[LargeFormat] Scanning B&W negs in colour

[Pam Niedermayer]

Yes, definitely keep at it, getting high quality scans is not a
trivial effort. If there were any real connection between PS and
scanning software, most likely it was simply the 256 number, since 256
can be represented in 8 bits, or one word on older pc's. These days
words are much longer, of course, but this is the type of thing that
could be held over in pursuit of compatibility.

I've only done a few scans on the Opal, primarily to test out the link
between scanning LF and making enlarged digital negs/digital prints
via Piezography. So far there aren't any particular problems; but it
doesn't make a lot of difference, the Opal is no longer made, and I
think they were few and far between even when in production. 

Pam

Clive Warren wrote:
> ...
> I was a little disappointed with the 4x5 B&W neg. scans carried out
> so far, but I have only tried a couple so it may be the case that
> more experimentation is needed. When the limits of the SilverFast
> software is reached then VueScan may be worth a look if the B&W negs
> are still unsatisfactory.
> 
> My assumption about the Postscript explanation was that the scanner
> manufacturers were attempting to help users by limiting the file size
> given the technology limitations (4 years ago?) of Postscript
> printers for printing out rather than any factor related to the image
> being scanned.  The scanned image could be a neg (more unlikely 4
> years ago on a flat bed) or a photograph/print etc.
> 
> Thanks for pointing out the age of the article.
> 
> Do you get good results scanning 4x5 negs on the Opal Ultra?


-- 
Pamela G. Niedermayer
Pinehill Softworks Inc.
600 W. 28th St., Suite 103
Austin, TX 78705
512-236-1677
http://www.pinehill.com