Dust on negative scans

Aquarium Dreams · Feb 20, 2007

I'm scanning a bunch of negatives and find that the most time consuming element is spotting out the dust and scratches. Imperfections are most noticeable in large spaces that are mostly one color, such as the sky. Is there anything I can do in photoshop that will even out some or most of these imperfections, so that I don't have to do them all by hand? (My knowledge of photoshop is shamefully scattered and incomplete.) Thanks.

The_Traveler · Feb 22, 2007

depending on the size and extent, there is a PS filter Filter>Noise>Dust and Scratches that works reasonably well.

steveb · Feb 22, 2007

What scanner are you using? Does it have dust and scratch removal support (i.e., ICE)?

--Steve

Alex_B · Feb 22, 2007

ICE worked very nicely with my 6000 slides ...
no postprocessing needed to remove dust or scratches.

so if you have a dedicated film scanner, then it should not be a problem.

Aquarium Dreams · Feb 23, 2007

I'm using an OpticFilm 7200, with Vuescan software. No ICE. I did a quick search and it seems that ICE is hardware-based, so I guess I'm out of luck? I will try the PS filter, though. Thanks for all the help.

EOS_JD · Feb 23, 2007

When using the PS filter, use it on a separate layer and a mask. the filter can soften features like eyes and hair so all you need to do is mask out the filter over these areas.

Very quick and easy.

Alex_B · Feb 23, 2007

Aquarium Dreams said:
I'm using an OpticFilm 7200, with Vuescan software. No ICE. I did a quick search and it seems that ICE is hardware-based, so I guess I'm out of luck? I will try the PS filter, though. Thanks for all the help.

yes, true IC Eis hardware based as it requires a fourth light source in the scanner if i remember right.

but I also seem to remember that silverfast has some algorithm mimicing IC Ewithout hardware ...

markc · Feb 23, 2007

Alex_B said:
but I also seem to remember that silverfast has some algorithm mimicing IC Ewithout hardware ...

I'm guessing that would be like the more typical dust removal algorithms. I don't think you can really mimic ICE in s/w beyond the fact that you are removing spots.

Alex_B · Feb 23, 2007

markc said:
I'm guessing that would be like the more typical dust removal algorithms. I don't think you can really mimic ICE in s/w beyond the fact that you are removing spots.

could well be, but supposedly one that works fairly well then.

of course software cannot produce the extra info which the hardware gives ...

markc · Feb 23, 2007

Alex_B said:
could well be, but supposedly one that works fairly well then.

of course software cannot produce the extra info which the hardware gives ...

Yeah, that's all I was getting at, which I guess wasn't really helpful to the thread. Knowing Silverfast, I'm sure it's really good.

Alpha · Feb 23, 2007

Just buy an anti-static brush.

Alex_B · Feb 24, 2007

MaxBloom said:
Just buy an anti-static brush.

doesn't help with scratches or the like ..

harawitz · Dec 4, 2009

Alpha said:
Just buy an anti-static brush.

Duh! Why didn't I think of that?

I recently started scanning a huge pile of 35mm negatives I made when I lived in Berkeley, California, during the '60s and '70s. Spotting and cleaning them up is incredibly tedious. It's been so long since I've been in a darkroom that I completely forgot about those brushes. I hope one of the photo supply shops here still sells them.

Thanks!

Howard Harawitz
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Dwig · Dec 4, 2009

markc said:
Alex_B said:

but I also seem to remember that silverfast has some algorithm mimicing IC Ewithout hardware ...

Click to expand...

I'm guessing that would be like the more typical dust removal algorithms. I don't think you can really mimic ICE in s/w beyond the fact that you are removing spots.

True. ICE uses a 4 color scan, RGBI, where the 4th channel is in the infa-red. It uses this 4th channel to identify what is dust and what is simply image detail. The IR channel require hardware support making ICE a process that requires both hardware and software support. While ICE can be very effective, some films have odd IR transmission characteristics (notably old Kodachromes) and confuse the ICE functions resulting in some horrific results.

Any purely software method will be less effective. Some produce odd artifacts and some reduce sharpness.