How to get scanner's "raw" data?

[GuidoH]

Hello everybody,

yesterday I bought a fine new book about PS called 7pointphotos. In this book Scott Kelby (a PS guru) heavily uses the PS Camera Raw plug-in.

My problem is that I don't have a digital back plane for my hassi and actually don't want to buy one in the near future. I've good experiences with my velvias, scan them with my 4990 in 16bit color mode and post process them with ps cs2 - so far, so good.

But, the tiff-images produce by SilverFast AI couldn't be opened in the Camera Raw plug-in although tiff-type was choosen. PS reports me a type conversion problem.

Does anybody know how - if possible - I can get "raw" data from the EPSON 4990 which I can import/open in the PS CS2 Camera Raw Plug-In (Ver 3.7) or if there's a workaround for opening tiff-files generated by SilverFast Ai in the PS Camera-Raw plug-in.

Am I in the right index or do you think this topic would better fit to PS or any other forum?

Any hint/help is very welcome!

Thanks a lot and have a nice sunnday

Guido

[Kevgermany]

I don't think it can be done, but why do you want to use the ACR plug in with scanner files?

[Costas L]

Does anybody know how - if possible - I can get "raw" data from the EPSON 4990 which I can import/open in the PS CS2 Camera Raw Plug-In (Ver 3.7) or if there's a workaround for opening tiff-files generated by SilverFast Ai in the PS Camera-Raw plug-in.
Guido

Hello Guido

The problem is with the PS CS2 Camera Raw Plug-In; this only supports the opening of RAW files.

The version of Camera RAW for CS3 and Lightroom also allows the opening of JPEG and TIFF files in addition to RAW so you can process them in the RAW converter for white balance etc. The only way of getting that functionality is an upgrade to CS3 or Lightroom. Not something I have done yet

[GuidoH]

Many thanks to both of you for your answers!

To Kev: To test the methods mentioned in the book with my scanned photos because I noticed features (White Balance, Temperature, Tint) in the Camera Raw plug-in I never saw in a similar easy way to handle them at an other location in PS so far.

To Costas: Thank you for your hint! So I'll have to decide if the methods mentioned in the book are worth the price of an upgrade from CS2 -> CS3.

Greetinx

Guido

[samdring]

Or just convert them to dng. This is what I do and they are then usable in any converter (well all those I have access to!)

[Doug Fisher]

Have you tried just using the 48 bit HDR output format in Silverfast? That pretty much gives you a raw-like file output. The file will be flat but all of the information is there. Then you can tweak the file in PS normally.

Doug

[Costas L]

Or just convert them to dng. This is what I do and they are then usable in any converter (well all those I have access to!)

That's a good idea Sam - thanks for posting the info

I just downloaded the DNG converter from the Adobe site and converted 4 scanned files to see what the benefits might be with CS2

Its certainly useful for getting an approximate exposure setting with one click and also a very approximate white balance with a second click. Then just a few seconds to use sliders to refine exposure further. The scans I tried were of chromes with a bit of fading so had a strong colour cast.

I would say this technique puts you in the right ball park so that you can quickly get on to refining the image in Pshop

Mind you, its not as quick as setting up the "options" in curves (or levels) to neutralise shadows, highlights and also midtones if you want all at once. At least with that you have the option of refining the generated curves further.

I think the stuff that Guido is talking about is probably worth doing with the CS3 RAW converter because you have a lot more very useful controls at you disposal in that converter. Less worthwhile for those still on CS2

[GuidoH]

Again many thanks for your three further recommendations!

To Doug: Yes, I already scanned a photo as 48bit HDR from SilverFast.
But, before the scan process starts I've to choose a data format for storing the file. I tried *.tif and *.jpeg (the only two options offered) but can't open both in PS CS2 Camera Raw plug-in. Good idea, indeed. But it doesn't work, sorry.

To Costas and Sam: Well, that's what I've been looking for! Thanks for your hints! It works and now am able to transfer the examples from the book to my own photos - without having the need to upgrade to PS CS3 now.

