Scanning print film, arghhh

[marbrink]

Get as much information in the original scan as possible. Don't bother with settings that much in the scanning software, just try to get as much information as possible.
Take the picture to Photoshop. Set shadows to 20, gray to 133 and highlights to 244 under options in levels. Use threshold to find the darkest and the brightest points in your picture and take samples of them. Go to levels or curves and set these samples as the black and white points. You'll now have more range in your picture but less contrast. Try to find a good gray point and set that one. Might have to play around a while to find a good gray point, but usually it's very easy. If you don't think the picture needs more contrast you're now done, otherwise go to curvers or contrast and adjust the contrast.
This method works 99% of the times.

Good luck!

 

[jaffa_777]

Here is the photo from using HDR. Not sure which one I like better. The changes are subtle but I managed to remove the yellow color cast out of the timber. HDR workflow is definately better.

 

[Xmas]

With wet chems one had to photo a grey card on each film at a shoot and print using a round (set of graduated filters) pick the nearest to grey...

It is easier with digital but you still may need to waste a frame.

Noel