darkhorse120
Member
anyone used the Acutol, or Aculux range? There are supposed to be good to obtain negs that are to be scanned.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Never used them but I scan my negs and get great results using D-76, Rodinal, and Tmax Developer. Some films work better with some developers. Tmax 400 looks good in D-76 or Tmax, Tmax 400 looks good in D-76 or Rodinal, Acros looks good in Rodinal, Tmax 3200 and Delta 3200 look good in Tmax, FP-4 looks good in Rodinal or D-76. Tri-X works well in all three but my favorite is D-76. Just my opinions after years of scanning those film in those developers.
Ronald M
Veteran
The secret if you can call it that, is to keep the contrast low. Scanners can not punch thru dense highlights and retain shadows. Generally film that will print well on #2 paper and a condenser enlarger will scan perfectly, Plus X being an exception.
Films that you expose at 1/2 box speed and cut development will get more shadow detail
without blown highlights. I use Tri X @ 200 and D76 1:1. Grain greatly diminishes in the process.
I am currently using TM 100 and 400 at Kodak`s times in J78 publication less 20 % because I use a condenser enlarger, Focomat. The V35 need 1/ 2 to 2/3 grade higher.
My scanner is Konica Minolta 5400 original. The Epson 4780 also works well for web scans etc, not for large prints.
In the past I have used Delta 100 and it scans well. All retained silver films do not scan equally well even if the contrast is correct.
C41 monochrome or color neg are the easiest to scan, but stay away from the high color saturation films. I use Portra. Boost color /contrast etc in photoshop. Scan to capture full tone range and correct color bal, nothing more. Everything else is photoshop.
By scan well, I mean the scanner can capture everything on the film in one pass, shadows to highlights. I can also make two passes, one for shadows,one for highlights and combine in photoshop. This works, but is a royal pain. Avoid at all costs.
Films that you expose at 1/2 box speed and cut development will get more shadow detail
without blown highlights. I use Tri X @ 200 and D76 1:1. Grain greatly diminishes in the process.
I am currently using TM 100 and 400 at Kodak`s times in J78 publication less 20 % because I use a condenser enlarger, Focomat. The V35 need 1/ 2 to 2/3 grade higher.
My scanner is Konica Minolta 5400 original. The Epson 4780 also works well for web scans etc, not for large prints.
In the past I have used Delta 100 and it scans well. All retained silver films do not scan equally well even if the contrast is correct.
C41 monochrome or color neg are the easiest to scan, but stay away from the high color saturation films. I use Portra. Boost color /contrast etc in photoshop. Scan to capture full tone range and correct color bal, nothing more. Everything else is photoshop.
By scan well, I mean the scanner can capture everything on the film in one pass, shadows to highlights. I can also make two passes, one for shadows,one for highlights and combine in photoshop. This works, but is a royal pain. Avoid at all costs.
ianstamatic
Well-known
Xtol works great esp process ed as described by the previous posters, cut time at 24 degrees machine rotary amazingly fine grain and butter smooth tones.
wintoid
Back to film
Acutol was a favourite of mine, but it's no longer available. Aculux is OK, but in the end it didn't offer me anything I couldn't get elsewhere.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
C41, quite honestly. MUCH easier to scan, and no grain aliasing. I'd back XP2 Super every time if you're not wet printing
Cheers,
R.
Cheers,
R.