Scanning Negatives Help

[char]

Scanning some negatives for a poster for a school project. The poster might end up being quite large so I need a little help on some of this scanning stuff.

Using a Super Coolscan 4000 with VueScan software.

What do I need to set the scan resolution to? I can go all the way up to 4000.

Also, do I need to keep the .tif or can i go straight to .jpg?

Edit: I'm not really interested in creating a super-high quality pic. I just need to be able to present it to a few enviro-science people briefly then they will all be trashed.

[Lurch]

I've never had much luck scanning negatives to make large copies. I have had better luck getting them blown up at a photo store then scanning the print.

[char]

I've never had much luck scanning negatives to make large copies. I have had better luck getting them blown up at a photo store then scanning the print.

Probably not going to be a super large print....just don't want it to look like crap. I can get a much much better scan with the negative scanner than the flatbeds at school.

[Lurch]

Also, do I need to keep the .tif or can i go straight to .jpg?

Don't go to jpg until you are done editing the image and then only use it if file size is at a premium. jpg is a lossy compression format so every time you save the image with jpg you are losing information that you can never get back.

[The AD]

Scan at the max resolution unless there's some reason not to (i.e. too big to edit, etc). Personally, I'd scan to a tiff. That way you can edit the scan without loss, then save to a jpeg when you're done with that, or just keep it as a jpeg.

I use Vusecan at home and it works well for me. It does a pretty good job "choosing" the correct colors, brightness, contrast kind of stuff.

[Lane Meyer]

Since I do this semi-professionally, I might have some advice for you.

Super CoolScan 4000 = good shit. You should be able to do pretty much whatever you want with a file at this res.

Assuming you have the disc space, scan your neg at 4,000 dpi at 100% size, i.e. ~35mm. Again, assuming you have space, avoid JPEG as it is lossy. Stick with TIF, and ensure you specifiy the appropriate byte order (IBM vs Mac).

If it's a B&W neg, do NOT use Digital ICE, it will screw up the scan horribly. You have to remove the dust manually. If it is color, and you have access to ICE, by all means use it. Some others might chime in here, but I have been very pleased with the algorithm's ability to filter out the inevitable dust and scratches. Seems that no matter how anal you are at archiving your film, these show up in droves anyway.

Once you have your file, take it in Photoshop, and play with the levels and contrast and whatever else you have to do to match the original. Use Adjustment Layers to do this for easy backtracking. Helps to have a good traditional 4x6 or 5x7 print around, and the usual rules about low ambient light, monitor calibration, etc.

I've had success in the studio I work at (granted with occasional use of Genuine Fractals and accepting some moderate "artistic" grain levels), at printing 35mm scans from 4,000 dpi at up to 24x60".

edit - I re-read your goals. Hmm, shoot for ~280-300 dpi PRINT resolution at final size. Obviously, if you start with a 175 MB 4,000 dpi scan, this is no problem, but that might even be too much...again, if you have the space, why not start with 4,000 and coarsen it down in Photoshop prior to printing.

[char]

Since I do this semi-professionally, I might have some advice for you.

Super CoolScan 4000 = good shit. You should be able to do pretty much whatever you want with a file at this res.

Assuming you have the disc space, scan your neg at 4,000 dpi at 100% size, i.e. ~35mm. Again, assuming you have space, avoid JPEG as it is lossy. Stick with TIF, and ensure you specifiy the appropriate byte order (IBM vs Mac).

If it's a B&W neg, do NOT use Digital ICE, it will screw up the scan horribly. You have to remove the dust manually. If it is color, and you have access to ICE, by all means use it. Some others might chime in here, but I have been very pleased with the algorithm's ability to filter out the inevitable dust and scratches. Seems that no matter how anal you are at archiving your film, these show up in droves anyway.

Once you have your file, take it in Photoshop, and play with the levels and contrast and whatever else you have to do to match the original. Use Adjustment Layers to do this for easy backtracking. Helps to have a good traditional 4x6 or 5x7 print around, and the usual rules about low ambient light, monitor calibration, etc.

I've had success in the studio I work at (granted with occasional use of Genuine Fractals and accepting some moderate "artistic" grain levels), at printing 35mm scans from 4,000 dpi at up to 24x60".

edit - I re-read your goals. Hmm, shoot for ~280-300 dpi PRINT resolution at final size. Obviously, if you start with a 175 MB 4,000 dpi scan, this is no problem, but that might even be too much...again, if you have the space, why not start with 4,000 and coarsen it down in Photoshop prior to printing.

Dude, that is way over my head. This is a one time thing probably. No prints, just negatives.

I'm using a lab computer and I have limited storage space.

From all of the piece of info here plus screwing around with this a little I think I have a good idea of what I need to do. Thanks.

[Lane Meyer]

Sorry man, thought you were gunning for a different result. I bet you can figure it out easily then, just scan and resize. If I remember right, Nikon Scan software has a output resolution box on the preferences page, so just specifiy your print size at 200-300 dpi befor you scan and you should be good to go.

Or better yet, here's a different tack - drink 4-6 beers, then shove the negtive in the slot in front of the scanner, and just push buttons on the front of the scanner until it makes whirring noises and light comes out the front. If the entire neg doesn't get sucked in, just force it in and fold it if you have to. While it clicks and whirs away, go buy some omre beer

Before you even get back from the Quick-e-mart, the next thing you know, a poster of the image will come right out of your printer in the next five minutes, and you'll be good to go. It's literally that easy!

[char]

Sorry man, thought you were gunning for a different result. I bet you can figure it out easily then, just scan and resize. If I remember right, Nikon Scan software has a output resolution box on the preferences page, so just specifiy your print size at 200-300 dpi befor you scan and you should be good to go.

Or better yet, here's a different tack - drink 4-6 beers, then shove the negtive in the slot in front of the scanner, and just push buttons on the front of the scanner until it makes whirring noises and light comes out the front. If the entire neg doesn't get sucked in, just force it in and fold it if you have to. While it clicks and whirs away, go buy some omre beer

Before you even get back from the Quick-e-mart, the next thing you know, a poster of the image will come right out of your printer in the next five minutes, and you'll be good to go. It's literally that easy!

I've had about 4 hours of sleep in the last 2 days, so I'm pretty much at that point.

Thanks for the info though, it might be useful if I ever decide to scan some other photos I have.