Many photographers have either moved into digital photography exclusively or use both analog and digital media in their work. In either case, there is sure to be an archive of slides and negatives that cannot be directly integrated into the new digital workflow, nor can it be archived in a digital format. Increasingly, photographers are trying to bridge this gap with the use of high-performance film scanners.

In this 2nd edition, you will learn how to achieve the best possible digital image from a negative or a slide, and how to build a workflow to make this process efficient, repeatable, and reliable. The author uses Nikon's film scanners, but all steps can easily be accomplished while using a different scanner. The most common software tools for scanning (SilverFast, VueScan, NikonScan) are not only covered extensively in the book, but trial versions are also provided on a DVD, which also contains other useful tools for image editing, as well as numerous sample scans.

1. Chapter 1 Introduction

   1. Analog and Digital Workflows

   2. Alternatives to the Film Scanner

2. Chapter 2 Performance Characteristics of Film Scanners

   1. Key Specifications of a Film Scanner

   2. Scanhancer

   3. Interfaces: Connection Between Scanner and Computer

   4. Life After the Purchase

   5. Wish List for Future Film Scanners

3. Chapter 3 Scanning Film

   1. Handling Film

   2. Film Types

4. Chapter 4 File Formats

   1. Digital Negatives

   2. Color Depth in Image File Formats

   3. Important Image File Formats in the World of Scanning

   4. The Right Image Size and Resolution

5. Chapter 5 Color Management in Theory and Practice

   1. Why Color Management?

   2. Basics

   3. Color Models

   4. Color Spaces

   5. ICC Profiles

   6. Monitor Calibration in Practice

   7. Generating ICC Scanner Profiles

6. Chapter 6 Scanning Methods

   1. Thumbnail Index – Filmstrip Offset and Presorting

   2. Preview – Corrections Before the Scan

   3. Multi-Sampling/Multi-Exposure

7. Chapter 7 Scanning Correction Filters in Detail

   1. Dust and Scratch Removal in Software

   2. Dust and Scratch Removal in Hardware

   3. Restoring Faded Colors

   4. Grain Equalization

   5. Highlight and Shadow Recovery

8. Chapter 8 Configuring the Scanning Software

   1. Image Orientation

   2. Image Properties

   3. Color Balance

   4. Unsharp Masking

   5. Curves

   6. LCH Editor

   7. Analog Gain

9. Chapter 9 Nikon Scan

   1. Installation

   2. Look and Feel

   3. Saving Configurations

   4. Preferences

   5. Color Management

   6. Documentation

   7. Conclusion

10. Chapter 10 VueScan

    1. Purchase and Installation

    2. Look and Feel

    3. RAW Data

    4. Documentation

    5. Conclusion

11. Chapter 11 SilverFast

    1. SilverFast SE, Ai, Ai Studio and HDR

    2. Look and Feel

    3. Set Basic Configuration with Options

    4. Image Processing

    5. RAW Processing with SilverFast HDR

    6. Documentation

    7. Conclusion

12. Chapter 12 Scan Workflows

    1. Vital Corrections before Scanning

    2. Nikon Scan Workflow

    3. SilverFast Workflow

    4. VueScan Workflow

13. Chapter 13 Nikon Capture NX 2

    1. RAW Data Processing Using Capture NX 2

    2. The User Interface

    3. Important Features

    4. U Point Technology

    5. Grain, Noise, and Unsharp Masking

14. Chapter 14 Correcting with Photoshop and Photoshop Plug-ins

    1. Dust and Scratch Removal

    2. Image Corrections

    3. Photoshop Plug-ins from Applied Science Fiction

    4. Removing Color Casts

    5. Match Color

    6. Noise Reduction with Noise Ninja

    7. Noise Reduction with Neat Image

15. Chapter 15 Backup

    1. Saved Does Not Automatically Mean Safe

    2. Backup to Hard Disk

    3. Archiving on Removable Media

    4. Image Management

1. Glossary

2. Appendix Resources

3. Appendix DVD

4. Appendix Scanning Correction Filters in Scan Programs and Photoshop