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Scanning b&w film in color neg mode


ray .

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The photo I'm posting here was shot in 2002, pretty sure on Tri-X (could be Plus-X but not likely). It was scanned on my Nikon Coolscan IV with the Nikon software that was available at the time. I usually scan b&w negs in color mode, because it seems it produces better tonal values.

 

At any rate the tint in the photo here is straight from the raw scan. Normally there's a little tint from my b&w film scanned in color mode but it's much closer to straight black & white. So I may leave as is, or use the b&w layer in photoshop to neutralize it. Often times depending on the neg, that compromises tonal quality- I believe similarly to if it was originally scanned in b&w mode.

 

My question is, what might have produced the strong tint here on the roll this photo is from? Would it be the particular developer used to process the film?

 

Thanks in advance...

 

truck.jpg.cb4d240a829a01ca9d3d5c80eeda2d73.jpg

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Color negative films have a much lower gamma (contrast) than usual for black and white films, which complicates scanning.

 

I don't see a tint in the image shown, but for scanners set for masked color negative film, it could generate a complementary tint for film that doesn't have a mask.

 

Probably best if you do it that way, to convert to black and white after scanning.

 

Otherwise, some films have an actual tint. T-Max films sometimes have residual sensitizing dye, unless fixed longer than otherwise necessary. Normally this isn't a problem.

-- glen

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The tint is likely from the scanner...not the film. I doubt you have/had regularly calibrated film profiles and slopes for your scanner, so the color tint is just an abstract. Likely caused by deviations in the light source multiplied by tiny variations in the film base, etc. Big reason some of the commercial scanners I worked with had $10K software packages for profiling.The fact your scanner was grabbing good scans from conventional B&W film and it 's only a smidge off is the most important thing.
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scott, I use VueScan now so from what you say maybe I'll try scanning something from this same roll using that software and see if there's a difference.

 

B&W film scans from the Nikon software could be either a tad magenta, sometimes a little yellowish, very rarely sepia or brownish as the image above.

 

I'll take a look too at the scans I've done with VueScan since I've used it the last few years and see how accurate they are. From what I recall some may be a smidge off as you say but possibly they're more accurate than the Nikon software produced.

 

VueScan version I'm using is 9.5.32, which has probably been updated several times. It works so I've refrained from updating it. Probably should check into that though.

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I do the same thing, scan my B&W negs in color mode because I get better tones,they are also much easier to work in photoshop. BUT for quality, my scans stink and do need help regardless of which mode I scan in.
The more you say, the less people listen.
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Much of the results depends on the software.

I used to use VueScan and now have ended up using Nikon CoolScan software In both cases I have noticed an occasional "running home to Mama" effect in which the software resets itself to color even when you are trying to scan B&W.

 

As far as I am concerned, it's just one of those unfathomable mysteries of life and photography o_O

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I used to use VueScan and now have ended up using Nikon CoolScan software In both cases I have noticed an occasional "running home to Mama" effect in which the software resets itself to color even when you are trying to scan B&W.

 

Not sure if it helps, but to resolve such issues (I've seen this glitch occassionally), you can store settings, and then retrieve those settings directly from the File menu. Saves a lot of clicking around, especially when using more than 1 scanner with rather different configuration needs.

 

From VueScan, I scan B&W film directly as greyscale. I've tried scanning in colour, but found no advantages while files are a lot larger.

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As stated above, this is likely a result of the scanner software. Your whites are pretty neutral, while the lower-mids and shadows are biased toward red. I would follow Wouter's advice and scan in 16-bit greyscale.
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"My question is, what might have produced the strong tint here...."

 

- Most likely a base tint or remnant anti-halation dye in the negative. I've very rarely seen an absolutely neutral and transparent film base on any processed negative.

 

Why not just use the desaturate tool in PS to remove any tint? Because this minor issue really isn't worth bothering about.

 

If you think that 3 RGB channels can represent more grey levels and

remain neutral, then you're mistaken. Each of the RGB channels (in 48 bit colour) can only have 16 bits representing it - 65535 different shades of Red, Green or Blue + black. Now if the greyscale is to be absolutely neutral, then the RGB channels must track exactly, and so only 65534 shades of grey + white + black can be represented.

 

In other words there is no difference between a true greyscale image shown in 48 bit colour, or in 16 bit grey.

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One solution I found that works in PhotoShop is "REMOVE COLOR." That brings the scaned neg back to neutral B&W tones. Then I can make my adjustments to contrast n brightness. If I want to have a slight tint, I'll use the color temperature to make it warmer or cooler, but that tweak is so very slight.

 

RJ is more than likely correct about the anti halation tint... there is always that little bit of purple (greenish for Foma and ARISTA EDU) that will translate to its opposite color in the positive.

The more you say, the less people listen.
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