B&W with Nikon 9000?

[peter_bongard]

Hi!

I just got the Nikon 9000 Film Scanner and experienced some highlight-clipping

with the Nikon Scan-Software and B&W-Film. On my previous model (Minolta Elite

5400) I scanned them as 16bit Linears and converted them via Silverfast HDR

(which I still own). Is there a way to scan 16bit Raws in the Nikon Scan-

Software? I tried scanning the Negs as Positives, but the image came out waaay

too dark. Any solution for this?

[robert_ardinger]

I have a Nikon 9000 and an older Canon 4000 (35mm). I use the Nikon/Canon software and Vuescan. I did a lot of experimenting in the past with different techniques , software settings for the Canon 4000 and B&W. I end up using Viewscan with the Canon 4000 and with this combo I usually scan B&W as a positive.

 

 

I have not had much time to work all the angles of the 9000 but using Nikon Scan and scanning as a monochrome negative I can get clipping and just adjust the curve to place all values in range (based on the preview scan) then scan, 16 bits, using 2 to 4 passes (not sure if it make a difference). I try for a fairly flat scan that when opened in PSCS2 will not reach either end of the scale (will be close if I can manage it ). I can then adjust in PSCS2. I was not happy at all with Nikon Scan and B&W when scanning the B&W negative as a positive.

 

 

A recent 9000 scan of an Xpan negative:

 

 

http://www.ardingerphoto.com/rometables.jpg

[mikal_grass]

Peter, I too just got the 9000 and was thinking about posting questions regarding the proper

way to scan black and white negatives. Thank you for posting. If I may embarass myself for

a second, what is highlight clipping?

[richam]

I assume your ICE is turned off for silver based films. I've found the best solution to the

clipping problem is to use the analog gain adjustment to make sure you have all the

highlights/shadows represented in the histogram. In the case of extremely contrasty

negatives, several scans with different analog gain settings can be used to get a good

representation of all areas of the negative in two different images. Then they can be

combined in PS. I use Fred Miranda's Dynamic Range Increase (DRI) for combining the

images.

[peter_bongard]

Yes, ICE is turned off. I'd like to try the Negative as Positive-Technique but didn't find out yet how to do it correctly: When converted in Silverfast HDR or PS CS2, the image comes out way too dark. Does this have to do with my Gamma-Setting (2.2)?

Peter

[richam]

I've tried the negative as positive method, but did not see any advantage to it. Again, the

analog gain adjustment in Nikon scan seems to me the best way to get normal images and

reduced clipping, regardless of whether you are scanning as a negative or positive.

[jtk]

I found Nikonscan & silver film benefitted by neg-as-pos (scan the negative as if it was a slide and invert in Photoshop), but Vuescan doesn't need that extra step and I like its front end better anyway.

[jtk]

Just to underline a point, the neg-as-pos trick with Nikonscan and the concern with Ice have to do with SILVER film, the manly man's film...it's not relevant to that wussy, grainless C-41 stuff :-)

[peter_bongard]

@Robert: Nice Pictures. What is your exact Workflow?

Peter

[eric friedemann]

John, with my 8000, when I scan "SILVER" film, I certainly can't use Digital ICE. Given that the film I'm scanning is primarily 120 in a glass film holder, I have to contend with static-induced dust on two sides of a piece of film and four sides of glass. As such, I spend an absurd amount of time spotting dust.

 

 

Setting that not-inconsiderable problem aside, the other issue is that my traditional B&W negatives often have a significatly longer tonal scale than the scanner is able to reproduce- i.e. if you defeat "highlight-clipping," you lose shadow detail and vice versa. Of course, you can blend two exposures, but this isn't a perfect solution.

 

 

You're welcome to regard C-41 B&W emulsions as chick films, but they allow the use of Digital ICE. Also, their tonal ranges more closely approximate those which scanners are capable of digesting.<div></div>

[roger_smith4]

The advantage of "neg as positive" is that it fools the scanner into using all of its dynamic range, as slides and B&W need it, but C-41 doesn't.

You should be able to scan as positive, set white/black points using levels in PS and then invert. You'll probably need a curves adjustment as well. I've found no benefit to this when using Vuescan-it wastes my time and the end result is pretty much the same as scanning as a B&W negative with WP/BP set to zero%.

 

Try playing with analog gain and disabling autoexposure as well (I don't use a Nikon, but heard this helps you keep the highlight detail).

[jtk]

Eric, I understand your points. I don't think you'd have those dust problems with a wet mount carrier.