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09/15/2010 11:49:50 AM · #1 |
I recently lost almost all my family pictures but luckily I had the negatives tucked safely. Since they are about 3000+ I am planning to get them scanned instead of getting prints. Recently got few rolls scanned on fuji SP2000 scanner but not too sure about the output. Here are some samples:
 
 
I don't have any experience with negative scans and how they should look, so would appreciate if anyone can provide any insights about the quality of these scans.
1. Is this the way the negative scans look?
2. Is there a better way to do this?
3. How to get rid of the color casts and some scratchy look?
4. Is there a way i can post process all these 3000 negatives quickly ( by some script or action?)
Any help, ideas or expertise will be greatly appreciated :)
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09/15/2010 01:19:14 PM · #2 |
Try hitting them with PS's auto tone and Topaz De-Noise 5 (no idea if that will work, but it's where I'd start.
And if they're all about the same condition, I'd definitely make an action or a droplet and use that. |
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09/15/2010 01:27:25 PM · #3 |
I've never had much luck scanning negatives -- if you do it yourself, you will probably end up doing a few global adjustments. But dedicated film scanners are a lot cheaper and better quality than when I was doing a lot of scanning -- you can probably get a good one for about $200. A couple of other options:
ΓΆ€ΒΆ get 4x6 prints made and scan those -- then you'll have a copy in another format as well.
ΓΆ€ΒΆ if you have a Costco membership, their scans are really cheap and reasonable quality; the ones I got were the equivalent of a 6MP camera (like mine), good for excellent quality 8x10 and adequate for 16x20. Scans are saved to archival (gold) DVD.
ΓΆ€ΒΆ custom quality scans are not always that expensive either -- ScanCafe has a special right now of 29 cents/negative (scanned at 3000dpi -- approx. 13MP equivalent); I'm pretty sure that includes some color correction/adjustment (haven't read their whole "brochure" yet). |
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09/16/2010 12:21:45 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
I've never had much luck scanning negatives -- if you do it yourself, you will probably end up doing a few global adjustments. But dedicated film scanners are a lot cheaper and better quality than when I was doing a lot of scanning -- you can probably get a good one for about $200. A couple of other options:
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Here in New Delhi, i am getting it done dirt cheap just over $1 for a full roll of 35 mm negatives but i just want to make sure that is this way they come out or should i use some better scanner |
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09/16/2010 12:50:21 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
I've never had much luck scanning negatives -- if you do it yourself, you will probably end up doing a few global adjustments. But dedicated film scanners are a lot cheaper and better quality than when I was doing a lot of scanning -- you can probably get a good one for about $200. A couple of other options:
ΓΆ€ΒΆ get 4x6 prints made and scan those -- then you'll have a copy in another format as well.
ΓΆ€ΒΆ if you have a Costco membership, their scans are really cheap and reasonable quality; the ones I got were the equivalent of a 6MP camera (like mine), good for excellent quality 8x10 and adequate for 16x20. Scans are saved to archival (gold) DVD.
ΓΆ€ΒΆ custom quality scans are not always that expensive either -- ScanCafe has a special right now of 29 cents/negative (scanned at 3000dpi -- approx. 13MP equivalent); I'm pretty sure that includes some color correction/adjustment (haven't read their whole "brochure" yet). |
wow Paul, this is a great link...I was just saying to my family that I'd love to "transfer" our negative to CD...and Costco charges 17.99 (.36 each) for the first 50 SLIDES (not negatives, they evidently don't do that yet) then .29 for each additional one...and this company you posted does it all... |
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09/16/2010 02:07:06 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by manish:
Here in New Delhi, i am getting it done dirt cheap just over $1 for a full roll of 35 mm negatives but i just want to make sure that is this way they come out or should i use some better scanner |
I think ScanCafe is so cheap because they are outsourcing the physical scanning to Bangalore ... the person I talked to (in California) seemed very nice and helpful. They have no minimum order -- it's easy enough to send a test order; most of the cost will be in the shipping.
