{"id":4129,"date":"2024-05-25T23:47:56","date_gmt":"2024-05-25T22:47:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/?p=4129"},"modified":"2024-12-14T22:15:54","modified_gmt":"2024-12-14T21:15:54","slug":"vuescan-raw-rt-film-negative-good-colours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/2024\/05\/25\/vuescan-raw-rt-film-negative-good-colours\/","title":{"rendered":"VueScan RAW + RT Film Negative = Good Colours"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\"Woman<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In March, I experimented with using a DSLR to digitise negatives<\/a> and liked the results more than those obtained from my low-end Epson Perfection V200 scanner. However, this sentiment is now reversed because I can produce better images from the scanner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previously, I scanned a negative with VueScan (using Lock Exposure and Lock Base Color features to neutralise the colour of the film base), saving the frames as TIFF images, and refined colours with Curves in GIMP. That method relied on my ability to correctly judge neutral colours and was therefore subjective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Film Negative module in RawTherapee<\/a> uses maths to balance colours from film negatives, which is more consistent than human judgment. But until recently, it worked only with RAW files produced by DSLRs. Now the added support for TIFF files in RawTherapee 5.10 enables me to process negatives with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My new workflow is to scan each frame of a negative as a RAW image and to save it as a TIFF file. A RAW image is the direct output of the scanner and does not contain any image processing. I can work with the TIFF image in RawTherapee in the same way as I do with a RAW image from a DSLR. But Film Negative does the heavy lifting. Most of the time, it automatically finds the correct colours, but it can also get a good outcome from two user-selected points of neutral colour from a frame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, I am very pleased with the performance of Film Negative. The picture above, which was used in my previous comparison, is the output of Film Negative. It is true to life: The skin, black jacket, grey dashboard, and red car look much more natural than in previous images from both the scanner and the DSLR digitisation. The photos in my previous post<\/a> were obtained in the same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Theoretically, Film Negative works similarly on both a TIFF image from VueScan and a RAW image from a DSLR. However, experimenting with the DSLR method today, I could not get satisfying results. I am now reconsidering the purchase of The Lobster Holder, which I’ve wanted since my DSLR digitisation experiment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In March, I experimented with using a DSLR to digitise negatives and liked the results more than those obtained from my low-end Epson Perfection V200 scanner. However, this sentiment is now reversed because I can produce better images from the scanner. Previously, I scanned a negative with VueScan (using Lock Exposure and Lock Base Color […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4129","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1j9q5-14B","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4621,"url":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/2025\/03\/23\/store-closing\/","url_meta":{"origin":4129,"position":0},"title":"Store closing!","author":"Eddy Young","date":"23 March 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"This weekend we are staying indoors as P continues to recover from the pain in her lower back, which had her immobilised for most of the week. She was well enough to help me fix spikes on our garden fence, which we hope will deter pigeons and neighbourhood cats\u2014and the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/woolworths_001-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/woolworths_001-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/woolworths_001-150x150.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/woolworths_001-150x150.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/woolworths_001-150x150.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/woolworths_001-150x150.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3826,"url":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/2023\/09\/27\/a-brief-appearance-of-the-nikon-fg-20\/","url_meta":{"origin":4129,"position":1},"title":"A brief appearance of the Nikon FG-20","author":"Eddy Young","date":"27 September 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Previously I wrote that the Nikon FG-20 is not a suitable camera for practising photography. I argued that its flawed ergonomics got in the way of a pleasant shooting experience and could even cause exposure mistakes. And yet I found myself retrieving it from storage, loading two fresh LR44 batteries\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2023-09-10-0004-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2023-09-10-0004-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2023-09-10-0004-150x150.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2023-09-10-0004-150x150.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2023-09-10-0004-150x150.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2023-09-10-0004-150x150.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4658,"url":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/2025\/04\/07\/lucking-it-out-with-old-c41-chemicals\/","url_meta":{"origin":4129,"position":2},"title":"Lucking it out with old C41 chemicals","author":"Eddy Young","date":"7 April 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"What do you know, it turns out that C41 chemicals last a very long time. My solution of Bellini Foto developer was two years old and had been used with 16 rolls before I discarded it yesterday. I suspect it went bad only because the plastic bottle cracked and let\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/2025-04-07A-005-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/2025-04-07A-005-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/2025-04-07A-005-150x150.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/2025-04-07A-005-150x150.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/2025-04-07A-005-150x150.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/2025-04-07A-005-150x150.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3542,"url":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/2022\/12\/13\/a-great-week-end-it-was\/","url_meta":{"origin":4129,"position":3},"title":"A great week-end it was","author":"Eddy Young","date":"13 December 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I took these photos while we toured the western and southern parts of the island last Saturday. I avoided using the Nikon D300, because it was in the way too much to be fun. Instead, I leaned on my old Windows Phone. (I believe it is Saint-Felix beach in the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/WP_20221210_13_26_16_Rich-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/WP_20221210_13_26_16_Rich-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/WP_20221210_13_26_16_Rich-150x150.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/WP_20221210_13_26_16_Rich-150x150.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/WP_20221210_13_26_16_Rich-150x150.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4180,"url":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/2024\/07\/19\/shirley-wellard-universal-film-cassette\/","url_meta":{"origin":4129,"position":4},"title":"Shirley Wellard Universal film cassette","author":"Eddy Young","date":"19 July 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The Shirley Wellard Universal film cassette was too much attractive vintage photography equipment to pass on. I bought two of them on eBay and successfully used one today with my Nikon FM2. The Shirley Wellard's beautiful design and solid build are not my only reasons for buying them. In fact,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Reloadable film cassette with its box and instructions guide","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/IMG_20240719_223547-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/IMG_20240719_223547-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/IMG_20240719_223547-150x150.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/IMG_20240719_223547-150x150.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/IMG_20240719_223547-150x150.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/IMG_20240719_223547-150x150.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3721,"url":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/2023\/09\/02\/playing-with-expired-ferrania-solaris-100-film\/","url_meta":{"origin":4129,"position":5},"title":"Playing with expired Ferrania Solaris 100 film","author":"Eddy Young","date":"2 September 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"This evening I developed a roll of expired Ferrania Solaris 100 film, which I bought on eBay. It was ideal for testing because it had only 12 frames, which I could shoot in a single day\u2014a 36-frame roll can take months. The flowers planted by my mother and me were\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2023-09-02-0003-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2023-09-02-0003-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2023-09-02-0003-150x150.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2023-09-02-0003-150x150.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2023-09-02-0003-150x150.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2023-09-02-0003-150x150.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4129"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4129\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4475,"href":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4129\/revisions\/4475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/priscimon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}