Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: film for scanner  (Read 6021 times)

EinstStein

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 501
film for scanner
« on: May 30, 2016, 11:53:30 am »

I am going to get a nice film scanner, ~5760 DPI, I will pick up film again.
For color, I used to shoot 120 format E6 color slides, for viewing mostly. But with Scanner, would it be a better choice to take C41 instead?
For BW, my favorite were Kodak Verichrome and Tmax, also Agfa ISO 25. What would you suggest for scanner? 
Logged

Slobodan Blagojevic

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 18090
  • When everyone thinks the same, nobody thinks
    • My website
Re: film for scanner
« Reply #1 on: May 30, 2016, 12:11:27 pm »

Agfa Scala was a B&W slide film made, among other things, specifically for scanning.

For color, Ektar 100 ("the finest-grain color negative film with high saturation and vivid colors available on the market") is also made specifically for scanning.

EinstStein

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 501
Re: film for scanner
« Reply #2 on: May 30, 2016, 12:33:12 pm »

I think Ektar 100 will be the ONLY choice if settled on C41. But, is it close enough to replace, say Velvia (E6). I am trying to switch to C41 from E6 for convenience. Here, E6 chemical is much harder to get then C41.
By the way, I want a film that has both 120 and 135 format. The cameras would be XPAN and 6x8 MF. These two cameras can only be used with film. All my other cameras are digitalized.
Logged

donbga

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 454
Re: film for scanner
« Reply #3 on: May 30, 2016, 11:46:27 pm »

I am going to get a nice film scanner, ~5760 DPI, I will pick up film again.
For color, I used to shoot 120 format E6 color slides, for viewing mostly. But with Scanner, would it be a better choice to take C41 instead?
For BW, my favorite were Kodak Verichrome and Tmax, also Agfa ISO 25. What would you suggest for scanner?

For B&W, IMHO, TMAX 400 II developed in TMAX developer is my optimum choice. Why TMAX developer? It yields very fine grain and is long lasting UNMIXED and has a flexible temperature range. Others may disagree. Also please note We are discussing in the context of scanning film not optical enlargement to gelatin silver paper.
 
My 2 cents,

Don Bryant


Logged

EinstStein

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 501
Re: film for scanner
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2016, 12:35:41 am »

i have not tried TMAX+TMAX, but I am very fond of TMAX OR ACROS + PYRACAT-HD OR ORDINAL. Both chemical have almost infinite shelf life. My over 10 years completely darken Rodinal is still good.
For Color films, I am now deciding between Ektar 100 and Velvia 50. It seems Ektar 100 can't be wrong, but it is very new to me. I have a little concern on the visual judgement. Although I am use to BW (negative), color positive is still much easier to use. I guess that is a bad inertia to overcome.
Logged

pw-pix

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 31
    • My Flickr stream
Re: film for scanner
« Reply #5 on: May 31, 2016, 05:45:38 am »

To my mind you'd do better with a lower contrast colour negative film for your colour work. Something along the lines of Kodak Portra.
It has great latitude and is easy to shoot, then it is also easy to scan.
You can always increase saturation and contrast when processing the scanned images, it's harder to go the other way.

For black and white, the newer T grain type emulsions tend to be tuned for scanning, I've had reasonable results from Ilford's Delta range.

donbga

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 454
Re: film for scanner
« Reply #6 on: May 31, 2016, 11:13:21 am »

To my mind you'd do better with a lower contrast colour negative film for your colour work. Something along the lines of Kodak Portra.
It has great latitude and is easy to shoot, then it is also easy to scan.
You can always increase saturation and contrast when processing the scanned images, it's harder to go the other way.

For black and white, the newer T grain type emulsions tend to be tuned for scanning, I've had reasonable results from Ilford's Delta range.
All B&W film/developers have to be tuned for scanning.

Ektar 100 is very scannable as is Portra.
Logged

EinstStein

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 501
Re: film for scanner
« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2016, 11:53:22 am »

Can anyone upload some scanned EKTAR photo?
I found some Velvia 50 vs Ektar 100 review on the web, but apparently the scan is done by an amateur. Need white balance etc.
Logged

DanielStone

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 664
Re: film for scanner
« Reply #8 on: June 02, 2016, 05:25:30 pm »

To the OP,

MOST amateurs(and even a good number of professionals, even those who shot film) have ZERO clue on how to properly balance film scans, even digital files... Ektar 100 WAS designed with digital post-processing in-mind, as were the Portra 160 and 400 films.

I use Ektar 100, Portra 400(very "pushable" up to 1600ASA, albeit with loss of natural saturation and a ramped-up contrast level, personal testing is recommended in this case).
Personally, I expose my film as if I were planning to optically print in the darkroom(which I still do, when given the chance). Darkroom contact sheets(for me at least) prove to be a very suitable way of quickly editing from a roll of shot film. A great, high quality loupe and a properly made contact sheet, in daylight balanced light, it's EASY to sort through which frame is best. All of this without needing to scan every frame.