Thanks a lot to all of you!

Greetinx

Guido

[lnbolch]

Again many thanks for your three further recommendations!

To Doug: Yes, I already scanned a photo as 48bit HDR from SilverFast.
But, before the scan process starts I've to choose a data format for storing the file. I tried *.tif and *.jpeg (the only two options offered) but can't open both in PS CS2 Camera Raw plug-in. Good idea, indeed. But it doesn't work, sorry.

No it does not. That was added to ACR in CS3 - along with a host of improvements. ACR is worth the upgrade cost by itself. Or at least until you see what Align Layers can do. Looking at the list of features on the Adobe site, I really did not notice anything spectacular, and considered skipping the upgrade. Finally I did go ahead upgraded and I am staggered, constantly finding huge functionality that I never thought I would need. Adobe did good.

[GuidoH]

Hi larry,

thanks for your hint and the recommendation to upgrade from CS2 to CS3!

I thought similar like you so far but now I come to the point where I'm changing my mind ...

Greetinx

Guido

[europanorama]

i also wanted to upgrade to cs3. but i do not yet have a high-speed pc. my friend-a computer-specialist- tested it in a raid-pc. cs3 loaded within 2 sec... wow!
when i know i will tell about his configuraton.
i myself must scan very large panorama-film from 6x24 to 6x41cm(roundshot). goal are 80 x 550 cm or larger prints.
126 x 850 cm. the latter maybe also 80 cm needs pro-scanner. not 4990. i have seen so much panorama-cra..p-prints using amateur-epson-scanner. sorry to say. unfortunately microtek f1/m1 is not for long stripes-limited to 25cm due to its scan-bed. but i could at least cut 2 shots at 25cm from the start and end of 41cm-stripes and shoot a third one leaving uncut...

[lnbolch]

I just assembled multiple scans of the cover of an early LP recording I restored. With CS2, type did not line up perfectly and there was ghosting of it in the areas of the joins. Doing it manually was possible, but it is very tedious rotating a layer in fractions of a degree. CS3 totally and seamlessly accomplished it with no effort whatever.

i have seen so much panorama-cra..p-prints using amateur-epson-scanner.

Such a statement is only valid if the operator/scanner are both considered. With a lack of experience and understanding, the most expensive drum scanner can not save the work of an unskilled or uncaring operator. As a photographer, I have seen "cra..p-prints" in plentiful supply by people who bought a "professional" camera, and thought that it would do theit thinking for them. They too blamed the machine. The "Create Masterpiece" button has yet to be invented.

[europanorama]

here are the details. those unsharp panoramas were shown at photokina and a swiss photo-fair at hp-stand made with most expensive roundshot cameras, most skilled panoramic photographers using epson-scanner. its time that microtek can offer us better tools. you know microtek is owned by epson. so they must take care of each other. if you still do not know: inside i900 microtek is the same technology like in epson 4990-told me microtek germany. but epson has some size-advantages. so, sometimes microtek has advantages, sometimes epson. we will never see similar products. this is good since dont we have too much identical cameras/printers. we lose so much time in deciding. i need not tell you how much time i had lost myself, spending my lifetime with non-working cameras. panoramic cameras. it can all be read in my forum here:
http://forums.delphiforums.com/pancams/start
pls dont ask me about all this. read there if interested.
it all started with non-working horizont, then badly working horizon 202 and bad contructed widelux 1500(120 version).
thats why others produced similar cameras. its all about rotating lens panoramic cameras-film only.

[europanorama]

larry, i was told that cs3 has extended stitching technology.

[europanorama]

in a local store-the best in town i have seen not so big prints from leica r8 and hasselblad xpan. i couldnt believe they show them in that inferior/unsharp quality. also shown were digital prints made by a nikon-travelling-photographer using an amateur d60 camera. unsharp. he now has d3!
he is very able but shooting with inferior cameras...
let alone the pictures in our newspaper. it is a mess.