Digital BW, The Print

Hi, all,

As for scanning B&W with the Multi-Pro, and grain issues, I have 
a few suggestions that seem to be working for me. 

I'm finding that I'm getting "better" (cleaner & less grainy look) 
when I scan my B&W silver negs (Ilford HP-5 & FP4) as color 
negs.

Yes, you heard me right - I'm scanning them using the color neg 
setting!

I then go to channels, and select either the red or green channel, 
then convert to gray scale (the red channel seems to give a little 
more contrast than the green; depends on what I want in the 
result). 

If I compare a B&W scans of the same B&W silver-film image 
using thecolor neg setting with a scan using the Minolta B&W 
setting, at 100% view in PS, I see a remarkable difference. The 
scan using the B&W setting looks like it was partially solarized; 
the scan from the color neg setting looks clean and "normal."

Also, Ed Hamrick has adapted Vuescan for the Multi Pro (version 
7.2.12). In order to use Vuescan with the Minolta Multi Pro on a 
Mac, however, you have to remove all Minolta extensions from 
the Mac System/Extensions folder. The trick here is that Minolta's 
extensions are not labeled "Minolta," and there are 6 Minolta 
extensions installed. Their labels? Thought you'd never ask!

MCM Library DS
MFSBaseLib2887
MFSFWDriver
MFSFWExpLoader
MFSFWFamily
MFSLib2887

The Vuescan B&W scan (and I use the Ilford film setting for XP2 - 
for my HP-5 and FP - 4; this is what works for me: the Kodak 
TMax settings Vuescan offers don't work for me) looks virtually 
identical to the Minolta software scan using the color neg setting, 
and can exactly match it with a little help from levels and curves.

I haven't tried scanning using the color slide setting, then 
inverting, then select channel and convert to grayscale. Perhaps 
someone else can check this out and report to the group!

Cheers,
James Lerager





--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "culturalvisions" 
<frank@c...> wrote:
> Yep, That golf course sky is also the grainy look I get with my 
> Minolta Multi Pro.   I will be scanning my same problem negs 
on 
> a Nikon 8000 next week.  Maybe I'll see more of the same.  
Frank
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "david_nancy_bogart" 
> <david.g.harris@r...> wrote:
> > I am new to this forum and am glad I have found an audience 
> for 
> > my concerns with my newly acquired Scan Multi Pro. . . . 
> namely 
> > the grainy look in color negatives. I agree it does 
> transparencies 
> > very well.
> > 
> > I did a scan of a 2 1/4 Reala neg with 50 GEM and still got 
this 
> > grainy look. A friend has posted a 2% slice of a golf course 
> > picture shot just after sunrise on an October morning. Here 
is 
> > the URL;
> > 
> > 
> 
http://members.rogers.com/dale-cotton/Photos/DHarrisCrop.jpg
> > 
> > You can see the 'peppery' look  especially in the sky. I'm not 
so 
> > sure it is film grain, or maybe it was originally and the 
scanning 
> > process has accentuated it. Remember you are looking at 
only 
> a 
> > 2% slice of the total scan so it seems flat and hazy. But this 
> > scene is equivalent to about a 2000mm lens
> > 
> > 'Grain' and the scanning times are my only issues. The 
colors 
> > and shadow detail are great and unlike what I had heard, 
color 
> > negs are easy to 'get right' . When I make a 13x19 inkjet of an 
> > image it seems sharper than a chemical print from the same 
> > negative but unfortunately this sort of  'peppery' look is 
> apparent. 
> > 
> > Anyway, if there are any insights they would be appreciated.
> > 
> > David