Film conversion for digital editing (Page 2): 24-bit is a fancy way of saying 8-bit across 3 color channels - Red, Green, Blue. "48-bit" is the same idea, 3 x 16 = 48. PPI

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

terryMc wrote:

I don't where that comes from, but my basic EpsonScan software outputs 24 or 48-bit tiffs in sRGB or Adobe RGB at up to 12800 ppi. You can also scan to jpeg or bitmap files if you have any reason to do that.

24-bit is a fancy way of saying 8-bit across 3 color channels - Red, Green, Blue. "48-bit" is the same idea, 3 x 16 = 48. PPI - as in Pixel Per Inch - is a calculated value, dependent on the target printed output. It's been a while since I've used my Epson V600 scanner. My notes say how to set the target pixel resolution. But, that's an absolute pixel size (length x width), the only thing that applies to pixel-based image files.

terryMc Loc: Arizona's White Mountains

A. T. wrote:

I have a company (Canlas Photography the FindLab) ... (show quote)

I can certainly understand the reluctance to buy more equipment, but my personal take on this is that processing the negatives into prints is at least half the joy of shooting film. I haven't had a darkroom in about 20 years, and have no place here to put one, but I still like turning my negatives into finished pictures myself, so scanning is the way now. I send the film in for 'develop only' and then just pick out the best to scan and edit. I don't pay to scan something that I won't use, and I never use them all.

Another reason for doing it myself is I can scan tiffs and not have to accept a jpeg because tiffs are too big for email.

Of course long before digital not everyone developed and printed their own film, either, so there is no requirement to do that now. I just enjoy making the image all the way from start to finish, myself.

A. T.

terryMc wrote:

I can certainly understand the reluctance to buy m... (show quote)

I certainly understand and I'm in the same boat, not having the room for a darkroom. I'm going to ask if they can mail the tiffs to me via the postal service. I really would love to be able to edit those scans in Lightroom. Thanks for responding and the information.

terryMc Loc: Arizona's White Mountains

CHG_CANON wrote:

24-bit is a fancy way of saying 8-bit across 3 color channels - Red, Green, Blue. "48-bit" is the same idea, 3 x 16 = 48. PPI - as in Pixel Per Inch - is a calculated value, dependent on the target printed output. It's been a while since I've used my Epson V600 scanner. My notes say how to set the target pixel resolution. But, that's an absolute pixel size (length x width), the only thing that applies to pixel-based image files.

Yeah, a fancy way of saying trillions of colors, millions of colors or 256 colors.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

A. T. wrote:

I certainly understand and I'm in the same boat, not having the room for a darkroom. I'm going to ask if they can mail the tiffs to me via the postal service. I really would love to be able to edit those scans in Lightroom. Thanks for responding and the information.

In the very unlikely event they'll take on a one-off request they don't offer to any other customers, look at their price quote compared to purchasing a scanner.

bw79st Loc: New York City

I scan my old media to DNG files on my Epson V700 flatbed for prints and on my Canon FS4000 film/slide scanner by using Vuescan software from Hamrick. Vuescan has the built in option to produce DNG format images. That's as close as I can get to RAW scans and the files are recognized by Photoshop / Lightroom / ACR.Wordle 975 4/6

I would guess a good quality flatbed would scan your negs nicely and Vuescan would save them as DNG files. I've scanned 120 negs from an old Minolta Autocord and they look great.

A. T.

CHG_CANON wrote:

In the very unlikely event they'll take on a one-off request they don't offer to any other customers, look at their price quote compared to purchasing a scanner.

So in essence I would have the film developed and scan the negatives correct? Now in doing it that way, would I be able to load the scans into Lightroom?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

A. T. wrote:

So in essence I would have the film developed and scan the negatives correct? Now in doing it that way, would I be able to load the scans into Lightroom?

Yes, they're JPEGs, or TIFF, or DNG, just like any pixel-based image file that LR accepts as import files. You might balance a back-lit setup for using your digital camera and macro lens vs a flat-bed scanner. Those 'negative picture' files could then be your camera's RAW. I've found the flatbed scanner is a more efficient process, but maybe your camera 'picture' is a higher resolution result with more 'potential' in the final edited image. Like most either-or UHH topics, you'll get proponents of either process.

A. T.

CHG_CANON wrote:

Yes, they're JPEGs, or TIFF, or DNG, just like any... (show quote)

I'm so glad I spoke with you on this because I totally forgot that my wife purchased an Epson V600 scanner to convert old 35mm negatives.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

A. T. wrote:

I'm so glad I spoke with you on this because I totally forgot that my wife purchased an Epson V600 scanner to convert old 35mm negatives.

Well, that's a great development. My experience with a V600 seems to be getting 'old'. I only used the original Epson software when researching / developing and running with these scan settings: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-689142-1.html

I'd certainly investigate just increasing the target pixel resolution to 4800x6379 for a roughly 30MP scan of your medium format negatives. Do a bit of trial and error to get the 'right' (exact) target pixels for the exact size of your negatives (645 v 6x6 v your exact negative aspect).

terryMc Loc: Arizona's White Mountains

A. T. wrote:

I'm so glad I spoke with you on this because I totally forgot that my wife purchased an Epson V600 scanner to convert old 35mm negatives.

That (V600 Photo) is what I've been using for several years now. The free EpsonScan software works fine for me, but if you want to pop for VueScan or Silverfast or another premium program, you may have more options and they all support the V600. Be sure she saved the film holders. There are holders for 35mm negs and mounted slides, and medium format, It doesn't come with 4x5 or 8x10 film holders.

I see no benefit to scanning to DNG or using a camera to get a raw file, as the film latitude is baked in. You're not likely to get more dynamic range from a raw file than the neg or transparency already has.

terryMc Loc: Arizona's White Mountains

I see that VueScan for the V600 has an option to scan Raw...Save to JPG, PDF, TIFF, OCR, RAW. I can't imagine how you would benefit from that.

A. T.

CHG_CANON wrote:

Well, that's a great development. My experience wi... (show quote)

Thanks a bunch Paul, you've ALWAYS been a great help. I will take notes of this information to use when my beauty arrives on Monday.

A. T.

terryMc wrote:

That (V600 Photo) is what I've been using for seve... (show quote)

Thanks a bunch my friend. I will definitely get the silverfast.....I've been watching YouTube videos on silverfast.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

A. T. wrote:

Thanks a bunch Paul, you've ALWAYS been a great help. I will take notes of this information to use when my beauty arrives on Monday.

Glad to help. I usually have my film scanned when developed. And, I batch up a bunch of rolls for processing all at once, such as the 15-rolls from almost 2 years of shooting I got back late in 2023. Other than copying onto my hard drive and backup, they've sat unused since. The past few days, and most of today, I worked through everything from 2 years of the Chicago airshow. Results are interesting once I get into all the various planes, helicopters and boats, all editing done in LR Classic against 17MP JPEG scans.