How Do You Interpret Viewscan's B&W Histogram

[craygc]

Bob, we may be talking past each other. What I am discussing is a very very simple work flow. Establishing base density takes but a minute for the whole roll.

I agree completely about locking the exposure base. I create a profile for every film I scan and just load it into Vuescan as required. Using Nikon scanners with negs, you are not going to get a full histogram without some levels setting - negs have a max density of around 2.0 and a Nikon scanner far exceeds that.

I find setting the black point through scan exposure works especially well if there is any speckling on the neg - sometimes with pushed film. Setting the black point later stretches out that side of the tonal range and exaggerates the speckling.

Finally, by at least knowing that my black point is fixed in Vuescan, its easier to solve other exposure issues - minimise the variables.

 

[Bob Michaels]

Bob:
Prior to doing anything, I downloaded Kodak, Arista and Fomapan Classic 100 pdfs. I looked at the Massive Development Chart and several other resources, including a number of photographic boards.
Here is one of the images..verticals through head and all, but it wasn't posed..she was playing with her chocolate:

Then I would not worry about the exposure and development of the negs.

More importantly, the file you posted looks good. If they all look like that, keep on doing what you are now doing.