Ektar 100 has been called "too blue" from many people, again, people who have NO CLUE on how film "sees" light, compared to how our eyes fool us. Film is balanced for a specific color temperature, where as our eyes can adjust to a certain degree.

In most blue-sky conditions, with Ektar 100, I am using AT LEAST an 81A filter, however, sometimes when it's direct sun, and totally blue sky conditions, an 81B filter will work better. This helps to cancel out the "blue" conditions. It also aids in bringing the color temperature of the SHADOWS(which are "cooler" in color temperature anyhow) most.

Having a well balanced, properly exposed/developed negative helps leaps and bounds in the darkroom, but also when scanning.

Personal testing is recommended, but I highly recommend picking up some high quality glass filters to use with Ektar 100, because when well done, it's a superb film, capable of tremendous, COLOR ACCURATE results. Portra has a "softer" curve than Ektar, but it was designed with the portrait/wedding photographer mostly in mind, where as Ektar was designed to be saturated(some say too much, I say actually quite accurate in it's response curve across the entire spectrum).

-Dan
Logged

Alan Klein

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 15850
    • Flicker photos
Re: film for scanner
« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2016, 06:30:31 pm »

I like Velvia 50 over Velvia 100.  I tried Ektar 100 but found it harder to adjust after scanning. Also you never know what you got with negative color.  It's easy with slide film.   I use Tmax 100 for BW and it scans pretty easily.  I use a V600 scanner.  Try a roll of each to decide what you like.   Good luck.
Ektar 100 https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanklein2000/11488097275/in/photolist-ivav5F-921J4V-921JgH-924Ra7-921HSF-91dyW9-91dySy
Velvia 50 https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanklein2000/tags/velvia/
Tmax 100 https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanklein2000/tags/tmax100/

EinstStein

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 501
Re: film for scanner
« Reply #10 on: June 02, 2016, 11:44:51 pm »

Thanks, beautiful pictures.
Most Ektar 100 picture found on the web has a kind of yellowish, less clarity, feeling,  sort of ... polaroid dye transfer characteristics. Unfortunately I don't like it. (don't mean it is bad).
Your Ektar 100 picture shows the least clue of that.

I like Velvia 50 over Velvia 100.  I tried Ektar 100 but found it harder to adjust after scanning. Also you never know what you got with negative color.  It's easy with slide film.   I use Tmax 100 for BW and it scans pretty easily.  I use a V600 scanner.  Try a roll of each to decide what you like.   Good luck.
Ektar 100 https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanklein2000/11488097275/in/photolist-ivav5F-921J4V-921JgH-924Ra7-921HSF-91dyW9-91dySy
Velvia 50 https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanklein2000/tags/velvia/
Tmax 100 https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanklein2000/tags/tmax100/
Logged

EinstStein

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 501
Re: film for scanner
« Reply #11 on: June 02, 2016, 11:46:50 pm »

Why do you use 81A filter on the camera? can't it be done in the post processing. such as white balance?



To the OP,

MOST amateurs(and even a good number of professionals, even those who shot film) have ZERO clue on how to properly balance film scans, even digital files... Ektar 100 WAS designed with digital post-processing in-mind, as were the Portra 160 and 400 films.

I use Ektar 100, Portra 400(very "pushable" up to 1600ASA, albeit with loss of natural saturation and a ramped-up contrast level, personal testing is recommended in this case).
Personally, I expose my film as if I were planning to optically print in the darkroom(which I still do, when given the chance). Darkroom contact sheets(for me at least) prove to be a very suitable way of quickly editing from a roll of shot film. A great, high quality loupe and a properly made contact sheet, in daylight balanced light, it's EASY to sort through which frame is best. All of this without needing to scan every frame.

Ektar 100 has been called "too blue" from many people, again, people who have NO CLUE on how film "sees" light, compared to how our eyes fool us. Film is balanced for a specific color temperature, where as our eyes can adjust to a certain degree.

In most blue-sky conditions, with Ektar 100, I am using AT LEAST an 81A filter, however, sometimes when it's direct sun, and totally blue sky conditions, an 81B filter will work better. This helps to cancel out the "blue" conditions. It also aids in bringing the color temperature of the SHADOWS(which are "cooler" in color temperature anyhow) most.

Having a well balanced, properly exposed/developed negative helps leaps and bounds in the darkroom, but also when scanning.

Personal testing is recommended, but I highly recommend picking up some high quality glass filters to use with Ektar 100, because when well done, it's a superb film, capable of tremendous, COLOR ACCURATE results. Portra has a "softer" curve than Ektar, but it was designed with the portrait/wedding photographer mostly in mind, where as Ektar was designed to be saturated(some say too much, I say actually quite accurate in it's response curve across the entire spectrum).

-Dan
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up