Digital BW, The Print

Alan writes:

> True...learning the "ins-and-outs" of scanning
> takes some time. I've been scanning MF/LF B&W film
> for about 3 years now and I'm still finding little
> ways that I can produce a better scan.

It seems to be a long process.  Now I routinely get good scans, but a few
years ago, my scans were quite dismal.  Fortunately I reasoned that it was
my inexperience and not the scanners that produced less than ideal scans,
and time and more experience have proven this to be the case.  I get
excellent scans now, although I imagine I'll do better in the future.

> About a year ago, my head was turned by a simple
> (and inexpensive) piece of scanning software called
> Vuescan ...

I've tried it (I even bought it, as I recall), but it did not seem to offer
any advantage over the NikonScan software.

I usually prefer relatively raw scans, which I then fix in Photoshop.  Apart
from adjusting things that can only be changed in the scanner, like analog
gain, I don't change parameters in the scanner software.

> ... after having used Silverfast Ai for the prior
> two years.

I've heard of Silverfast but never used it.  Isn't that what is furnished
with Imacon scanners?

> I'm thinking about the Nikon 8000. But, then, again,
> I'm also thinking I could just skip the "middle man"
> (MF) and shoot LF.

I've been looking at LF but it would at least equal and probably surpass the
necessary investment for MF.  The biggest problem, though, is figuring out
how I would scan 8x10 transparencies at 4000 dpi and how I would process
them, since they would require more memory than Windows or any hardware I
possess even supports.

> An 8x10 neg scanned at 1600dpi producing a file that opens
> in PS as 16-bit grayscale is something to behold!

Hmm ... is Portra 400BW available in 8x10?

Since MF seriously spoiled me, I fear going too near LF, lest I be again
seduced by a still larger film format.  Needless to say, digital is just a
dusty memory at this point.  If I ever want to print my own postage stamps,
I guess I can use digital for that, but otherwise it's film for the
foreseeable future.

> Can you imaging the cost?

The cost is the only part I prefere not to imagine.

> The Imacon scanner that handles up to 4x5 is
> something like $18,000US. Don't know about you,
> but that's more than a little bit steep for my budget.

I'm broke at the moment, so most of my shopping is purely thought experiment
for now.

> Go for it!

As soon as I have money again, if that ever comes to pass.

> Those of us trying to tweak every last ounce out
> of our dedicated quad setups, and have experienced
> the frustrations inherent in the process, will tell
> you that that is exactly why we do it...when it's
> right...the results are second to none!

As good as a wet darkroom?