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Scanning negatives - that colour cast trick

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stroker1
  • Start date Start date

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Stroker1

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Way back when, in the Color cast thread, I mumbled something about a scanning negatives tutorial.

After all this time, I finally found it.

Converting colour negatives with Photoshop

Near as I can tell, it was written back in 1998. However, I suspect it's a little older than that due to some of the stuff that Mr. Pink talks about.

It may look like a far cry from the colour cast technique that we all know and love, but it's in there - you just have to understand what it going on. Knowing some PhotoShop history helps as well.

I'm so happy that I found it.
I'm gonna give myself a cookie.
~munch~
 
B7 Way cool Stroker! I would never have thought that possible! [excited]

The only part that I don't quite understand is the "equalize all channels individually". [confused] Can you explain that bit to me?

Enjoy your cookie! You've earned it! ;)
 
Very interesting Stroker :righton:
I have bookmarked the site and will look at it as soon as I have my scanner working ;)
 
Wendy,

Contemporary PS:
To Equalize the channels individually, just use Levels or a Levels Ad-Layer. Click on Auto. Or ctrl + shift + l. Now, I believe the actual command, Equalize, works on the composite. So, when Mr. Pink says to equalize the channels individually, it just like saying to use Auto Levels.

Mr. Pink:
What he is doing is actually breaking the doc into three separate documents, one for Red, Green, and Blue. This used to be done with the Split Channels command from the Channels palette. I think they took Split Channels out in PS 6. Now that the channels are in their own seperate documents, Equalize them. Then put them back together again via Merge Channels. Again, I believe Merge Channels disappeared in PS 6.

A modern version of the tutorial would go something like this:
1) Scanned negative in a new doc.
2) Pick the colour, do the Colour layer, and bring Opacity down to 50%. As he kind of points out in the tutorial, this effectively subtracts the chosen colour from the Layer beneath it.
3) Invert (ctrl + i) both Layers.
4) Add a Levels Adjustment Layer and either eyeball it, or use Auto.
5) Add other tweaks an necessary.

Anybody willing to donate a scanned negative for us to play with?
 
:D Thanks for the "equalize" clarification, Stroker. :righton:

Sure... I'll dig up a neg today, scan and post same by day's end and then we can all have a "go" at this fascinating technique! ;) :D B7
 
[saywhat] Stroker! Man, that is so cool... I'm dying to try it out! I've got a whole box of negs from my pre-digital days!!! ;)

Any scanning guidelines/tips, Stroker & Erik, before I trot off in that direction?
[confused] I've never scanned a neg before....
 
Sorry1, I use my scanner software for this. (SilverfastAI6 with Negatifix).
What scanner do you use, Wendy?

Sorry2, there should be a load more colours in there. Would you prefer to see what it should look like, or do you prefer to see it later on?
 
Erik... as far as the scanner that I use is concerned, nothing fancy...an HP Scanjet 3200C. It's a few years old but services my needs... for now. Any scanning tips would be appreciated! ;)
 
Wendy, when it does the job, it's ok. It is a scanner I don't know. When You don't have the option in your software to tweak the negative or slide untill you're satisfied, then Stroker's method is certainly very good. It's only quite difficult to interpret a negative you don't know.
About tips: there is only one, really. Scan at the highest quality you can.

I decided to add what it should be like. This will help to work towards a result. And then, the method will be fine-tuned, and everybody will be helped.

The photograph was taken in my beloved Breizh. These stones are part of a cosmic clock that dates from the Neolithicum. Discovered by accident, it is still a spot where no tourists come. You can only go there when someone reveals where it is. And it is kept secret to keep it unspoilt.
 
:bustagut: Yes, up until now, my little scanner has serviced my needs just fine! But scanning negatives... now that's a whole new demand I'm putting on the ol' HP! ;)

Thanks Erik for your down-to-earth advice... I will scan a neg at the highest possible quality and post same soon!

Your own "what it should look like" pic and Stroker's creation from neg... appear to differ primarily in colour saturation, no?

I'm still getting over just being able to do something like this, so I remain in "awe", whilst we fine-tune this technique! :D
 
Download and try out Hue/Sat or curves: it won't work, unfortunately.

Sorry I can't tell you anything more, really am. I did have a HP scanner and remember that the software was rathere err..."intelligent"? I mean: doing it all for you automatically. Perhaps yours is different. Couldn't you psot a screenshot of the scansoft dialog boxes? Perhaps that might help...
 
This is the method I used before I had Negatifix:

1/ Invert all layers separately
2/ Adjust the R,G andB levels separately. Put the left and right sliders so that the histogram is exactly between them.

This gives approximately what the photolab also gave. Of course one can start tweaking afterwards, and a very lttle curves adjustment does the job.
 
:bustagut: Erik! You must have owned an HP at one point in time because I do believe that they call their software "intelligent"...[confused]

Yes, (once I get dinner made and hungry mouths fed) I will get at that project and might likely end up (as you suggested) doing a screen shot of my dialogue boxes, so that I can serve up the best possible source negative for this experimentation. ;)
 
[excited] Wow! Great results Erik with your own (pre Negatifix) technique. :righton: :righton:
 
The HP I had couldn't do negatives or transparancies. And, because when I go somewhere, I shoot at least a film a day, I payed a good scanner yearly for pics that I didn't really like as they cut off the borders and have horrible colours without saturation. So I invested in a good scanner and now I have more fun and I can print what I want, and how I want it. My dream now is a good A3 printer.

This is Silverfast:
 
:( No, Erik, my little ol' scanner is not up to the job either. I attempted to do a "test scan" this evening... alas I end up with nothing, other than what appears to be a big sloppy old mess. Features for scanning don't include any "source" options [doh] so I can realize now why you invested in a good scanner. I'll add that to my "wish list"! ;)

Gulp... :\ I hazard to guess how much this one will set me back!
 
Eh, guys. I just bought a scanner: Mikrotech ScanMaker 3800 which comes with a trancparency adapter, and it does do a ok job, it converts the color into realtime and blows it up to like 700 percent of it's normal size if u want! But, whatever size or dpi I select, the images are still a little grainy. What is the best way to get rid of a grainy look from a pic such as what I was explaining?
 
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