choosing editing software for scans

[dannysheff]

Having copied many of my street-shoot half-frame colour slides with a Sony 7R - 36Mp raw, good copying lens, and like the results on-screen, my next step will be to tidy these up --- minimal change - keeping the grain, bright colours, - no "beautification or 'photoshopping'", no sharpening etc, no removing or adding of objects/people, just scratch and dust minimising without losing detail, maybe minor adjustment of overall tone/brightness/contrast and preparation for printing high quality colour A3+ (Epson 800, pigment, have quantity good acid-free paper). --- so I'd like a quality editing tool without any bells/whistles/AI etc, that would keep the resolution, (and I can organise my own file 'library' - I did most of my editing before copying), --- not subscription if poss -- what are your suggestions???? (I use microsoft, reasonably fast 2022 PC)

 

[Bill Clark]

I learned using Photoshop as that’s about all there was when I got started. For cameras it was and still own Canon cameras. I worked to make sure I got what I wanted when capturing the images. 100% RAW.

There is a lot of hardware and software available now. You need to research it out to find what would be best for you. Each of us has ideas some maybe good for you while others not.

Truth be known I use either my iPhone or iPad now. The iPhone works great for me. With both devices I can get through security at airports and other venues.

 

[Godfrey]

Having copied many of my street-shoot half-frame colour slides with a Sony 7R - 36Mp raw, good copying lens, and like the results on-screen, my next step will be to tidy these up --- minimal change - keeping the grain, bright colours, - no "beautification or 'photoshopping'", no sharpening etc, no removing or adding of objects/people, just scratch and dust minimising without losing detail, maybe minor adjustment of overall tone/brightness/contrast and preparation for printing high quality colour A3+ (Epson 800, pigment, have quantity good acid-free paper). --- so I'd like a quality editing tool without any bells/whistles/AI etc, that would keep the resolution, (and I can organise my own file 'library' - I did most of my editing before copying), --- not subscription if poss -- what are your suggestions???? (I use microsoft, reasonably fast 2022 PC)

I use Lightroom Classic for most everything photographs-wise. Even things I render on the iPad Pro or iPhone in Photos or Snapseed end up in Lightroom Classic ultimately. Even if I do no editing whatever ... LOL! Because I want ONE place to find any photo I have, no matter where the image files are stored. 😉

G

 

[mike rosenlof]

For most of what you describe, maybe all, I use DarkTable, an open source program. darktable it's somewhat like Lightroom

On rare occasions, I'll use gimp, another open source program for image editing. GIMP it's somewhat like photoShop

both are available for Windows as well as Mac and Linux and are free to download and use all features.

 

[dannysheff]

thanks all -- reason I asked here is that I have already researched reviews etc, but they seem to focus on/compare things I don't want - sharpening, stitching, 'beautification', major changes such a removal of people, cars, wires and file organisation, photo recognition and searching. I'd just like some 'clean-up-the-transparency-while-keeping-full-resolution' software, no bells and whistles.

ps I have higher res cameras, film and digi, incl rfdr. but this is a different project

 

[hap]

I've been thinking about Topaz Labs AI...all in one. given how I don't have all the time to be "editing"...maybe best to let the dang software do it's tricks.

 

[mdarnton]

If you are using Windows you might like Faststone Image Viewer. It has most of the basic adjustments via right click and it's what I used for fast edits before I switched to Mac. It's pretty simple, though. Still, it's worth having on your computer for quick jobs.

 

[JohnWolf]

I think Adobe’s LR/PS photographer’s bundle is about the best deal going. For film scratches and dust their healing brushes are wonderful. And if you have more complex touch-up, the new AI tools are pretty good. But since you don’t want a license, I suggest you explore the open source options: The best open-source Lightroom alternatives (three winners and two that broke our hearts)

 

[dannysheff]

thanks all again --- looked at info on fastone, gimp and darktable - look fine but like don't need 95% of the offer - thinking all I would need would be the healing brush of adobe -

some of the old scanners had an auto dust scratch removal - that's the main thing, but I do want to be in control - certainly not passing it all over to AI (nothing against that approach for some uses but this is different)

anyone use Exposure? - I tried an older version - once only pay and not expensive but the newer versions seem to want to way over-process for me, and again, I don't need all the extras -

do any of the 'plug-ins' work as a stand alone?

 

[p.giannakis]

I only use GIMP. It does everything I need and it is free.

 

[eckhardf]

I cannot recommend Exposure X7 highly enough - I've been using it for almost 10 years now from version X5 or X6. Previously I used Lightroom Classic up to the last stand-alone version (6 ?) and changed to avoid Adobes' subscription model. I've never regretted the choice but did look extensively at GIMP, Darktable, Raw Therapee and other Open source offerings, as well as Topaz, Capture One etc.

The most outstanding feature (for me at least) is the almost totally customisable UI (User Interface). You can choose and exclude tools you want to appear on the interface, their order, how the windows operate etc - and the process of arranging the UI is simple and intuitive. I created a Lightroom Classic type interface in probably less than an hour of relaxed trial and error.

