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| ScanScience |
Fluid Scanning Technology
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"I have converted entirely to the ScanScience way and
abandoned my makeshift oil methods.
I never make dry film scans anymore, it throws away too much
quality....Everyone out there who is serious about getting the
best possible scans needs to be doing wet scanning and
ScanScience makes it affordable on almost any scanner. "
CTEIN, PHOTO TECHNIQUES, NOV / DEC 2009
abandoned my makeshift oil methods.
I never make dry film scans anymore, it throws away too much
quality....Everyone out there who is serious about getting the
best possible scans needs to be doing wet scanning and
ScanScience makes it affordable on almost any scanner. "
CTEIN, PHOTO TECHNIQUES, NOV / DEC 2009
- See also PHOTO TECHNIQUES Nov/Dec 2007
- PROFESSIONAL PHOTO MAGAZINE
- http://www.ppmag.com/reviews/200701_epson[erfv750m.
pdf0
Microscopy, thanks to Fluid Immersion, resolution and magnification are both increased to the limit. Fluid Immersion does the same in scanning for the same reason and has always been the procedure used with drum scanners costing up to $100K.
The extended dynamic range, increased contrast and color saturation makes images come alive. The thousands spent on your finest lenses are only as good as the scan. The finest quality scans are fluid scans. ScanScience brings these same cutting edge techniques to all scanners. |
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| Run the mouse over the image to see the saturated colors of fluid-scanning |
Copyright ScanScience / JAF 2012
USER'S REVIEW of ScanScience
Raw Scans, untagged with any color space can go directly to Photoshop to be tagged with a
non-clipping, non distorting color space like the relatively new Adobe Wide Gamut RGB. With
digital cameras choosing RAW should allow you to select a color space, but not always: you may
find that a clipping color space like Adobe RGB or worse, sRGB were tagged to the image file,
shortchanging the palette of modern printers like Canon's IPG 5000, and 6300, and Epson 4800.
Long ago when when sRGB and Adobe RGB were introduced there were no printers and no inks
that could print the reds, greens and blues that are printable today. These vintage color spaces
suited vintage printers, not todays modern printers and inks: After all your printer is limited to the
colors in the selected color space. Color is a very critical issue for gallery prints and Art
Photographers: You have opted for Fluid Scanning because you want the best gallery prints,
therefore the Film Vs digital color section below is a must read.
This material will be available in the forthcoming, new edition of the Bible of High-End
Scanning, Total Scanning. "Total Scanning 2", will include a full section dedicated
to color.
non-clipping, non distorting color space like the relatively new Adobe Wide Gamut RGB. With
digital cameras choosing RAW should allow you to select a color space, but not always: you may
find that a clipping color space like Adobe RGB or worse, sRGB were tagged to the image file,
shortchanging the palette of modern printers like Canon's IPG 5000, and 6300, and Epson 4800.
Long ago when when sRGB and Adobe RGB were introduced there were no printers and no inks
that could print the reds, greens and blues that are printable today. These vintage color spaces
suited vintage printers, not todays modern printers and inks: After all your printer is limited to the
colors in the selected color space. Color is a very critical issue for gallery prints and Art
Photographers: You have opted for Fluid Scanning because you want the best gallery prints,
therefore the Film Vs digital color section below is a must read.
This material will be available in the forthcoming, new edition of the Bible of High-End
Scanning, Total Scanning. "Total Scanning 2", will include a full section dedicated
to color.
FIDELITY IS IMPORTANT, FILM AND FLUID-SCANNING ARE THE PURIST'S PREFERRED MEDIUM. |
| COLOR: FILM VS THE DIGITAL CAMERA - Excerpts from the forthcoming eBook Total Scanning 2 |
| All graphs Images & Graphs in this page produced by ScanScience with Chromix Software. Copyright |
The color space is the image's color working
range: Only colors within by the color space are
available to the printer. Today's modern printers
and inks reach further afield into reds, greens
blues which were unprintable years thus require
color spaces that will make those colors available.
Because vintage color spaces like sRGB and later
Adobe RGB, (which many photographers still use)
were developed for vintage printers and monitors,
those color spaces of yesterday are inadequate
today. If you value color, it is time for a change in
color space or printer or both.
