Digital BW, The Print

Chip,

Just some things to keep in mind. Some people have made some good arguments
that at a scan resolution of 2400 - 2500ppi all of the info on the films,
including individual grain is being captured and that resolution beyond that
is not adding much to the scan. This seems to be true from what I have done
with my own work. Others say that since B&W film grain is in the 10 to 3
micron range that you need true optical resolutions of 3000 to 7200. The
color type B&W film you are planning to use has grain in the 19 to 8 micron
range and would need a resolution of 1300 to 3200. So 2900 would be a good
resolution for you.

The misleading thing is that the rated resolutions of the various scanners
is not really their optical resolution but is simply their sampling rate per
inch. Actual resolution is better viewed as a measured value determining by
scanning resolution targets to find the number of lines/mm that the scanner
can resolve, multiplying by 2 and then converting to inches. Check out
http://www.scannerforum.com/ for more info on this.

For instance the Nikon 8000 sampling at 4000ppi has been measured to have an
optical resolution of 2895dpi with a measured Dmax of 2.8. Which is very
good for film scanning. I would expect that the other 4000ppi film scanners
would produce similar results.

The problem is that a scanner with a sampling resolution of 2900 may or may
not be giving you something close to 2900. Phil Lippencott, who did the
testing, is mostly interested in high end drum scanners and did little
testing of the affordable units. More of us should be checking our scanners
with the 1951 USAF Resolution Test Pattern  and the Kodak Q59 ST-34 Scanner
Calibration Target to see what they are really capable.

If you can, go for one of the 4000ppi units. I had good luck with a Polaroid
ss4000 and I believe the newer 4000plus is about $1050.

As for printing I would try to send at least 360 ppi of data to the printer.

Martin Wesley

http://www.borderless-photos.de/guests.html



----- Original Message -----
From: "photo_bear_nova" <jlenkiewicz@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 8:54 AM
Subject: [Digital BW] Scanners for BW - some questions


> I am looking to move into digital printing of my images. The Canon
> FS400 is the most that I really want to spend. The other two scanners
> I am looking at is the Coolscan IV and the Elite II. I am looking to
> use a 1270 to print via the MIS inks.
>
> Most are recommending that people go with 4000dpi scanners, based on
> readings here. That seems to be based on using 300dpi when printing.
> But else where people say that the optimum dpi for the Epsons is
> 240dpi. Given that 2900 scanner resolution should be more than
> enough. Is it?
>
>
> Also mentioned in going with 4000dpi scanners is the grain in BW
> scanning. Would not the GEM in the Nikon and Minolta scanners out
> weight the 4000 dpi?
>
>
> I am thinking about using the C41 BW films since FARE and ICE works
> with it. I assume that the limitations that some mention with the
> chromogenics can be overcome with levels and curves. Am I right in
> this?
>
>
> Thanks for the help...
>
>
> Chip
>
>
>
>
>
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