Scanning Kodak BW400 CN (C-41 B&W)

**ismaelg** · 08-27-2010, 09:26 AM

Hi,

I can no longer find or develop B&W film locally. The only alternative is Kodak BW400CN, a C-41 B&W which is basically desaturated color film.
So I wanted to scan it but how should it be scanned? as color or as B&W?
So I did the test: Scanned the same image first as B&W then as Color.
Here are the results.

Scanned as BW

Scanned as Color

I found little difference, but the scan as color has an ever so slightly greenish tint, which is consistent with the prints I got.
Scanning as true B&W ensures a true grayscale output. But overall, they are surprisingly similar.

This concludes this test. We may now return to our regular scheduled program, already in progress.

Thanks,

tuco · 08-27-2010, 09:31 AM

Originally posted by ismaelg

Hi,

I can no longer find or develop B&W film locally.

That's gotta suck. No mail order options too?

Nesster · 08-27-2010, 09:44 AM

Your green tint is less than we often get with minilab scans... Unless there's something in the scanner software that does color better than greyscale, or vice versa... which I haven't yet found (but haven't looked for either)... I scan in color and then desaturate in Photoshop.

goddo31 · 08-27-2010, 09:56 AM

When I scan this film using an Epson V700, I set the film type to Colour Negative but scan it to 16 bit greyscale... Works for me.
Minilab prints I use to get with this film were often average, with a slight colour tint. I see no real difference in scanning as colour or B&W really, as long as you don't forget to remove that ugly tint

tuco · 08-27-2010, 10:02 AM

VueScan lets you scan in 48-bit color and select a BW film and it will produce a BW image from the RGB components. But you can also separate the RGB channels of a color scan in the image editor and merge percents of each to taste which often will give a better BW than just desaturating color. Plus there are may plugins for image editors for converting color to gray scale with color lens filter options.

GeneV · 08-27-2010, 10:18 AM

On the Nikon scanners, I scan as a monchrome negative and greyscale. It works great. It is also nice for B&W that uses ICE.

Chuck-B&H · 09-19-2010, 07:44 AM

Originally posted by ismaelg

Hi,

I can no longer find or develop B&W film locally. The only alternative is Kodak BW400CN, a C-41 B&W which is basically desaturated color film.
So I wanted to scan it but how should it be scanned? as color or as B&W?

Hello,

Since I still shoot a great seal of film, I have my negs scanned at processing. Here are the 2 labs I use. They offer high quality printing, high resolution film scanning as well as other custom lab services.

www.aandi.com
www.imagingcoliseum.com

When I had a Coolscan 4000, I scanned 20 years worth of B&W negs. What I found worked best was scanning the film as slide film ( due to the clear base ) and inverting the negative image to positive in Photoshop. I felt this gave me more DR in my shadow and highlights.

C h u c k C a p r i o l a
Live Chat and E-Mail Sales Manager B&H Photo-Video

Thank you, we appreciate your business.
*** Peace on Earth ***

Luc More · 09-26-2010, 03:29 AM

From this example, it looks like the colour scan has more details in the shadows. I would advise you to scan as colour and desaturate it in post-processing. The colour scan has somewhat less contrast as well but this is also easily fixed after scanning. Adding details that are not there in the shadows on the B/W scan would not possible.

08-27-2010, 09:26 AM	#1
ismaelg Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puerto Rico Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,681	Scanning Kodak BW400 CN (C-41 B&W) Hi, I can no longer find or develop B&W film locally. The only alternative is Kodak BW400CN, a C-41 B&W which is basically desaturated color film. So I wanted to scan it but how should it be scanned? as color or as B&W? So I did the test: Scanned the same image first as B&W then as Color. Here are the results. Scanned as BW Scanned as Color I found little difference, but the scan as color has an ever so slightly greenish tint, which is consistent with the prints I got. Scanning as true B&W ensures a true grayscale output. But overall, they are surprisingly similar. This concludes this test. We may now return to our regular scheduled program, already in progress. Thanks,

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08-27-2010, 09:31 AM	#2
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,026	Originally posted by ismaelg Hi, I can no longer find or develop B&W film locally. That's gotta suck. No mail order options too?

08-27-2010, 09:44 AM	#3
Nesster Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 13,072	Your green tint is less than we often get with minilab scans... Unless there's something in the scanner software that does color better than greyscale, or vice versa... which I haven't yet found (but haven't looked for either)... I scan in color and then desaturate in Photoshop.

08-27-2010, 09:56 AM	#4
goddo31 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,576	When I scan this film using an Epson V700, I set the film type to Colour Negative but scan it to 16 bit greyscale... Works for me. Minilab prints I use to get with this film were often average, with a slight colour tint. I see no real difference in scanning as colour or B&W really, as long as you don't forget to remove that ugly tint

08-27-2010, 10:02 AM	#5
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,026	VueScan lets you scan in 48-bit color and select a BW film and it will produce a BW image from the RGB components. But you can also separate the RGB channels of a color scan in the image editor and merge percents of each to taste which often will give a better BW than just desaturating color. Plus there are may plugins for image editors for converting color to gray scale with color lens filter options.

08-27-2010, 10:18 AM	#6
GeneV Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Albuquerque NM Photos: Albums Posts: 9,830	On the Nikon scanners, I scan as a monchrome negative and greyscale. It works great. It is also nice for B&W that uses ICE.

09-19-2010, 07:44 AM	#7
Chuck-B&H B&H Photo Specialist Join Date: May 2010 Location: New York Posts: 935	Originally posted by ismaelg Hi, I can no longer find or develop B&W film locally. The only alternative is Kodak BW400CN, a C-41 B&W which is basically desaturated color film. So I wanted to scan it but how should it be scanned? as color or as B&W? Hello, Since I still shoot a great seal of film, I have my negs scanned at processing. Here are the 2 labs I use. They offer high quality printing, high resolution film scanning as well as other custom lab services. www.aandi.com www.imagingcoliseum.com When I had a Coolscan 4000, I scanned 20 years worth of B&W negs. What I found worked best was scanning the film as slide film ( due to the clear base ) and inverting the negative image to positive in Photoshop. I felt this gave me more DR in my shadow and highlights. C h u c k C a p r i o l a Live Chat and E-Mail Sales Manager B&H Photo-Video Thank you, we appreciate your business. * Peace on Earth *

09-26-2010, 03:29 AM	#8
Luc More Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Brussels Area Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 61	From this example, it looks like the colour scan has more details in the shadows. I would advise you to scan as colour and desaturate it in post-processing. The colour scan has somewhat less contrast as well but this is also easily fixed after scanning. Adding details that are not there in the shadows on the B/W scan would not possible.