The representation of color is a 3 dimensional
affair which plots the chromaticity coordinates in
the horizontal axis' and luminance in the vertical
axis. (2D graphs are a simplification). This is
shown in 3D Figures 1 and 1a, 2 and 2b, (on the
right), where the base is the gamut of visible
colors, the CIE, shown here for comparison. The
wire frame in the 3D graphs represents color
working spaces, i.e. Adobe RGB and Adobe Wide
Gamut RGB (AWG). The solid color figure within
the wire frame is the 3D profile of Canon's Image
Prograph 5000 set out against the color space in
the wire frame, and the CIE gamut in 2D as the
base. Evidently both color spaces are smaller in
places than the printer profiles. The wire frames
are smaller than the printer profiles which bulge
-out. Where that happens, those colors outside
the color space will be unprintable, and not fed to
the printer, even though the printer is capable of
printing them. The printers call for a larger color
space.
range: Only colors within by the color space are
available to the printer. Today's modern printers
and inks reach further afield into reds, greens
blues which were unprintable years thus require
color spaces that will make those colors available.
Because vintage color spaces like sRGB and later
Adobe RGB, (which many photographers still use)
were developed for vintage printers and monitors,
those color spaces of yesterday are inadequate
today. If you value color, it is time for a change in
color space or printer or both.
The representation of color is a 3 dimensional
affair which plots the chromaticity coordinates in
the horizontal axis' and luminance in the vertical
axis. (2D graphs are a simplification). This is
shown in 3D Figures 1 and 1a, 2 and 2b, (on the
right), where the base is the gamut of visible
colors, the CIE, shown here for comparison. The
wire frame in the 3D graphs represents color
working spaces, i.e. Adobe RGB and Adobe Wide
Gamut RGB (AWG). The solid color figure within
the wire frame is the 3D profile of Canon's Image
Prograph 5000 set out against the color space in
the wire frame, and the CIE gamut in 2D as the
base. Evidently both color spaces are smaller in
places than the printer profiles. The wire frames
are smaller than the printer profiles which bulge
-out. Where that happens, those colors outside
the color space will be unprintable, and not fed to
the printer, even though the printer is capable of
printing them. The printers call for a larger color
space.
| Fig 1 |
| Fig 1a |
| Fig 2 |
| Fig 3b |
| Fig 4 |
Film, like the eye sees
logarithmically. Digital camera
sensors, unlike the eye, see
arithmetically and when the
light-input exceeds their capacity, it
spills over neighboring sensors.
Film-generated images have as
result a naturalness that is driving
photographic artists back to film.
Large-format film can produce
ultra-fine detail, beyond a digital
camera's capacity. Know of a 220
MP digital back for 4 x 5? That is
how many MP would be required to
match digitally the content of 4 x 5
film.
Color also may be another reason
for using film. With film scans you
are free to choose the color space
which is probably the most important
decision you will make.
logarithmically. Digital camera
sensors, unlike the eye, see
arithmetically and when the
light-input exceeds their capacity, it
spills over neighboring sensors.
Film-generated images have as
result a naturalness that is driving
photographic artists back to film.
Large-format film can produce
ultra-fine detail, beyond a digital
camera's capacity. Know of a 220
MP digital back for 4 x 5? That is
how many MP would be required to
match digitally the content of 4 x 5
film.
Color also may be another reason
for using film. With film scans you
are free to choose the color space
which is probably the most important
decision you will make.
This is also shown In 2D figures 3a, which shows
the ICC range of colors visible to the eye, against
the Adobe RGB color space, (triangle) and the
gamut of colors printable by two printers. In this
figure we see that the Adobe RGB color space is
smaller than the colors printable by the Epson
4800 and Canon IPG 6300.
In figure 3b, where the color space is AWG,
clipping is avoided. At the present time, no printer
is yet capable of printing the full range of visible
colors, even those of AWG, (which is smaller than
the ICC range of visible colors). Advances in inks
and printers have expanded the range of
printable colors. Reaching further to print all
visible colors is no doubt the holy grail of printer
manufacturers.
the ICC range of colors visible to the eye, against
the Adobe RGB color space, (triangle) and the
gamut of colors printable by two printers. In this
figure we see that the Adobe RGB color space is
smaller than the colors printable by the Epson
4800 and Canon IPG 6300.
