Scan settings: File Size to Print Size

[AgentX]

Hey, all--

I have an old LS-40 which I used probably once before putting it away for a few years and going with a digital camera. I'm now set up for processing b/w film in the house and scanning it using the LS40 and Vuescan--even got a new computer, which seems to handle it better than the old iBook did.

So I'm scanning 35mm, making 16-bit .tiffs with a 4-pass scan at 5400dpi.

Is this overkill/underkill?

What size print could I expect from the resulting file if I FTP'd it to a giclee printing service?

[AgentX]

Cool, thanks!

I mistakenly thought more passes meant better tones...I assume I'm wrong there? What's the benefit of more passes, then?

(Sorry, pretty new to the whole film-to-digital thing...or if not new, at least continually bewildered...)

[Joe Brugger]

My scanner is a Minolta, not what you have, but for a well-exposed average light negative, one pass, maybe two is plenty. Multiple scans (on my hardware, anyway) are most useful for getting accurate detail in shadows or resolving complex patterns -- like catalog shots for tweed jackets . . .

[amateriat]

You mention a 4-pass scan @5400dpi. If I recall, the LS-40 has a top optical resolution of 2900dpi. Anything over that would involve interpolation, no?


- Barrett

[AgentX]

Ummm...these are good things to know!

I just wanted it to scan at its max quality, and selected "print to fixed dpi" and 5400 dpi, which was the max available.

What should I use to get it to scan at its max native capacity?? Thanks for checking me...

[amateriat]

That would be using a setting of 2900dpi, the scanner's maximum optical resolution. Anything above that invokes interpolation, which, to put it quite unscientifically, is simply "making stuff up."

Multi-pass scanning can be useful, but I find it depends on the density of the negative; generally, the denser the negative, the greater the need for multiple passes. I used to remember this, but does the the LS-40 allow multisampling in a single pass (which is ideal)?


- Barrett

[schmoozit]

Multiple pass scanning can, and probably will, soften the scan. I get increased shadow detail from multiple pass scanning, but it's not worth the softening that takes place. It has to do with the inaccuracy of consumer level scanner motors, neg carriers, and such. By all means, however, do your own investigation to see how objectionable the softening is. It may be acceptable to some, and all scanners are different.

[amateriat]

Originally Posted by schmoozit

Multiple pass scanning can, and probably will, soften the scan. I get increased shadow detail from multiple pass scanning, but it's not worth the softening that takes place. It has to do with the inaccuracy of consumer level scanner motors, neg carriers, and such. By all means, however, do your own investigation to see how objectionable the softening is. It may be acceptable to some, and all scanners are different.

This is a potential issue with scanners that allow for multisampling via multiple physical passes of the film, as opposed to multisampling in a single pass. As it turns out, the pricier LS-4000 does support single-pass multisampling, while the LS-40 does not, leaving the LS-40 user at the mercy of the scanner's transport mechanics.


- Barrett