Other Advantages:
. Pay once ( $125 AUD - Australian Dollars) no - subscription
. Will detect your GPU (Graphics Card) and use it for accelerating processing - fast
. Uses your existing file structure as the file library (works like Microsoft File Explorer)
. Stable - I cannot remember it ever crashing in my years of use.

It does have an extensive library of simulation/effects pre-sets that are well-done if you like that sort of thing, but you can ignore them and exclude the tool from your UI if you wish - at the price you pay any unwanted "extras" feel like bonus options rather than bloat.

It hasn't had a new version update for several years now but the developer (used to be Alien Skin I think) still provides intermittent updates for file/camera/lens support.

Link to Exposure X7 here: Exposure X7 creative photo editor and organizer - Exposure Software

Example of my current set-up (tool windows act as tabs that slide in and out from the sides on mouse- over or you can fix in place).

 

[dannysheff]

I cannot recommend Exposure X7 highly enough - I've been using it for almost 10 years now from version X6. Previously I used Photoshop Classic up to the last stand-alone version (6 ?) and changed to avoid Adobes' subscription model. I've never regretted the choice but did look extensively at GIMP, Darktable, Raw Therapee and other Open source offerings, as well as Topaz, Capture One etc.

The most outstanding feature (for me at least) is the almost totally customisable UI (User Interface). You can choose and exclude tools you want to appear on the interface, their order, how the windows operate etc - and the process of arranging the UI is simple and intuitive. I created a Lightroom Classic type interface in probably less than an hour of relaxed trial and error.

Other Advantages:
. Pay once ( $125 AUD - Australian Dollars) no - subscription
. Will detect your GPU (Graphics Card) and use it for accelerating processing - fast
. Uses your existing file structure as the file library (works like Microsoft File Explorer)
. Stable - I cannot remember it ever crashing in my years of use.

It does have an extensive library of simulation/effects pre-sets that are well-done if you like that sort of thing, but you can ignore them and exclude the tool from your UI if you wish - at the price you pay any unwanted "extras" feel like bonus options rather than bloat.

It hasn't had a new version update for several years now but the developer (used to be Alien Skin I think) still provides intermittent updates for file/camera/lens support.

Link to Exposure X7 here: Exposure X7 creative photo editor and organizer - Exposure Software

Example of my current set-up (tool windows act as tabs that slide in and out from the sides on mouse- over or you can fix in place).

View attachment 4847994

thanks Eckhardt - have you used Exposure to process scans/copies of film/slide? have you used it on raw as well as jpeg?? can you dust/scratch remove while staying in raw? I may go with Exposure unless I get other advice

 

[Godfrey]

Hmm

thanks all again --- looked at info on fastone, gimp and darktable - look fine but like don't need 95% of the offer - thinking all I would need would be the healing brush of adobe -

some of the old scanners had an auto dust scratch removal - that's the main thing, but I do want to be in control - certainly not passing it all over to AI (nothing against that approach for some uses but this is different)

anyone use Exposure? - I tried an older version - once only pay and not expensive but the newer versions seem to want to way over-process for me, and again, I don't need all the extras -

do any of the 'plug-ins' work as a stand alone?

I don't know of any plug-ins which constitute a standalone application.

I scan a lot of negatives, transparencies, and prints. Nearly *all* of them benefit from some amount of image processing ... scanning is never a "lossless" procedure and what you see on screen is almost inevitably slightly different from what you see with a slide projector when discussing transparencies..

In the distant past I used and tested GIMP, darktable, and more than a half dozen other image editing apps and packages. Lightroom Classic is by far the easiest to use and you can use or not use nearly every part of it ... It is an image management app so the one thing you must use is its catalog/file handling system.

Of course, I don't know whether you use macOS or Windows. If you use macOS, or iOS/iPadOS, I'd say if you want to be as minimal as possible in what you do the Photos app works extremely well (and is 100% free) and the Photos add-on named RAW Power gives you everything you could want if you have deeper needs. RAW Power also operates as a standalone app. But this is only available on Apple platforms, to the best of my knowledge.

G

 

[AveryWagg]

I use Vuescan to scan the neg in, then have it hand the pic over to FastStone for simple edits. If I need any more editing I'll use other products..

 

[Freakscene]

GIMP GNU is free and does everything you need. It is a but complicated - it’s basically trying to be a freeware version of Photoshop, but it covers your needs. GIMP

The Nik studio plug-ins work as stand alone software but don’t do what you need, and use a lot if AI, actually large image models, but anyway, they call it AI.

Marty

 

[Dogman]

I've had good results using Lightroom as my only editing software for everything. I scan (when I scan, which is seldom) with a Nikon DSLR and the Nikon ES-2 "digitizer" using a Nikkor macro lens. It's pretty straightforward in LR using slides and B&W negatives. I've never scanned color negative because I've never used negative color film very much.

But LR is subscription. I may not like subscribing but LR is the most intuitive editing software I've ever tried--and I've tried a lot of them.