In figure 3b, where the color space is AWG,
clipping is avoided. At the present time, no printer
is yet capable of printing the full range of visible
colors, even those of AWG, (which is smaller than
the ICC range of visible colors). Advances in inks
and printers have expanded the range of
printable colors. Reaching further to print all
visible colors is no doubt the holy grail of printer
manufacturers.
Larger color spaces than Adobe RGB and sRGB, were already available before the introduction of AWG but they
had big problems. They were bulging with false colors that caused severe distortions.
Kodak, introduced the first big-color space when, tired of the inadequate tiny the color spaces available at the
time, introduced ProPhoto RGB, which was much larger than then available color spaces. From the extreme of
a too small color space, things went to the other extreme: It was large, but included false colors that bulged out
of the blues. This is shown in Fig 4. Imaginary colors in a color space have the effect that while attempting to
interpret the file, the image's pixels are spread into the bulge of false or imaginary colors. In ProPhoto they
spread out into this imaginary 'neverland' destroying the natural color balance, which requires requiring major
compensation and color correction in editing. Adobe Wide Gamut RGB solved this problem, it adds no false
colors and it only contains real, visible colors. Adobe Wide Gamut is the color space for a long time to come.
had big problems. They were bulging with false colors that caused severe distortions.
Kodak, introduced the first big-color space when, tired of the inadequate tiny the color spaces available at the
time, introduced ProPhoto RGB, which was much larger than then available color spaces. From the extreme of
a too small color space, things went to the other extreme: It was large, but included false colors that bulged out
of the blues. This is shown in Fig 4. Imaginary colors in a color space have the effect that while attempting to
interpret the file, the image's pixels are spread into the bulge of false or imaginary colors. In ProPhoto they
spread out into this imaginary 'neverland' destroying the natural color balance, which requires requiring major
compensation and color correction in editing. Adobe Wide Gamut RGB solved this problem, it adds no false
colors and it only contains real, visible colors. Adobe Wide Gamut is the color space for a long time to come.
Printers still fall slightly short of filling AWG, and do not yet have profiles to match it, requiring color adjustments,
-though fewer, but not clipping any colors in film. Presently, Don RGB, another named color space, comes closer
to match available printers. As this is written, digital camera manufacturers such as Canon now use AWG
instead of ProPhoto RGB in their latest version of their application, Digital Photo Professional (DPP). With Wide
Gamut RGB, Adobe has successfully created a modern color space tailored to modern times.
Film users are free to choose a color space for their scans but digital users can't always do that and many find
that their RAW files are tied to clipping spaces like adobe RGB. (sRGB, short for skinny RGB or other
unprintable words that begin in s), does not deserve mention in the realm of art printing.
-though fewer, but not clipping any colors in film. Presently, Don RGB, another named color space, comes closer
to match available printers. As this is written, digital camera manufacturers such as Canon now use AWG
instead of ProPhoto RGB in their latest version of their application, Digital Photo Professional (DPP). With Wide
Gamut RGB, Adobe has successfully created a modern color space tailored to modern times.
Film users are free to choose a color space for their scans but digital users can't always do that and many find
that their RAW files are tied to clipping spaces like adobe RGB. (sRGB, short for skinny RGB or other
unprintable words that begin in s), does not deserve mention in the realm of art printing.
| Fig 2b |
| Fig 3a |
| NEW! Focusing Target #9.17 Essential for all scanners, a must for flatbed scanners. Order yours now |
We recently had an opportunity to work with an ideal image by well Known photographer Craig Alan Huber from "In
Platino Veritas Images" in Washington State, made with a 5 x 7 camera and B&W film. We used it to explore the
differences between fluid scanning and dry scanning and like to share results with you. Thanks to Mr Huber for
generously giving his permission use his image and post the results.
