Workflow for film (DSLR scanning)

[Adam D'Agosto]

Hi all, I have a few questions all rolled up into this thread. Maybe you can clear things up for me. Little background first...

I'm shooting film on 4x5 and 35mm. Then I use my D7200 to photograph the negatives for digital processing. Hold that thought....

When I shoot digitally with the D7200, I take my RAW files and processes them using the Develop persona to great effect. The features within have been very good and getting the result either perfect or really darn close. Now apply that to the film negatives...well, you can't.

So, when you open the RAW file of the film negative, I first need to crop and straighten the image. First observation is that the crop controls are handled somewhat differently in the Develop persona as compared to the Photo persona. Not a huge problem. Once I crop, I then Invert the negative into a positive. Problem is, the Invert feature is only available within the Photo persona. So, I'm effectively immediately jumping out of Develop and into Photo.

Now, here's the crux of my problem and something I don't quite get. Once in the Photo persona, the same exact controls that are in the Develop persona handle differently than in the Photo persona. For instance, the Highlights control in Develop have significant effect on the image, but once in Photo, the control is almost useless. Then take Clarity for instance; within Develop its magic, but in Photo....well, where is it? What am I missing here? Why do the control behave differently?

Next question...Once in the Photo person, I can Invert my image, take the positive AND THEN jump back into Develop, right?? That would be cool, but I get this message, "Please select an RGB pixel layer before entering Develop." How on earth do you do that?? I cannot seem to figure out how to do this. Can someone explain please?

I know there's a lot in here, but if someone can at least chip away at my confusion and cluelessness, it would be awesome!!!

Thx!!

Adam

[John Rostron]

19 minutes ago, Adam D'Agosto said:

"Please select an RGB pixel layer before entering Develop." How on earth do you do that??

If you have several layers, you need to select a pixel layer, not an adjustment layer. In the Layer panel, it should say (Pixel) after the layer name.   Try Layers > Merge Visible and select the merged layer. If that does't work,  try Layers > Rasterise and Trim. 

I do wonder about colour masks in negative film. Does yours have an orange mask, which translates into a greenish cast in the positive?

John

[Adam D'Agosto]

Ah, great question John. I'm shooting in B&W, so no, BUT, I have 8 rolls of Kodak 110E and Ektar 100 in the frig. So once o shoot the Ekta i will most definitely have the orange mask. So those RAW features within the Develop persona will be critical!

I will try your suggestion about getting a pixel layer selected.

Back to your point, white balance is absolutely key within the Develop persona. But again, I'll be in the same boat as with B&W. I'll need to crop and go directly into the Photo persona, invert the image (select a pixel layer like you described) then go back to the RAW editor. There i will dial in the correct WB and I should be off to the races.

I'll give it a shot.

[Adam D'Agosto]

Ok I tried what was suggested, but Affinity does not let me back into the Develop persona after I leave it. It just gives me the message that I have to select an RGB pixel layer, which I do have selected.

I tested this on a pure digital photo and I can bounce back and forth between Develop and Photo personas, BUT, I cannot when I use my film negatives. This btw, makes no sense at all. As far as Affinity Photo is concerned, the "film" RAW file is the same kind of RAW file as any other RAW file I get out of my D7200. 

Something in my workflow is preventing Affinity to re-enter the Develop persona.

Any ideas?

[Jowday]

1 hour ago, Adam D'Agosto said:

Something in my workflow is preventing Affinity to re-enter the Develop persona.

Any ideas?

Could it be this? Select from:

Document -> Convert format / ICC profile

You are probably in Grey/8 or something else than RGB 8 or 16(bit). If that is the case, try RGB/8 or 16.

 

[Adam D'Agosto]

THAT'S EXACTLY what I do. I Invert the image and then convert the image to Grey/16. That seems like the quickest and easiest way to dump all the colors from the image and only leave me with what I want...a B&W photo.

So, are you suggesting to try RGB16? And in the case I would have to use the Black & White controls to manually dump the colors. 

I can try that...

Thanks!

[Jowday]

1 hour ago, Adam D'Agosto said:

THAT'S EXACTLY what I do. I Invert the image and then convert the image to Grey/16. That seems like the quickest and easiest way to dump all the colors from the image and only leave me with what I want...a B&W photo.

So, are you suggesting to try RGB16? And in the case I would have to use the Black & White controls to manually dump the colors. 

I can try that...

Thanks!

I don't use Photo much for anything else than brushes and cleaning up posters (from Designer). I have Photoshop for photos. In Photoshop there is a "Desaturate" feature for lazy bastards and a fast work flow. 😀

So I am not a Photo expert. Perhaps there is an easier way in Photo than this - its regular users can perhaps help - but I can think of two options. Both using a macro.

• Create a macro that removes all saturation from the image using a vibrance/saturation adjustment layer followed by a merge down (or a document -> flatten)
• Create a macro (or several with different settings) that creates a black and white adjustment layer followed by a merge down (or a document -> flatten)

You can trigger the macros from the library studio - but you have to add them to the library studio after recording them.

For some dumb reason you cannot assign a keyboard shortcut to a macro. Serif really needs to hire an ux. Especially Photo is a horrible usability mess. 

[John Rostron]

I think that if you had stated that you were scanning B/W film and then converting to greyscale we would have got here a lot quicker. Ah, hindsight is a wonderful thing.

The request for an RGB layer was the clue. All  you need to do is to convert your merged image to RGB/16.

John

[Adam D'Agosto]

I see what's going on....Jowday was right on. Its the Document conversion to Grey 16 that then prevents you from getting back into the Develop persona. So, the workflow has to be, ignore the color cast, do what you can do with what you have using the Develop tools, then switch over to the Photo persona once you know you won't need to go back into the RAW editor. THEN, convert the image to Grey 16 and finish it.

I'm sure there are other ways to do this, but this process does work. I have found that the Grey 16 document conversion produces a slightly more pleasing look than using the Black & White sliders. That could just be a technique thing, but for now I have a way to get from point A to B.

It is a little weird working with an inverted image. Everything is backwards!! Highlights are darks, and contrast is highlights,but again, it works!

Thanks for the help!!