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Scanning B+W negatives?

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 dek 09 Apr 2014
Anyone got tips on scanning B+W negs that are slightly overexposed , by around a stop?
My results so far are a bit too contrasty, ie the midtones, are not appearing as they do using normal darkroom paper, and Dev style.
(Using iso 125 and 400 film, quality scanner, edit in Pshop 4 and 6, and as 16bit colour neg.
Tried reducing contrast via the scanner's software, but still looking harsh.)
Colour negs, by comparison are a doddle!
 Andy Manthorpe 09 Apr 2014
In reply to dek:

I don't know of a way of improving the scans for your current negs. However are you aware of the Barry Thornton article entitled "Fine negatives automatically" from 1996, in which he discusses two bath development techniques that help reduce overall contrast in the neg and gives the recipe for his particular developer ?

If you'd like me to scan a copy, send me an email.

Andy
OP dek 09 Apr 2014
In reply to Andy Manthorpe:

Thanks Andy, I think I have his book somewhere! The Stoekler 2 Bath formula, is also online.
The negs are okay for normal 'analogue' printing, but just dont scan straightforwardly so far. Annoyingly, very underexposed negs can give surprisingly good results!
Dorq 12 Apr 2014
In reply to dek:
Off the top of my head:

Could you try an auto-setting for denser film, such as positives or b&w neg? Or do a RAW scan?

It is possibly over-development, as slightly overexposed silver negs should not mean much. Underdevelopment actually gives better negs some times, for scanning, which is worth remembering.

Could you try a better scanner? I have a plustek something or other, and it is supposed to be good for silver negs. I tend to use C41 b&w when I think I will be scanning, though, and I am so lazy I just use the epson flatbed more than the plustek even then.

Another idea is using something like Vuescan instead of the bundled software?

Jon
Post edited at 15:26

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