Workflow for colour negative "scanning" with digital camera

[Scanneg]

The Nikon ES-2 Film digitising adapter seems to be an effective way of digitising negative colour film. Is there an easy workflow in Affinity Photo to convert the negative RAW or JPEG files into positive pictures?

[R C-R]

If your scanning software does not provide a way to do that directly, I think one of two methods in AP should do it, depending on if the file is RAW or not:

If RAW, in the Develop persona Tones panel you could create an inverse Curve like this:

This should allow you to make other adjustments in that Persona on the positive version before developing it.

Otherwise, with either RAW or other image formats like JPEG, in the Photo persona the Layer > Invert menu item should do it.

[walt.farrell]

 

[Scanneg]

4 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

 

I acquire the negatives on a full format camera as RAW or JPEG files using a macro lens and an adapter holding the negatives. Given a good resolution image sensor, the quality of such "scans" is very good, and the time to scan is negligible compared to normal (flatbed or drum) scanning. The use of the camera as a scanner is why suggestions to use the options in typical high end scanner software does not help me.

[Scanneg]

7 hours ago, R C-R said:

If your scanning software does not provide a way to do that directly, I think one of two methods in AP should do it, depending on if the file is RAW or not:

If RAW, in the Develop persona Tones panel you could create an inverse Curve like this:

This should allow you to make other adjustments in that Persona on the positive version before developing it.

Otherwise, with either RAW or other image formats like JPEG, in the Photo persona the Layer > Invert menu item should do it.

I have tried this approach, but the colours becomes "flat", although correct. After experimenting today I have discovered that Invert (command I) followed by the application of the Levels tool to adjust the black level and the white level of each color separately to match the histogram will produce an image of a quality that suffices for further manipulation.

[v_kyr]

2 hours ago, Scanneg said:

I acquire the negatives on a full format camera as RAW or JPEG files using a macro lens and an adapter holding the negatives.

See also (and possibly translate the following):

• Testbericht: Nikon ES-2 Filmdigitalisierungsadapter

Some Nikon cams (like a D850) have a special mode for digitizing negatives, which then is able to compensate for the color masking of the film material. This eliminates the entire steps to take of inverting and removing the color mask for the photographer, which can save a lot of time.

The color mask of color negative film (mostly brownish, Kodak) must be taken into account after digitizing. It's color cast must be eliminated during digitization so that the image is correctly reproduced in color and exposure. If such a negative is digitized, it must be converted into a positive in the image processing. It has to be inverted and then the colors, the contrasts and the brightness have to be adjusted. Fortunately, programs like Photoshop (or Affinity Photo via macros) can always save the same functional sequences. - However, the conversion is always very time-consuming.

 

[walt.farrell]

2 hours ago, Scanneg said:

I acquire the negatives on a full format camera as RAW or JPEG files using a macro lens and an adapter holding the negatives. Given a good resolution image sensor, the quality of such "scans" is very good, and the time to scan is negligible compared to normal (flatbed or drum) scanning. The use of the camera as a scanner is why suggestions to use the options in typical high end scanner software does not help me.

I understand. But those posts point out why simply Inverting to get a positive won't work, and why using specialized scanning software helps. I posted them as they provide pointers on the kind of work you will need to do to get good color rendition from your color negatives.

[Scanneg]

1 minute ago, walt.farrell said:

I understand. But those posts point out why simply Inverting to get a positive won't work, and why using specialized scanning software helps. I posted them as they provide pointers on the kind of work you will need to do to get good color rendition from your color negatives.

Thank you, I do understand, and it was not my purpose to appear ungrateful. I also discovered that the very easy combination of Invert + Autolayers product a decent starting point for further optimisation as long as the imported picture is a pixel layer.

[R C-R]

2 hours ago, v_kyr said:

See also (and possibly translate the following):

Something I have always wondered about for adaptors like the Nikon ES-2 is since they use external lighting to illuminate the slide or negative, how do they compensate for any variations in the color spectrum of that light?

[v_kyr]

3 hours ago, R C-R said:

Something I have always wondered about for adaptors like the Nikon ES-2 is since they use external lighting to illuminate the slide or negative, how do they compensate for any variations in the color spectrum of that light?

Here area lights with a high color rendering index are good suitable for this, it also makes sense to preheat the artificial light source for better color and brightness stability. Also always a white balance should be made in the camera on the light source. - Furthermore, as the two sides of the film material reflect to different extents, the more reflective side is then the side which must point to the cams image sensor. Overall it's more or less similar (but much simpler) on how slide scanners have to do this. There are possibly also adapters available which internally use some color conversion filter like material, such as conversion filters offer that are matched to the use of luminaires with a discontinuous spectrum (fluorescent lamps). - However, most other further tweaks have to be justified in the used imaging software, if not handled by the cam internally.