Digital BW, The Print

"Lew" <lew1716@...> wrote:
>
> ... I already have the [Nikon 8000 medium format film scanner]...


The main thing I find needed for that scanner and its driver are to scan the B&W negative as a grayscale positive.  That way you can avoid clipping the ends via the histogram adjustment.  

I also scan with no grain reduction and also with grain reduction if there is a plain sky.  It's easy to combine the 2 in PS if the negative has not been moved (or even if it has with CS4's align layers).  I do also find the glass carrier is needed for some negatives.  I suppose the best is to use fluid, but I have not gone that far.  I do notice that if the recommended Photo Flo was use, Newton's rings might show up.  I suspect it's the glycol in the Photo Flo.  Half the normal amount of some other wetting agent would be recommended.

> A perverse thought I keep having is that it might be possible to bleach the silver out of a neg & redevelop with something that can be scanned easily. 

I went to Tech Pan to avoid the grain problems.  Digital does show grain, and it is a problem with my older Tmax 100 MF negatives.  If I ever go back to Tmax 100 (not likely) I'd look at a staining developer system, but I doubt it'd be worth the negatives -- so to speak.  Even with it's grain, I prefer my Tmax 100 negs to the T400 CN negs I have.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com