IT8 target from Wolf Faust - which one to get?

[tomasz_zakrzewski]

I want to make my scanning workflow as efficient as possible. I was

told that I ought to profile my scanner and was adviced to buy an IT8

target from www.targets.coloraid.de (price mattres to me). If this is

the route to take which IT8 target should I buy? I really don't know

why there are different targets made on different films.

I scan with Nikon Coolscan LS-4000ED, mainly with Vuescan but also

with NikonScan. My goal is to get the best result from scans from

negs (Reala, NPH, Fujipress) and also from slides (Provia 100F,

Velvia 100F, Velvia).

If I sort out the filmscanner profiling, I'd also like to profile my

Epson 4870 flatbed scanner for 120 negs and chromes and for scanning

archival prints. Which IT8 target should I look at?

Apart from IT8 profiling do I need to do anything else to get as high

color consistency as possible? My monitor has been calibrated

recently with Eye1. What about ICC profiles, do I need them?

[robert_dermer]

I think Wolf Faust sells a set that includes 6 or so targets for around $75. That might be a good starting point.

[chiswick_john]

I got the set and it works very well ( any will do but teh set is a good investment) - I used this profiling software http://www.aim-dtp.net/aim/calibration/index.htm ( free) as I found Vuescan's profiles far too light. All you have to do is to turn off Nikon colour management and do a profile conversion with each image. The colours are way better than with the stock Nikon conversion.

[roger_smith4]

With Vuescan, it will help you go shoot white cards under daylight (middday sun/or indirect flash) with each type of negative film you use, as IT8 won't help with that. Then right click on the white card to get the color balance for each negative film pretty close to accurate.

[gary m]

---> What about ICC profiles, do I need them?

 

Thomasz - The IT8 targets are used to make an icc profile for your scanner. You scan in the target and use s/w to generate an ICC profile. Vuescan has a utility to create profiles.

 

---> I really don't know why there are different targets made on different films.

 

Each film type and individual scanner produces results that may be inaccurate when compared to the original slide/negative. Since each type of film has different density/color characteristics, ideally you want to create a profile for each type of film.

 

To sum things up, the idea behind creating a profile is as follows.

- Scanners may be inaccurate when it comes to scanning in colors from a film.

- You create a profile by scanning in a known target (IT8); You use software to compare the scanned image to the known colors contained in the target. (The 'known colors' are contained in a file that is shipped with the IT8 target).

- The profiling software (Vuescan for example) will generate a file that accounts for the difference between the known colors and the scanned results. This is your ICC profile.

- Your ICC profile is then used when you scan in one of your negatives or slides. It will convert the inaccuracies in the scanned colors back to what was contained on your original negative (ideally).

 

---> Apart from IT8 profiling do I need to do anything else to get as high color consistency as possible?

 

Working with a calibrated monitor is a good start. If you also do your own prints, then ideally you should have a printer profile for each type of paper you print on.

 

Creating profiles and using them correctly can be a little complicated when starting. I'd suggest getting a book on the subject. 'Photoshop Artistry' by Barry Haynes and Wendy Crumpler has a few chapters on the subject. Good luck!