Help with Infrared film scans

Anyone have any advice for scanning 35mm infrared films. I am using s canon

4000s scanner and can scan positives with no problem but infrared is very

difficult. The film is mostly overexposed but I never had problems making prints

in the darkroom. The scans look muddy and I can't seem to correct in PS.

Robert,

I'm also interested in getting the most from my IR scans, so I hope others will contribute.

What film are you using? Can you post an example?

I have a Nikon 9000, and have been reasonably pleased with the results. For over or

under-exposed frames I adjust the analog gain to get a good histogram in "Nikon Scan." I

don't know if your Canon scanner has this. Then in PS I use curves to get the image about

where I want it. For grain problems, I have used Noise NInja with some success. I have a

few <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=621466">IR images</a>

posted, and you may want to check them out or comment.

I have a few 690 maco scans here. These are wet drum scans so i had more dmax to play with.

http://www.pbase.com/tammons/infrared_film

I also scan microfilm that is a lot more difficult ro scan. The problem you are having is most likley similar to scanning microfilm on a flatbed. Some of the tonal ranges are so compacted that the software and or scanner cant handle it.

Best thing is to use Vuescan software and scan in image mode or slide mode. Take time to adjust the histogram and get it looking as good as possible without clipping. A wet scan helps too. You are working in reverse so its a bit tedious, but it might help.

I've scanned a fair amount of 35mm and 120 HIE and find that it scans no different than other b&w films. Just like regular films, overexposed or overdeveloped (i.e. dense) negs really are a problem to scan.

I think your problem relates to overexposed films and is unrelated to the fact that they capture some of the infrared spectrum.