vuescan, advanced workflow, lock exposure questions

[Norbert Preining]

Hi all!

I have slight problems understanding the `advanced workflow'. I want to
scan 4 roles of slides taken during a weekend climbing and photographing
trip. I want to scan them first into raw files, archive the raw files
and scan from the raw files for print/web. I am using a LS5000 and Fuji
Provia Slide film.

My idea is to proceed as follows:

Scanning of raw files:
- select the brightest slide (the one with the most transparent area)
from all the slides
- insert, clear `lock exposure'
- preview
- adjust cropping to what? to the size I want to have? Or to one of the
brightest spots?
- Set `lock exposure'
- Set `lock film base color'
- select 2xmultisampling
- select output raw files
- scan to raw all the slides

Scanning of raw->jpeg
- set INput|Media -> Slide
- set ICC profile for scanner
- set Color Correction: White Balance
- scan all files from raw

My questions here are:
- (->raw) Should I adjust the cropping to an area which is very bright
or to the area a actually want to scan (the full frame)
- (->raw) does `lock film base color' change anything here?
- (raw->jpeg) should I enable `lock film base color' here?
- Can I consider several rolls of the same material (all fuji provia) as
`one roll of film' or should I redo the "clear/preview/lock" cycle for
every new roll?
- what about analog gain? Is it any use for batch scanning of many
slides, or should it be used only for single frames with specific
problems (underexposure)?

Thanks a lot and all the best

Norbert

 

[Erik Krause]

My questions here are:
- (->raw) Should I adjust the cropping to an area which is very bright
or to the area a actually want to scan (the full frame)

For adjustment of exposure you best use a fully exposed (clear) film
leader. For film base color determination, too. Vuescan uses the
brightest area automatically.

If you want to use Media type Slide you *must* use advanced workflow to
determine and lock film base color. Otherwise the results will be
unpredictable. Ed recommends Media type Image for slides.

- (->raw) does `lock film base color' change anything here?
No.

- (raw->jpeg) should I enable `lock film base color' here?
Yes.

- Can I consider several rolls of the same material (all fuji provia) as
`one roll of film' or should I redo the "clear/preview/lock" cycle for
every new roll?

Just see how good the film base color values match (Color Tab, after
film base color lock) if severeal roles are scanned with same exposure
settings. If they don't vary much, you can do so. I do determine film
base color anew only if I change vuescan version for my Nikon LS40 with
Provia.

For advanced workflow it is a good idea to save a raw scan from the
clear film leader for later determinations.

- what about analog gain? Is it any use for batch scanning of many
slides, or should it be used only for single frames with specific
problems (underexposure)?

Yes. This was mainly introduced to deal with very special problems.