Nikon Coolscan V & Vuescan workflow question for E6 slides

[Jack]

Hi,

I just purchased the Coolscan V and am trying very hard to develop a
personalized workflow for E6 slides. I'd like to hear opinions from all
the experts here.

Objective:

1) Create clean RAW scans of all 36 exposures of the whole roll and
generate a lower rez JPEGs for reference viewing at the same time.

2) Although the quality of the JPEGs isn't critical, I want them to be
a good representation of the slide.

3) For selected pictures that I plan to further work on, I will go back
to the RAW and get the optimal color from it. Then I will do any
tweaking and editing at Photoshop to my preference.



My Proposed Workflow #1:

1) At vuescan I scan the clear leader and set the RGB exposure (as per
the "advanced workflow"). Then I lock the RGB exposure for the whole
roll.

2) Vuescan setting:

"Media" - Image
"Infrared Cleaning" - OFF
"Color Balance" - Manual (***see question #1 & 2)
"RAW output with Scan"
"Output Color Space" - Adobe RGB (***see question #3)
"Monitor Color Space" - Spyder2express.icm (I have the Spyder2Express)
"RAW file type" - 64bit RGBI

3) For the selects, I will go back to the RAW and scan from file. I
apply Infrared Cleaning, and I use manual color balance and tweak the
black/white point, brightness, and curve until it looks good. Then save
as Tiff. (***see question #4)

4) open the file in photoshop and do some final tweak.




Questions:
Q1) The reason to choose color balance "manual" is to give a
normal-looking JPEG. Does it manipulate the RAW output in anyway?
Should I use "None" to keep the RAW intact?

Q2) If I didn't shoot a gray/white card, can I use the clear film
leader to set the neutral grey point, and use that color balance
setting for the rest of the roll?

Q3) I read from here that some people prefer to use "Device RGB" and
claim that it leaves the RAW output untouched without any profiling.
Does the "output color space" setting here affects RAW output?

Q4) If I'm going to further tweak the file in photoshop for final
output anyway, is it better to simply leave all bp/wp/brightness/curve
setting in Vuescan at default and tweak the color in photoshop?

This idea brings me to my 2nd proposed workflow:



My Proposed Workflow #2:

1) At Vuescan, scan the slide and output as RAW + JPEG. I set infrared
cleaning ON and "Output RAW with Save" (so that ICE is done on the RAW)

2) open the RAW file in photoshop and apply the scanner profile. (***
see Question #5)

3) I should get a noraml-looking image at photoshop at this point. Then
I do any final tweak as I like.



Question:

Q5) I'm beginning to learn about scanner profiling. To my
understanding, the profile should be able to convert the linear RAW
into gamma 2.2 plus correction for any color discrepancy. Please
confirm this.

Q6) Looks like workflow #2 is more straight-forward and involves less
tweaking of the pixel information. Is there any advantage to use
Vuescan to output the tiff? Am I missing anything here? What about
negative scanning for color & B&W? Is workflow #2 still possible?

Q7) If I make my own scanner profile from IT8 targets, is the profile
going to be RGB-exposure-specific? (which means if I need to change the
exposure I can't use the profile anymore and have to make another one?)

I have yet to purchase a IT8 target. But if workflow #2 is a better way
to go and gives more accurate color, I will purchse my IT8 target from
Wolf Faust and make my own profile.

Any insight will be very much appreciated.


Jack

 

[Roger S.]

The group's a little quiet at the moment after a few flame-wars.

"The reason to choose color balance "manual" is to give a
normal-looking JPEG. Does it manipulate the RAW output in anyway?
Should I use "None" to keep the RAW intact?"

What's your goal?

"Manual" is a method of setting the color balance. This is a software
adjustment that changes the RAW scan. White balance is another
adjustment. So is using an IT8 profile. What are you trying to
accomplish?

You can output a device RGB file, but before you work on it you need to
get it into gamma 2.2 space. Do you have IT8 profiles made already?
Without it you'd be better off just outputting into your working space
a file with no color corrections ("none"). If you want a file that's
closer to the slide, then use manual above if you have a slide with a
neutral color you can use to set the color balance.

 

[Don]

The group's a little quiet at the moment

The usual summer lull. Happens every year.

after a few flame-wars.

That was no flame war. Don doesn't participate in flame wars.

That was an exasperated (but failed) assassination attempt.

Don.