Scanning Colour Negatives

[Deon Reynolds]

I recently started scanning colour negatives. I’m not new to scanning film, but most of my experience is with B+W negatives then colour transparencies. When scanning transparencies, I become very aware of the colour palette from the brand/type of film I’m scanning. Mostly I’m scanning Fuji Velvia, if you are not familiar with Velvia, it has very saturated primary colours and skies that frequently shift magenta. With these scans I’ve been mostly successful neutralizing the “Velvia” look into a look that I feel is more natural. This makes me happy!

Now, I’m scanning colour negatives and again one becomes aware of the colour palette from that film. But, Here lies my rub. I don’t seem to be able to escape the palette. This image is about the best I’ve been able to accomplish, so far. I don’t think it looks bad, I just think it looks like colour negative film. I was hoping to get a more natural “what I saw” colour, like what I was able to accomplish with the transparency film.

Any thoughts of getting away from these colours? Or, do you think I’m I barking up the wrong tree? I don’t really mind the colour palette, I just though photoshop could escape them without it looking disastrously unnatural.

Thanks, Deon

My process: Kodak Ektar 100 film / Hasselblad 501 C/M 60mm CF lens. To scan, I’m on Mac OS 12.6 / Mac calibrated monitor, Epson V-700 scanner / scan bed. Silverfast 9 Ai Studio scan software, using Silverfast’s “Kodak Ektar” profile, I tried other profiles just for the heck of it, the correct one seemed the best (not always true with some films). I scan every image as big as quality allows using ProPhoto RGB colour space. I edit in Photoshop CC (24.0), after I straiten, and crop the image to the rebate edge and spot away dust and flaws I add in layers, Levels, then in Curves I open each colour channel and adjust each colour to get an overall colour cast I like. Then Hue/Saturation, going through each colour I “WAY” over saturate each colour so I can see what effect each colour has on the image. I adjust the hue (baby steps) if need, then desaturate back to normal, repeat for every colour. Last, I open Selective Colour going through only the colours I feel need help and adjust. Save with layers. The 40x40 scan with four correction layers = a 1.75 GB file. Oh, I almost forgot, when tasked with a daunting number of scans, working in photoshop becomes mind numbingly boring. So, I recommend loud music with a good base line. This is my audio speed to keep me on task. It also keeps people out of the studio, fewer distractions as no one likes my music…

 

[webestang64]

My method is so different I do not think I can relate to your formula. Do not use a f-bed for film unless it's large format (Epson software). I have used many Nikon film scanners but with Vuescan software.
I use a high end commercial film scanner/software at work. I scan all my film at 4000res 16-bit Tiff sRGB color space, very little post work in PS and I can not tell the difference between slide and C-41 neg. Well, maybe a Kodachrome.

Someone should chime in as many a flatbed users here.

 

[AlanKlein]

I commiserate with you. I tried negative color film and it always seemed difficult to get the colors right. So I went back to Velvia 50 and other chromes. Just easier. The problem is they're discontinuing Velvia 50 in 4x5 so I may need to learn Ektar 100 negative color film like you. There are others here who have a method. I'll read what they have to say with you.

One other thing. Some others have reported that you really have to get Ektar right when you expose it because it will shift colors which are difficult if not impossible to correct during the scan or when editing afterwards. Another reason I like chromes. You know if you got it right just looking at the film with your eyes or a loupe.

 

[Rickbb]

One of the reasons I shot slide, (almost always Kodachrome), is because I never liked any of the color film results.

Anyway, I've always found scanning negs and slides on a flatbed was just not, quality wise, good enough. Another reason all those slides and BnW negs are still sitting in my shop waiting on me to setup a digitizing process using DLSR and macro lens. Which seems to be the best unless you get a dedicated higher end slide/neg scanner.

I've used mostly Mustek and HP ScanJet flatbeds, still use the Mustek as it works really well for prints and such.

 

[AlanKlein]

One of the reasons I shot slide, (almost always Kodachrome), is because I never liked any of the color film results.

Anyway, I've always found scanning negs and slides on a flatbed was just not, quality wise, good enough. Another reason all those slides and BnW negs are still sitting in my shop waiting on me to setup a digitizing process using DLSR and macro lens. Which seems to be the best unless you get a dedicated higher end slide/neg scanner.

I've used mostly Mustek and HP ScanJet flatbeds, still use the Mustek as it works really well for prints and such.

I've scanned 35mm with an Epson V600 and a V850 flat beds and they look pretty good on a 75" HDR 4K TV or on a monitor. I don't know how they would look on prints because I haven't done that yet.

 

[RAZKY]

One other thing. Some others have reported that you really have to get Ektar right when you expose it because it will shift colors which are difficult if not impossible to correct during the scan or when editing afterwards.

Life is much easier when this policy is applied for all films and digital, color or black and white, negative or positive.

 

[Deon Reynolds]

I forgot to mention I'm scanning in 48 bit and the scanner is IT8 calibrated... I agree the Epson V-Series of scanners are really terrific scanners. I've owned two Umax's and an HP, both garbage when it comes to anything transparent. I scanned the 2 1/4 transparencies for two of my books with my V-700 and converted the scans to CMYK. Both print houses gave praise to the quality of the scans, one even asked what kind of drum scanner do I have? Now there's a compliment for a flat bed scanner. Having everything calibrated, Silverfast software and a focusable scan bed make an enormous difference. But when I print I let Photoshop pick the colours and turn off profiles on the printer.