The scanner thread

[Freester]

Normally there is a setting with in the scanner software that you set so when you scan a Neg you will get a positive image. No need to invert.

Mine systems scan straight to TIFF, then will change the size to what ever I want, still retain as a TIFF then work on it in PS if need be.

The orginal scanned Tiff is usally saved as well.

I only save as a JPEG if I am going to upload to the web.

Thanks for that. I missed this originally but a more detailed read of this thread and few others led me to believe this was the case. So just to be 100% certain...

The scanner s/w will scan the neg, and also invert (if required) and also upsize for PP?

 

[Knikki]

The scanner s/w will scan the neg, and also invert (if required) and also upsize for PP?

Upsize for PP?

Hmm not sure about that one. I always scan 100% so a 35mm neg comes out 24mmx36mm likewise a 120 will come out 6cm x 6cm.
When in Photoshop I resize for printing etc.

For example

If I scan on the Nikon a 35mm neg/slide scanned @ 2900dpi set to 100% gives me a 58Mb Tiff file

If I left the dpi at 2900 and changed the size to say 5x7 for printing then it gives me a 2Gb file size which is WAY to much info for the machine to handle.

TBH sizes, dpi, ppi etc confuse the hell out of me :bang:

I think if I dropped the scanning to 300dpi then I may be able to print straight out .

Maybe someone else could chip in?

 

[Freester]

Fair enough - when it comes to dpi I start getting confuzzled. I think it's one of those things I'll understand better once I've got my hands on. Just need to decide on a budget for a scanner now...

 

[joxby]

The scanner s/w will scan the neg, and also invert (if required) and also upsize for PP?

You're choice is usually a film type, if you select b/w neg, it will scan and automatically invert, same with colour neg, slides are a positive image so it won't invert them obviously.
You need to tell it what the film is before you scan.
Scan at max res tiff and use that as a proof for any edits you need to make in photoshop.....then reduce res/filesize/dimensions for whatever its use is, if necessary.
300dpi is the minimum generally for magazine publication, if you scanned a 6x6 slide, that's 60mmx60mm @ 300dpi, it would be acceptable but would look kinda lost on the front page of an A4 size/type magazine.
To end up with an image A4 sized @ 300dpi, you must scan that 6x6 at a much greater dpi than 300.

Does that do anything ?

If I scan on the Nikon a 35mm neg/slide scanned @ 2900dpi set to 100% gives me a 58Mb Tiff file

If I left the dpi at 2900 and changed the size to say 5x7 for printing then it gives me a 2Gb file size which is WAY to much info for the machine to handle.

Because you increased the physical size of the image from 24mm x 36mm to 130mm x 180mm or there abouts, that's 5 times bigger than the original at the same 2900 dpi.

 

[Knikki]

Thanks Joxby, I knew someone would know abit more than me

 

[Kev M]

Are we not confusing dpi and ppi here. I know there's a difference with regards to printers and ussumed the same with regards to scanners.

 

[will69]

Well just ordered myself a epson V500 scanner. Give me something to do on those long wet weekends ahead in the winter months.

 

[will69]

Found a very useful explanation for everything to do with dpi, ppi etc....

http://www.scantips.com/

His criticism of flat bed film scanners is a bit out of date as the underpinning resolution of these devices has more than trebled. Although his explanations are very good.

 

[stellarbeam]

I'm a little confused about flatbed scanners for the use of scanning negs. Does this mean you can use any flatbed scanner to scan negs? or only certain types? Also if you can then how would you go about fixing a scaned neg up in a photo software program...negs are all orangey brown and photos...well aren't *scratches head*

 

[ekimeno]

I'm a little confused about flatbed scanners for the use of scanning negs. Does this mean you can use any flatbed scanner to scan negs? or only certain types? Also if you can then how would you go about fixing a scaned neg up in a photo software program...negs are all orangey brown and photos...well aren't *scratches head*

You can't scan film in an ordinary flatbed scanner. It needs to have a light strip in the lid to light up the other side of the scanned film, otherwise it will come out unusable. Most flatbeds nowadays come with this light strip in the lid anyway, but definitely check first before buying one.

 

[stellarbeam]

You can't scan film in an ordinary flatbed scanner. It needs to have a light strip in the lid to light up the other side of the scanned film, otherwise it will come out unusable. Most flatbeds nowadays come with this light strip in the lid anyway, but definitely check first before buying one.

Ah righty, my regular scanner doesn't have a light in the lid. A scanner is now another thing to ad to my list of wants