Re: Scanners and PMA orlando

["Richard Bermack" <richard@xxxxxxxx>]

I think Phil's description below is very informative.I hope he will post a
version of his lecture in orlando for those of us who can't attend.

Richard

Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2002 11:35:14 -0800
From: "Phil.Lippincott" <phil.lippincott@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: suitable scanners PMA 02 Orlando

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Hi Richard,
   All film is not made equal regarding grain.  Nor are all scanners made
equal
regarding optical visibility of resolution.  Just because a scanner creates
a
particular dpi scan 4000 or other resolutions doesn't assure what you really
get.  So I've spent years testing now various scanners and films to find out
what is needed and what can the scanner see.
   If your shooting color negative films and have an honest 2800 dpi scanner
your right you generally won't totally benefit from a better scanner.
Negative
films vary in optical grain size of between 14 to 20 microns.  A micron is
1/1000 of a millimeter.  A B/W negative generally is between 3 to 6 microns
and
a chrome between 5 to 10.  The scanners are another story all together.  A
perfectly focused 4000 dpi scanner that can absolutely hold it's spot
without
lens or other artifacts has a 6 micron spot size.  There are by the way very
few scanners this good.  Yet this is exactly what is required to get in the
ball park of the grain quality of transparency chromes.  Yet if we want a
substantial enlargement or faithful capture to the grain of the best chromes
and B & W negatives we need better than 6 microns or 4000 dpi.  This is why
when people really need the ultimate quality a 3 micron or 8,000 dpi scanner
can make sense too.  Yet if only a few scanners can do 6 microns then
obviously
even fewer can do 3.  A 50" x 70"        Also if you don't have grain
management software tools in the scanning  application software, a very good
scanner can instead of producing optically pure results produce grain noise.
Of course very skilled people may be able to manage the many variables
involved, but it's real hard and many very knowledgeable people claim it's
not
possible.
   This is one of the reasons for my personal research in this area.  I have
created software tools to address this issue and created a patented feature
of
my firm's Digital PhotoLab scanning software.  Simply to manage through
artificial intelligence in software the scanner capture spot size and
dynamic
range to match the media grain and density fidelity. This to assure the
faithful flawless optical capture of the analog film original digitally.
Results can be dramatic and easy to use.  If interested you can read about
it
at     www.aztek.com
   Also if anyone on this list is interested in this and the comparisons I
have
found in the various scanners tested over the years;  I am giving a lecture
with this information at PMA in Orlando on Feb. 23 next month as part of the
DIMA conference.  The title of the session is photo digital imaging
"Scanner
Roundup".  I will be reviewing certain:  Creo Scitex, Umax, Polaroid, Nikon,
Howtek, Imacon, Aztek, Contex, Epson  and other scanners with the same
direct
scanner density and optical resolution benchmarks.  I will also compare the
scanner performance to the film requirements in order to attempt to address
the
issue of what scanners are better for what requirements.    I hope that it
will
be an appreciated contribution to the industry and people hungry for
information to make informed scanner decisions.

Sincerely
Phil Lippincott


Richard Bermack wrote:

> I would agree with Jack's comments below (sans Genuine Fractals) I have an
> LS 1000 and am making beautiful 13x19 prints using photoshop
interpolation.
> You can see the film grain, (HP5) so I'm not shure how much more detail
you
> could get with a 4000 dpi scan, perhaps sharper grain. I wonder if 2700
dpi
> is close to the resolution of a 400 asa b/w film like tri-x or hp5
>
> Richard Bermack
>


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