Question re: speckled scans

[Jim Hutchison]

I'm scanning a film neg, in which the background is pitch black, with
a head and shoulders shot of my subject.

I don't understand why the scan turns out with MAJOR speckling in both
the background as well as the person.

I ended up just scanning the print on my flatbed... and discovered
that playing with the histogram at the low end could take some of it
out. Is this the right approach? Why is the specking there in the
first place? There's something I'm not understanding.

Thanks in advance.
jim h


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.jamesphotography.ca

More than photographs: free downloads, prizes for every 1,000th visitor, a bit of humour...

[Mac McDougald]

Post by Jim Hutchison
I'm scanning a film neg, in which the background is pitch black, with
a head and shoulders shot of my subject.
I don't understand why the scan turns out with MAJOR speckling in both
the background as well as the person.
I ended up just scanning the print on my flatbed... and discovered
that playing with the histogram at the low end could take some of it
out. Is this the right approach? Why is the specking there in the
first place? There's something I'm not understanding.
Thanks in advance.
jim h

Under/over exposed negative films exhibit this behavior.
Since there is no "black" color layer, it must be made up of the other
colors. Of course, viewing at 1:1 pixel size accentuates that look.

If you want a truly "scientific" explanation, ask on
comp.periphs.scanners and a couple of the gurus there will prolly 'splain
it.


Mac

[Jim Hutchison]

On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 16:03:24 -0500, Mac McDougald

Post by Mac McDougald

Post by Jim Hutchison
I'm scanning a film neg, in which the background is pitch black, with
a head and shoulders shot of my subject.
I don't understand why the scan turns out with MAJOR speckling in both
the background as well as the person.
I ended up just scanning the print on my flatbed... and discovered
that playing with the histogram at the low end could take some of it
out. Is this the right approach? Why is the specking there in the
first place? There's something I'm not understanding.
Thanks in advance.
jim h

Under/over exposed negative films exhibit this behavior.
Since there is no "black" color layer, it must be made up of the other
colors. Of course, viewing at 1:1 pixel size accentuates that look.
If you want a truly "scientific" explanation, ask on
comp.periphs.scanners and a couple of the gurus there will prolly 'splain
it.
Mac

Thanks, I'll check that NG. It just seems odd that a scanner would
introduce such obvious artifacts, even in the flesh-tone areas.





jim h


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.jamesphotography.ca

More than photographs: free downloads, prizes for every 1,000th visitor, a bit of humour...

[Mac McDougald]

Post by Jim Hutchison
On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 16:03:24 -0500, Mac McDougald

Post by Mac McDougald

Post by Jim Hutchison
I'm scanning a film neg, in which the background is pitch black, with
a head and shoulders shot of my subject.
I don't understand why the scan turns out with MAJOR speckling in both
the background as well as the person.
I ended up just scanning the print on my flatbed... and discovered
that playing with the histogram at the low end could take some of it
out. Is this the right approach? Why is the specking there in the
first place? There's something I'm not understanding.
Thanks in advance.
jim h

Under/over exposed negative films exhibit this behavior.
Since there is no "black" color layer, it must be made up of the other
colors. Of course, viewing at 1:1 pixel size accentuates that look.
If you want a truly "scientific" explanation, ask on
comp.periphs.scanners and a couple of the gurus there will prolly 'splain
it.
Mac

Thanks, I'll check that NG. It just seems odd that a scanner would
introduce such obvious artifacts, even in the flesh-tone areas.
jim h

The scanner did not introduce them.
They are there. (look with loupe).

Mac