures LOL, .. really made my dan, and me laugh since I thought they were successes. I set the bar really low
tomahto tomayto and all that
don't forget to have fun (that's what it's all about) !
John

[SergeyT]

Most, if not all, scanners' and standalone "inversion software" use adaptive methods that interpret colors depending on image content.
If you want to know how an over and underexposure affect the colors of your film make a test by photographing a, let's say, ColorChecker or ColorChecker SG against a neutral background lit by sunlight either 2 hours after sunrise or 2 hours before sunset on a clear sky day. Then print these test images optically on photo paper (color balancing your normally exposed image on neutral grey patches and preserving the same color balance for the rest of test images) and study the results.
Additionally compare your optically made prints with the digital scans to see if there is a difference between the "intended" (optically printed) and "digitally interpreted" color rendition exists.