first results Canon 8400f flatbed scanner

[Wayne R. Scott]

Frank,

I want to see what this looks like on here. Thanks for letting me play and hopefully learn.

Is your B&W negative c-41 process or traditional b&w?

Wayne

 

[FrankS]

Okay, thanks. I understand I think. I can scan using Photoshop instead of the Canon scanner software, or I can open a previously scanned file with Photoshop.

In the Canon scanner software, the only film settings available are Negative-Colour, and Positive Colour. There is no Negative-B+W. There is Grayscale, but I think that's for opaque scanning, not for film.

Well done Wayne.

Photoshop Elements 2 came with the scanner software as well.

 

[Abbazz]

By scanning directly into Photoshop, you avoid to save the image to a file before editing it. If you work in JPEG, it is important to streamline your workflow, because JPEG is not a lossless format. That means that every time you save an image to a file in JPEG format and then open it again, you degrade the quality a little bit (depending on your "JPEG Quality" setting).

I second TimBonzi's suggestion to switch to the "Advanced" mode for more options. For B&W negs, use B&W setting as Roland suggested and, even better, the "B&W 16 bits" setting. If I remember correctly (I am not at home now), you have to allow for 16 bits scanning in the "Options" dialog box first. You will get twice the dynamic range in 16 bits compared to 8 bits. This will allow you to tweak the image a lot further (for example to correct the exposure) without degrading it.

Cheers,

Abbazz

 

[FrankS]

Thank you for these tips!

 

[Todd.Hanz]

great first scans Frank!

Todd

 

[back alley]

luminous landscapes has some good reading on scanning and photoshop.

 

[ed1k]

get twice the dynamic range in 16 bits compared to 8 bits.

I'm sorry, what's the unit of measurement? It's not twice but much more. Frank, go for 16 bits scanning (or consult your manual if scanner's ADC is actually wider than 8 bit).
Grays 8 bits: from 0 to 255
Grays 16 bits: from 0 to 65535.
16 bit representation gives 256 times wider range than 8 bit per pixel.
For web presentation there was Dave's manual somewhere discussed in this forum - great source for start.
Eduard.

 

[FrankS]

Cool. I used PS Elements, opened the file, cropped, converted to greyscale, and adjusted brightness and contrast. Babysteps, but they lead forward! Like Wayne said, we're old dogs learning new tricks.

 

[back alley]

very good frank.
play with levels too.

there is so much to learn, i need to take a course.

 

[aad]

Frank, if you use Elements 2 (as I do) you won't be able to use 16 bit scans-it will convert them to 8 when you open in Elements. Won't matter none, anyway.

Those look very nice!

 

[w3rk5]

Nice scans Frank. I scan the negs first and then save them. Then I fire up PhotoShop and monkey around with it there.

After what Abbazz said, "By scanning directly into Photoshop, you avoid to save the image to a file before editing it. If you work in JPEG, it is important to streamline your workflow, because JPEG is not a lossless format. That means that every time you save an image to a file in JPEG format and then open it again, you degrade the quality a little bit (depending on your "JPEG Quality" setting)." I think I'll start doing it that way.

Check out this link. It might help with your scanning. I'm new to this stuff also.

http://www.butzi.net/articles/colorscan.htm

 

[ed1k]

Yeah, welcome Frank to the digital world 🙂
This site is not for beginers but anyway I'd like to give a reference here:
http://www.c-f-systems.com/Phototips.html
Through agressive commercials one could see a lot of useful tips and the math behind it.
Eduard.

 

[Abbazz]

I'm sorry, what's the unit of measurement? It's not twice but much more.

Eduard,

Dynamic range is measured using a log scale. The formula is D = log (Io/I), where Io is the intensity of the light falling on the slide (or negative) and I is the intensity of the light transmitted by the slide (or negative).

You will find all the maths and a good explanation of how dynamic range works in analog and digital photography here.

Cheers,

Abbazz

 

[FrankS]

Another , just playing around:

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Frank, if those are 35mm I may have to sell my dedicated 35mm scanner and get myself one of these instead...at least that way I could use the Ansco that I can't seem to sell and show you guys the results. 😛

 

[FrankS]

Hi Steph. They are all 35mm except the 2 ocean/rowboat pics. This is dangerous stuff: gonna keep me up to all hours!

 

[Stephanie Brim]

I'll make the coffee. 🙂

When I got the Scan Dual III I was just thinking 35mm. Now I have the Meopta Flexaret which will soon get the CLA that it needs and the Ansco that Diety seems to want me to keep. I'm going to think about this. I like the results with color AND black and white.

 

[FrankS]

Thank you, Steph. Double milk and sweetener please.

 

[wintoid]

I'm impressed that you've got almost no spots on your negs at all!

 

[Abbazz]

Frank,

Your scans look great.

I use my Canon 8400f for medium format only, but this scanner seems quite capable for 35mm as well... Are these pictures scanned from chromogenic film with FARE on? If they are from silver halide negatives, puhleeeeaaaaaase teach me how to obtain such sharp and grain free pictures without any post processing!

Abbazz