Digital BW, The Print

Hi Truman,

Typically, when you scan in high bit mode, the data only occupies a small
portion of the actual 16 bits, for example, values 876 to 2982.  You can see
this by taking a raw scan into PhotoShop, and checking the histogram.
Remember, the histogram is only an 8 bit histogram (upper 8 bits of the 16
bits), but the actual data will only occupy a small portion of the overall
values.

Also, because you are using 16 bit data, doesn't mean the data is actually
16 bits...most scanners are only 12 or 14 bits at best...

Regards,

Austin


> I've always done this. I've been experimenting a bit lately. If a
> scanner is in the loop and it is a 16 bit scanner, I have been making
> sure zone 3 has good detail and have been developing a "bit soft" to
> make sure I have good highlights. By using 16 bits in the scaning
> process you have sufficient dynamic range to expand the highlights once
> in the computer. This seems to give very nice highlight detail and
> minimizies the chance of blowing out a the highlights in the development
> process.
>
> Any thoughts or feedback?
>
> Truman
>
> Roger L Sopher wrote:
>
> > Ain't there any zonies left out there? I was taught to set the asa
> > (for use in an individual camera) of a B&W film to the value that
> > produces a densitiy of 0.08 to 0.1 above film base & fog. Then to set
> > the development time to that which will produce a zone VIII print
> > value from a zone VIII placement. This approach usually produces very
> > printable negatives except when conditions require N+ or N-
> > development (not too common an occurence in my limited experience).
> >
> > Roger
> >