Problems with lab scans - oversharpened?

[sjackal]

For casual shots trying out new cam/lens/film, I usually use the cheaper lab scans, (important work I send to Kingston).

I am wondering have you guys noticed similar problems with lab scans in that its always over sharpened? The grain gets sharpened so bad that is ugly and human skin blemish and wrinkles were all badly enhanced with the sharpening. I like film for its softer look but the sharpening is destroying the very look I want.

The lab I use is Triple D. Wondering if other labs are the same?

Also wondering does the labs do auto-color correction? Noticed sequence shots had slight different colors.

 

[Jollin]

read this thread..

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/rangefinders/872210-grains-over-sharpening-2.html

 

[Octarine]

All rolls which I sent to various labs here in SG were all over sharpened. To the point of looking really screwed. That's why I got my own scanner. Not that it's easier, but at least I have full control and I don't waste money for trash can results which I only see after paying.

 

[newghost]

You can have the best lens, best body, perfectly exposed frame but where's the bottleneck? a bad scan! A good scanner is essential and its well worth the investment!

 

[NazgulKing]

Most of the commercial labs here don't do a decent job scanning. In the end, I do my own. Currently I use the Canoscan 9000F, and I am really.. looking to get rid of it eventually.

 

[sjackal]

Thanx Jolin, it was an informative thread.

Thinking of getting a scanner, but just don't have time to scan. Guess its a compromise and fact of life.

 

[sjackal]

Most of the commercial labs here don't do a decent job scanning. In the end, I do my own. Currently I use the Canoscan 9000F, and I am really.. looking to get rid of it eventually.

Why want to get rid of your 9000F? No good? Or you going for those dedicated 135 format scanners?

 

[pikapig]

I think they max contrast sharpen everything by default.

 

[NazgulKing]

Why want to get rid of your 9000F? No good? Or you going for those dedicated 135 format scanners?

9000F is good enough for web. But the actual resolution is pretty low. I read one review saying it's comparable to a 3MP camera.

I am thinking of either a Plustek 9600i or a Epson v700 (or whatever new scanner that comes within the next 6mths).

 

[sjackal]

9000F is good enough for web. But the actual resolution is pretty low. I read one review saying it's comparable to a 3MP camera.

I am thinking of either a Plustek 9600i or a Epson v700 (or whatever new scanner that comes within the next 6mths).

I think I will read a few reviews and decide on one too, not sure yet.

 

[Shahrie]

I have been using the 9000F for scanning photos for few months now and i didnt know how sharp my collapsible cron was until a week ago when i use it on the GXR.

So either, all along i have been scanning wrongly or it is the flatbed scanner which gives my photos soft and unsharp look.

Does dedicated gives better scan or its just my scanner?

 

[sjackal]

I tried the self "scan" with DSLR like Tikiman did.

Self 'Scan' with DSLR image top pic.
Frontier/Noritsu scan from Triple D center pic
100% crop of DSLR "Scan" bottom pic, cropped at right side sprockets, grain pattern visible.
Original photo shot using Nikon F5 film camera with 85mm f/1.8 AF lens on Fuji 800 NPZ professional film. Was really time consuming with adjusting colors, was hard to get it close what I got from the Frontier or Noritsu machines. And it leaves me wondering, what are the real colors of film stock? What achieved here is a bigger file with more details, but color and tonality wise, its a tedious process.

1) Z-96 LED light panel (video light).
2) Piece of white printing paper.
3) Use the diffuser panel that comes with the Z-96 light, place it over the paper, it will snap into place with its magnet.
4) I really need a smooth surface to avoid texturing the image, since the negative is transparent, obviously. I will find a way if I got time in future.
5) Lay negative on top.
6) Try to make it flat, ie; weight it down by the sides.
7) D700 with 105mm Macro lens.
8) ISO200, f/8, 1/60sec.
9) Try shooting as straight down as possible, to minimize distortion.
10) Photograph the negative. Yeah with the sprockets too to be cool.
11) Beauty of this is that you have control here, if your negative is too dense, you have option to 'develop' for the highlights by exposing digitally for it, and ignore the blacks and let it clip. In other words you can compensate based on your judgement instead of letting a scanner control.
12) Download the file photo editor.
13) RAW file processing and cropping in Lightroom 3.
14) Export to Photoshop as 16 bit TIFF.
15) Invert the file from Negative to Positive.
16) Colors will be way way off and out.
17) Curves control to balance and adjust color back to normal and remove any tint, you may need several layers of adjustments.
18) Adjust tonality, bring back your highlights, correct contrast, whatever.
19) Save the file and go back to Lightroom 3.
20) Export the file.
21) If you are still with me, congrats.

 

[NazgulKing]

I have been using the 9000F for scanning photos for few months now and i didnt know how sharp my collapsible cron was until a week ago when i use it on the GXR.

So either, all along i have been scanning wrongly or it is the flatbed scanner which gives my photos soft and unsharp look.

Does dedicated gives better scan or its just my scanner?

Depends. The Plustek 9600i is slightly better than the v700. Past that, the costs start to go up and one had to wonder if one is better off with a digital camera.

Some scanners cost as much as a M8 or M9. If one is really obsessed about resolution, a Pentax 645D?

 

[Yoricko]

Lab scans are ****. Fin.

 

[hydroburn249]

quote for truth. one never knows the "real" colors of the film. so many variables.

*snip*

Was really time consuming with adjusting colors, was hard to get it close what I got from the Frontier or Noritsu machines. And it leaves me wondering, what are the real colors of film stock?

*snip*

 

[NazgulKing]

The truth is that in this day and age with photoshop, the tonality of color film etc. is tweakable. There is some degree of baseline color (if you use scanning software like Vuescan and Silverfast), but after that, the colors can be tweaked as you like.

 

[sjackal]

But then again, even in the days of film, with the same negative, prints from one lab using Afga paper can differ greatly from another lab using Kodak paper and so on. I remember I get a bit more muted colors and green shadows with the lab using Afga and more vibrant and reddish tint and skintones from the lab using Kodak... So I guess as its fair to say tweak to your preferences.

 

[DeepOne]

9000F is good enough for web. But the actual resolution is pretty low. I read one review saying it's comparable to a 3MP camera.

I am thinking of either a Plustek 9600i or a Epson v700 (or whatever new scanner that comes within the next 6mths).

Is the Plustek 9600i an upcoming model, or was it the 7600i?

 

[NazgulKing]

Is the Plustek 9600i an upcoming model, or was it the 7600i?

7600i