 

[DownUnder]

Having copied many of my street-shoot half-frame colour slides with a Sony 7R - 36Mp raw, good copying lens, and like the results on-screen, my next step will be to tidy these up --- minimal change - keeping the grain, bright colours, - no "beautification or 'photoshopping'", no sharpening etc, no removing or adding of objects/people, just scratch and dust minimising without losing detail, maybe minor adjustment of overall tone/brightness/contrast and preparation for printing high quality colour A3+ (Epson 800, pigment, have quantity good acid-free paper). --- so I'd like a quality editing tool without any bells/whistles/AI etc, that would keep the resolution, (and I can organise my own file 'library' - I did most of my editing before copying), --- not subscription if poss -- what are your suggestions???? (I use microsoft, reasonably fast 2022 PC)

Good one. This is the way I (finally) learned to scan, after years of overkill, trying to do too much with every image in my vast film archive. Now, decades down the track, when I consider the time I wasted hovering over a PC, adjusting all the little things and trying to vaporize every spot, dust speck, stone or pimple, I wonder why I bothered.

Don't get me started on sharpening. It took me forever to stop this, when a publisher client who was considering my images for a photo spread in a book (which they bought) emailed to say, great images but too sharp, send us original JPEGs. An instant lesson, taught the best way.

With digital, it's a different story. Endless time hovering over my Plustek or Epson flatbed taught me that by far the best adjustments are those you make on the original image, when you make it.

As for PP software, after some effort with the two big boys (= L and P) and an unhappy time with Elements, I went to Faststone in 2012 as mdarnton (#8) did, and I've not looked elsewhere. It's free, it's regularly updated, and it's particularly good for fiddly detailed stuff like RAW to whatever (TIFF, JPEG etcetera) conversions and batch process work. It may not suit everyone, but for me yes, it does what I want. I'm not an expert or an obsessive control freak), so this nice tool suits me fine.

Others have also recommended more free PP 'ware, most are okay. Many of my friends use Raw Therapy and GIimp, and are as happy as clams with those. A lot of choice out there.

So to sum all this up - as I've learned from experience with scanning and PP, doing less is best. KISS.

 

[dannysheff]

thanks downunder - yes agree with you and your whole approach - however in my case I'm not after selling stock images, but may be printing quite a few myself - for this project I want that slide look on paper eventually.

most of my 'editing' has been done before digitizing (ie I threw 90% of the thousands of transparencies in this project, into the bin) - left with about 300 images already sorted into 5 categories - may print about 15 from each, ie up to 300 to do some work on, about 75 to have final tweak and be printed?? (if it's looking good)

then I'll go back to some of my B/W negs but may use enlarger and get wet again

ps to repeat from my original Q, I use microsoft windows - apple might've been better, but there it is, not re-starting

 

[DownUnder]

thanks downunder - yes agree with you and your whole approach - however in my case I'm not after selling stock images, but may be printing quite a few myself - for this project I want that slide look on paper eventually.

most of my 'editing' has been done before digitizing (ie I threw 90% of the thousands of transparencies in this project, into the bin) - left with about 300 images already sorted into 5 categories - may print about 15 from each, ie up to 300 to do some work on, about 75 to have final tweak and be printed?? (if it's looking good)

then I'll go back to some of my B/W negs but may use enlarger and get wet again

ps to repeat from my original Q, I use microsoft windows - apple might've been better, but there it is, not re-starting

Good points. I no longer do my own printing. I've not run any prints from my darkroom (which now mostly sits unloved and unused) or through our home printer (not sure if it still works) for about a decade. So nothing from me about all that. I do know it's a different ball game from 'pure' scanning, with a few significant variables, like watching the dpi settings.

In 2022 at the end of our Covid lockdown I went thru about half my archive of color negatives and slides, and did the same. Gave the chop to a few thousand slides I decided I no longer wanted Being me, I now miss some of those, but I have the big TIFF scans in my maelstrom of photo stuff. Now to find them. Why or what for? Don't ask, please. To look at them again, maybe. And dream an oldie's dreams of times past.

Yes, I do TIFFs. For my best images, I retain the full size image. For lesser pix, I downsize by 50%. To save storage disk space.

Movin' on. Last year I had A3 prints made in Indonesia, from +/- 30 DSLR photos in my archives for a display project here. Images dating to 2009-2016, taken with my Nikons D90-D700-D800. Interesting to note that the best ones in terms of sharpness and good colors were from the D700. Also a Lumix GF1, which held up amazingly well and if viewed from the usual middle distance looked as good as those from the bigger boys.

Which says something. Not sure what, tho'.

 

[Johngwill]

A number of people have suggested FastStone Image Viewer and I have to agree. Although I have several other programs I can use, my go to is FastStone. A while ago I scanned a large number of slides dating back to late 50's - early 60's (Dimage Scan Dual IV) and quite a few needed quite extensive work due to fungus and other issues due to long storage. I used Fast Stone almost exclusively to "fix" the problems.

Here is a scan before and after after processing with FastStone,