ornault

I'd appreciate the Forum's thoughts on this procedure for making digital files from 35mm Black and White negatives. I will be using a 60mm Nikon macro lens with the ES-2 film digitizing adapter on a Nikon D200 set to RAW at ASA 100. In Photoshop post processing I'll duplicate the layer and make an inverse (Ctrl-I) to create a positive from the negative for printing. My questions for which I'm also looking for input/opinions are: 1) Is there any reason to use the normal (color) shooting mode as opposed to using the Black and White effect the camera has built-in and, 2) any suggestions for drawing out highlight and/or shadow details from the negative? Thanks in advance, OA

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

I would suggest a few objective tests. Using some standard paper picture in which all the gray scales are present, take photographs in both camera B&W and color (try with both color spaces sRGB & Adobe RGB). Then compare for B&W fidelity. This will entail some work, but it will have some rewards.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

You’re going to get a black and white copy no matter what mode you use, so stick with RAW.

Adjust your contrast in post. Be sure not to overexpose. And have fun!

BlueMorel Loc: Southwest Michigan

Don't let the camera do the processing. Shoot RAW color, use your post processing to get the best from the image, and in some cases, better, esp if time has not been kind to the negative.

dajanes4

Consider bracketing for maximum dynamic range

BebuLamar

I think the only Nikon can do the processing is the D850. With other camera you will have to do the processing with a PP software.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Lots of info here -

https://www.diyphotography.net/scanned-old-negatives-0-budget-dslr-stuff-home/
https://fstoppers.com/education/how-use-your-dslr-scan-negatives-137248
https://www.scanyourentirelife.com/scanning-your-film-negatives-vs-prints-interesting-comparison/
https://petapixel.com/2012/12/23/why-you-should-digitize-your-film-using-a-camera-instead-of-a-scanner/
http://lifehacker.com/digitize-old-photos-better-with-the-negatives-510606513
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2buwklEqvmU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yLUvYoMUYI

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

When I see these posts, I immediately think of the number of shutter clicks one is about to use on their camera. Film scanners are relatively inexpensive when compared to the cost of a digital camera. Sure if it's one or two, fine. However, when one is looking at a project of several thousand photographs, that can make a difference.
--Bob

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

Agree. Have an old Epson E500 scanner and have converted thousands of legacy B&W, negative, and slide film images going back to the 1970s taken with my first real camera, a Canon AE1. Additionally, I have scanned hundreds of B&W, colorized, and faded color prints going back to the early 1900s. For the 35mm stuff, I use 2400 dpi resolution creating 20mb tiff files. It's amazing how some of these images can be improved with PS.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I've been using an Epson Perfection 3200 since 2001, or so. Weighing the cost of replacing a shutter on a digital camera vs. the cost of a scanner, it's a no brainer.
--Bob

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Layer duplication isn't necessary, but if it makes you feel better...

You may want to invert the curves instead of just using the Control+I command.

Yes, use raw capture. Forget the camera's black-and-white JPEGs. Raw gives you the ability to retain nearly all of the dynamic range — or just the portion you want — from the negative. Do as much correction as you can in ACR before you ever open the image in Photoshop. Keep it in 16-bit mode until you export a JPEG.

You can simply desaturate the image during the conversion.

Final JPEGs are in RGB anyway, so you might as well keep all the tones your sensor saw.

If you do the initial conversion in Lightroom, you can apply black, white, highlight, shadow, and exposure corrections with the ACR sliders there. Lightroom also offers spotting tools, cropping tools, sharpening, noise (grain) reduction, and other controls that allow you to shape an image better than you ever could have in a darkroom.

It helps to have a freshly calibrated and custom-profiled monitor...

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

If shooting in raw, you'll get ALL the data that file contains, shooting in B&W mode (jpeg), will be a strongly compresse file, without a lot of data that you can never get back, but would be very helpful, to get the most out of your images!