Vuescan and XP2 Super Orange Mask

[CCDee]

I was using color negative "Media Type" to scan XP2. XP2 Super seems not to
have an orange mask like other chromogenic color films, can someone confirm
this. I find that when I do an advance workflow with VueScan my RGB value
hits 1.000 or near almost everytime when I lock exposure. Then I changed my
film type to B&W and got a value of 2.009. Huh? Can someone explain.

 

[Mendel Leisk]

I was using color negative "Media Type" to scan XP2. XP2 Super seems not to
have an orange mask like other chromogenic color films, can someone confirm
this. I find that when I do an advance workflow with VueScan my RGB value
hits 1.000 or near almost everytime when I lock exposure. Then I changed my
film type to B&W and got a value of 2.009. Huh? Can someone explain.

I would use b/w negative for media type with your XP2. There is
actually an xp2 profile in b/w negative section. It is, however,
identical in output to TMax400 with D76ci:.55, so I prefer to use
that. That way I can vary the ci number (contrast index).

Any time you specify color negative, if you output raw files the
red/green/blue balance is going to be markedly different. Color
negative setting is best reseverved for film with actual orange mask,
imo.

I'm currently working with some very faded XP1, about 15 years old.
The film has acquired a magenta-brown cast, is very faded, and has
some sort of crusty residue, from chemicals I think. For this stuff,
the b/w negative profile TMax400, with D76ci:.40, brightness 0.8, and
restore fading filter, gives reasonably good results.

 

[Mendel Leisk]

I would use b/w negative for media type with your XP2. There is
actually an xp2 profile in b/w negative section. It is, however,
identical in output to TMax400 with D76ci:.55, so I prefer to use
that. That way I can vary the ci number (contrast index).

Any time you specify color negative, if you output raw files the
red/green/blue balance is going to be markedly different. Color
negative setting is best reseverved for film with actual orange mask,
imo.

I'm currently working with some very faded XP1, about 15 years old.
The film has acquired a magenta-brown cast, is very faded, and has
some sort of crusty residue, from chemicals I think. For this stuff,
the b/w negative profile TMax400, with D76ci:.40, brightness 0.8, and
restore fading filter, gives reasonably good results.

Ok, now I'd say, turn off the restore fading filter, and push
brightness down to 0.5, for better overall contrast, and cleaner dark
areas. This is for REALLY faded XP1. For current XP2, maybe try
ciD76ci:.55 and .7 brightness for starters. Moving brightness down is
fairly effective way to increase contrast, I've found. Just watch your
histograms aren't totally clumping up at left end.

 

[CCD]

So I'm still not clear whether I should be using Color Neg or B&W Neg for
XP2, and less clear on the values that "Lock|Exposure" produced. I know that
in Color Neg mode the blue and the green get 2.5 and 3.0 times more exposure
than in B&W mode. Should I be attempting to lock exposure at all with this
film? Could someone give me a short explaination about the TMAX CI values.
(Contrast Index) do these vary with different developers? Or is this more to
do with pushing and pulling film? Thx.

 

[Mendel Leisk]

So I'm still not clear whether I should be using Color Neg or B&W Neg for
XP2, and less clear on the values that "Lock|Exposure" produced. I know that
in Color Neg mode the blue and the green get 2.5 and 3.0 times more exposure
than in B&W mode. Should I be attempting to lock exposure at all with this
film? Could someone give me a short explaination about the TMAX CI values.
(Contrast Index) do these vary with different developers? Or is this more to
do with pushing and pulling film? Thx.

Per my last post, use b/w neg for XP2. Some reading:

http://www.hamrick.com/vuescan/html/vuesc11.htm#topic10

The second paragraph may explain your different values. I see no
reason to lock exposure, unless I'm trying to make a panarama. Note,
if you are saving raw files, they will look VERY different if you set
color negative.

 

[CCDee]

OK but I thought the purpose of locking exposure was to calibrate the
scanner to the film stock being used. Different stocks produce different
requirements for the amount of light the CCD must pass though the film to
achieve the ideal exposure regardless of how the orginal was taken by the
camera. Why should film stock calibration be any different for black and
white than with color? I also though if you didn't lock exposure VueScan
automatically attempt to calculate exposure for you?

 

[Mendel Leisk]

"I also though if you didn't lock exposure VueScan
automatically attempt to calculate exposure for you?"

That's true, but what's wrong with that? I think that is the normal workflow.

 

[CCD]

It would be nice to compare what the auto setting (if it is in fact doing
this) is doing compared to what calibrating the film mask separately yields.
Back to my original point...the fact that XP2 doesn't have an orange mask
probably is because Ilford wanted it to be printed using traditional black
and white methods not color methods. Am I wasting my time doing the Advance
Workflow on XP2, TMax et al.?

"I also though if you didn't lock exposure VueScan
automatically attempt to calculate exposure for you?"

That's true, but what's wrong with that? I think that is the normal

workflow.