[filmscanners] RE: 16 vs 8bit scans

["Austin Franklin" <austin@darkroom.com>]

Ed,

> What I wonder is... how many of you do your adjustments
> in 16 vs 8bit,

As a note, when you do tonal curves using your scanner driver, the curves
are done to high bit data, even though you save it as 8 bit data.  That is
why I suggest that tonal curves be done in the driver (if the tools
available there are decent enough), and saved as 8 bit.

Now, if you are scanning color, even doing tonal adjustments to 8 bit data
can be fine, provided the adjustments aren't too drastic.  For B&W, do not
do tonal adjustments to 8 bit data.

> Also,
> would a native 8bit scan using NikonScan be as good as if  it had been
> converted to 8bit in PS7?

Technically, there is no such thing as a "native" 8 bit scan, unless the
scanner A/D was only an 8 bit A/D.  You said your scanner used a 14 bit A/D,
so I'd say it's a toss-up.  Do one of each with the same scan, and see which
one you like better.

Regards,

Austin

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe by mail to listserver@halftone.co.uk, with 'unsubscribe 
filmscanners'
or 'unsubscribe filmscanners_digest' (as appropriate) in the message title or 
body