At ScanScience we scanned the negative with an Epson V750 using Silverfast 6i at 3600 ppi resolution, on a 16 bit
gray scale. For the scan we used ScanScience tools and Lumina Scanning fluid. The result was an enormous 750
MB plus file, which gave enabled us to crop various sections at high resolution and magnification. This very high
resolution scan for such a large negative was chosen as it delivered the best looking image at some magnification.
We also tried a scan at 6400 ppi, found no improvements and discarded it.
First we determined the optimum elevation for our V750 with the new ScanScience target, we determined it is 2.6 mm,
so all scans including the dry scans were run at 2.6 mm. (The negative was very flat so the un-sharpness of the dry
scan reveals it throws away much of the quality.)
We show below two small crops of the image from the center and corner at 200 % magnification. Both images are
raw, with no manipulations whatsoever by the scanner software or Photoshop.
Platino Veritas Images" in Washington State, made with a 5 x 7 camera and B&W film. We used it to explore the
differences between fluid scanning and dry scanning and like to share results with you. Thanks to Mr Huber for
generously giving his permission use his image and post the results.
At ScanScience we scanned the negative with an Epson V750 using Silverfast 6i at 3600 ppi resolution, on a 16 bit
gray scale. For the scan we used ScanScience tools and Lumina Scanning fluid. The result was an enormous 750
MB plus file, which gave enabled us to crop various sections at high resolution and magnification. This very high
resolution scan for such a large negative was chosen as it delivered the best looking image at some magnification.
We also tried a scan at 6400 ppi, found no improvements and discarded it.
First we determined the optimum elevation for our V750 with the new ScanScience target, we determined it is 2.6 mm,
so all scans including the dry scans were run at 2.6 mm. (The negative was very flat so the un-sharpness of the dry
scan reveals it throws away much of the quality.)
We show below two small crops of the image from the center and corner at 200 % magnification. Both images are
raw, with no manipulations whatsoever by the scanner software or Photoshop.
| You can see many more wet/dry scan samples by clicking the ScanSamples tab in the main menu |
|
Image 1, is a small section at center, and you can
see that hole in the mesh of the source image.
The wet scan at left of image 1, easily blows away
the dry scan on the right by a large factor, -helped by
the fact that at center the lens is sharper. You would
not know the image was that sharp from the dry scan.
The detail in the mesh and it contrast are
phenomenal in the wet scan.
Image 2 is a small crop from the left corner of the
source image. The wet scanned image is still sharper
than the dry, but the difference between them is not
as great because camera lenses are less sharp at
the corners. Notice also that the blacks are blacker
and contrast is greater in the wet scan.
IMPORTANT: You can not use Epson Scan to access
the high resolution optics in the V750 or V700. You
must use Silverfast or Vuescan.
Conclusions
see that hole in the mesh of the source image.
The wet scan at left of image 1, easily blows away
the dry scan on the right by a large factor, -helped by
the fact that at center the lens is sharper. You would
not know the image was that sharp from the dry scan.
The detail in the mesh and it contrast are
phenomenal in the wet scan.
Image 2 is a small crop from the left corner of the
source image. The wet scanned image is still sharper
than the dry, but the difference between them is not
as great because camera lenses are less sharp at
the corners. Notice also that the blacks are blacker
and contrast is greater in the wet scan.
IMPORTANT: You can not use Epson Scan to access
the high resolution optics in the V750 or V700. You
must use Silverfast or Vuescan.
Conclusions
Image from Source 5x7 Negative
- ScanScience kits are the essential tool to drive high power optics to excellence. Dry
scanning makes pricey optics pointless. - If you have a fine scanner, ScanScience tools drive that scanner to the max. Pro-summer
scanners will deliver amazing quality when used with ScanScience tools. - Focus is extremely important. An off focus scan is the most common cause of poor wet
scans. With flatbed scanners, accuracy of the film plane elevation is an absolute necessity
especially with flatbed scanners. With the ScanScience tools you can be sure of dead
accurate focus and high-quality images. - With the V700 you must have dedicated software like Silverfast ot Vuescan to access the
high resolution optics. Generic software like EpsonScan, scan at low resolution.
| Image 1 |
| Dry |
Wet with Scanscience Kit
| Image 2 |
Wet with Scanscience Kit
Wet with Scanscience Kit
| Dry |
| NEW |
| NEW |