Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Austin Franklin" <
darkroom@i...> wrote:
> > But if that is all it can capture, then why not spread that out?
> 
> WHY spread it out?  Why have the scanner do something you may not want it to
> do, or do it not optimally?  For 8 bit data, this is done...but you have to
> set the setpoints...or you lose data that you may or may not have wanted.

There is nothing not optimal about it, it doesn't hurt the data in any 
way.

> > If you
> > want half your histogram empty you can always compress it with levels
> > later
> 
> I don't want my histograms compressed.  I don't understand why you would
> either.  What I want is to set the setpoints, and then expand the data to
> fill the histogram.  It can be done automatically, or manually. 

YOUR histograms start out compressed (with a raw scan)
Im not talking about setting setpoints and expanding your image. Im 
talking about expanding the entire range the scanner is capable of.
If, for an unknown reason, you don't want the entire range used and you 
want your whites to be gray, you can compress the range later (which is 
why I said that, not because I want to)

> 
> > and you'll end up with the same thing. Why is the whitest a
> > scanner can capture NEVER white in raw scan mode? same with black?
> 
> Because it's in the middle of the space.

yes, but why do it that way? All it does is confuse beginners.
 
> > Also, there is technology out there that will artificially smooth the
> > histogram, which I could see as useful if combined with something like
> > that. In 16bits, the difference is probably not noticeable, but still
> > the option would be nice. (I don't need a speech on whether or not you
> > would ever use something like that)
> 
> I don't see how that's useful.  What is it useful for?  How is that going to
> make your output any better?

It doesn't in 16bits, (but it does in 8) unless you need to really 
expand the tones to where you would normally get fingers of death (a 
major expansion in 16bits)  but this is neither there nor here.

-mikeH