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Scanning: how to PlustekStep-by-step guide to scanning on the Plustek OpticFilm 120 with Silverfast 8 Software

Choose what type of film you have.

Choose the dimensions of your film.1

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You will normally always have to make some adjustments to the image preview.

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First we need to tell the scanner what kind of image we are going to Input to the scanner

Photography, Moving I m a g e a n d S o u n d

PreparationSwitch on Scanner Open SilverFast 8 Click Start Insert Film Holder GENTLY

Input Input Menu

The holders for this scanner have rounded esdges and go in with the white square at the back, facing upwards.

Colour or B+W? Which Bit-Depth? DELETE ACTIVE This will get rid of the

previous persons choices and leave you ready to pre-scan.

Click OVERVIEW...and then REFRESH THUMBNAILS 6 Once It has Prescanned your

film, then choose which neg you want to work with by clicking it until the the border is black. Then click OK.

Adjustments

Top/Adjustments Menu From the Top Menu You can start making adjustments to the Preview before you do your final scan. Each choice will open a detailed dialogue in the left-hand column of the screen for finer control.

In this section we’ll detail some of the main adjustments you’re likely to make but this is not extensive and you may not need to use all of them every time.

If you know what film has been used you can use the Negafix dialogue (left-hand menu) to choose the film details and the software will auto-correct the image. This can work quite well, or is useful for a first-step.

8 9 10 11 12See overleaf for details on these adjustment tools.

2This handout has been prepared by Rachel K Gillies for the University of Brighton 2015.

When you’re happy, Make a Scan14

Now choose your output settings:Choose the file name, file type (jpeg/tiff etc.) and DESTINATION of your scan.By default it will save images to the computer’s Pictures folder.

You can either manually type your resolution or use a setting from the drop-down menu.

Resolution15

Output

Scanning: how to Plustek: continued...Adjustments: cont:

8 Auto Colour Correction Restorationactivates the Histogram and Gradation (Curves) windows in the left hand menu.

You can choose one of the presets from the drop-down menu (note the Histogram/Gradation changing as you do).

And/Or fine-tune the colour using the Histogram or Gradation/Curves dialogue themselves.

9 Move the sliders as you would to adjust levels in Photoshop or use the separate RGB Histograms for colour balance.

And the same for Gradation/Curves if you prefer work-ing with this tool.

10Note that this software calles this dialogue GRADATION but it’s the same as CURVES that you may be more familiar with!11

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Global Colour Balance You can correct colour blance by either moving the black dot anywhere in the colour wheel or click on the small colour dots round the edge to make very fine adjustments to the colour in the direction you want. e.g. Image too green? Click on the magenta dot.

The Selective Colour Corrector is used by clicking on the preview image colour you want to selectively adjust. Then use the sliders to make changes to only this colour.

Finally, EJECT your slide holder and to switch off the scanner click and HOLD the power button.

13Note that the densitometer is similar to the INFO palette in Photoshop - you can check the RGB values to find a neutral point in your image.

Use the Pipette tool to correct colour and exposure with the black, white and neutral points in the image.

Unsharp Mask

infrared based Dust and Scratch Removal

These two tools are also worth checking out for making auto adjustments. Be aware that when you activate them the scanner will make a new closer scan of the area chosen in the NAVIGATOR in order to perform the adjustments.

16 Output SizeMake sure you also provide the correct dimensions to output or it will scan at the same size as the original.

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