A little light, bright, and flat seems pretty typical for scans from negatives -- I would be tweaking the color with Curves (probably on the RGB and the Blue/Yellow channels), but that's what I do on most of my camera shots as well. Most commercial/professional scans seem to place a priority on not blocking-up the shadows -- the ones you posted look a lot like the ones I've had done at Costco, and I think you could work with them.
I will post examples of how I would process a couple of your images a little later ...
I think you need to process a few the way you would for printing, posting, or whatever you intend, and see if you can get them looking like you want, how much work it is, and if you can apply the same adjustments to batches of pictures, in which case you can write a Photoshop Action (macro) and automate the process.
Originally posted by Ja-9:
Originally posted by GeneralE:
ΓΆ€ΒΆ custom quality scans are not always that expensive either -- ScanCafe has a special right now of 29 cents/negative (scanned at 3000dpi -- approx. 13MP equivalent); I'm pretty sure that includes some color correction/adjustment (haven't read their whole "brochure" yet). |
wow Paul, this is a great link...I was just saying to my family that I'd love to "transfer" our negative to CD...and Costco charges 17.99 (.36 each) for the first 50 SLIDES (not negatives, they evidently don't do that yet) then .29 for each additional one...and this company you posted does it all... |
My local Costco definitely scans negatives -- this was taken in 1982: 
I think scanning an existing roll was only about $3.00. I also took in a roll and got it developed and scanned (but no prints) all at once for five or six dollars. Actually, all negatives you print at Costco are scanned, whether you save them to disc or not. The new printers scan the negative and print from that -- there's no "enlarger" mechanism directly exposing the negative to paper like in a darkroom.
I don't particularly care for Costco's display software which comes on every disc (though it's handy for giveaways), but it's possible to extract the image files themselves to a hard drive and then edit them normally.
ScanCafe is the better deal -- bigger images and individual image correction -- but expect about a six week turnaround; it's really most suitable for big archiving projects like we've been talking about here. Costco is better if you need them sooner and plan to mainly print 8x10 or smaller; of course Costo's print prices are the best.
One apparently unique feature ScanCafe offers is an approval process: once the images are scanned they are posted online for you to preview and approve before they are burned to disk and returned, and you can reject (and not pay for) up to 50% of the scans. |
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09/16/2010 02:55:43 PM · #7 |
Does anyone know if there is a good program or plug-in for Aperture or PS3 that will convert a copied negative into a positive image file. I use a Mac, with OSX 5 if it makes a difference.
I have copied a lot of slides using a Chroma Pro slide copy stand that I found on eBay, and have had good results by using my S3 Fuji, and a Micro Nikkor 55mm lens for the copying. It takes some time to get it right, but it allows you crop as you shoot, and to process the images as camera files, using your normal workflow. Resolution is about the same as or better than the slide film using the procedure and equipment. Here's a sample.
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09/16/2010 08:54:24 PM · #8 |
Bump, for the "other side of the world crowd".
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09/17/2010 03:46:43 PM · #9 |
Thanks Paul for your inputs- bumping again for some ideas in batch processing, my 3000+ scans arrive tomorrow !!
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09/17/2010 04:05:13 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by manish:
Thanks Paul for your inputs- bumping again for some ideas in batch processing, my 3000+ scans arrive tomorrow !! |
I just did a bunch of NEF files to JPEG and knowing me I've probably done it the longest and hardest way possible...but I just worked in small batches of 50-100 pictures at a time and "tweaked" them a little at a time...as a large batch process didn't work well on the overall, so I could "un-do" what I didn't like... |
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09/17/2010 04:32:53 PM · #11 |
It's hard to know how to advise you to process them until you see how "alike" they are in terms of any editing/adjustments needed. You can either write one or more actions if they are quite similar, or save "sets" your adjustments and re-load them as you come across images which can use a set of adjustments.
These are pretty quick edits on a couple of your pictures, making tone, saturation, color and contrast adjustments using Curves only ... but I see colors differently from a lot of people, so I think you should use whatever adjustments you feel comfortable with.Original: Edited: 
Original: Edited:    |
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