Digital BW, The Print

> You can open the raw tif file directly in PS. This is a workflow 
many have
> favored for B&W work. The only draw back is that in raw files the 
data is
> often very bunched up in one area of the histogram, frequently at 
one end.
> This can be very difficult to work with in PS.
> 
> Whether you make adjustments in the scanning software or PS, it is 
important
> to set you histogram endpoints as the first and only adjustment. 
This will
> spread the data out over the 16-bit range without loss. For 
instance do a
> gamma change before or at the same time as setting the endpoints 
can result
> in a small loss of data or combing that will show up as you do 
additional
> adjustments.
> 
> I am raw scanning with SF, opening the file with SF HDR and loosely 
setting
> my levels endpoints only and then sending the file into PS for all 
further
> adjustment.
> 
> Martin Wesley

Martin,
I just tried the above with PS anbd the reult is exactly as you 
deescribe - 
I saved the file from Insight as a 16 bit RAW in TIF file format and 
then in Photoshop I opened Image>Adjustment>Levels and found the data 
all bunched up on one side of the histogram. So I moved the slider on 
the 'empty' sideto join the pixels on the histogram and voila a 
decent looking result, but a little dark/muddy. I then used Curves to 
move the Midpoint (gamma?) up a little to get a very good image.

I dont have SF HDR installed (I had only upgraded to SF6 Ai but 
didn't get the HDR as they wanted yet more money for it)and am 
contemplating whether it's advantageous to get & use. You say that 
it's the exact same procedure as I've described here but on some 
images the HDR handles the RAW file adjustments easier than PS does ?
Frank