How can I correct flat, magenta-tinted scans from older slides?
Asked 4/1/2021
1 views
2 answers
0
I’m scanning 1980–2000 era slides with a Nikon CoolScan V-ED. Most scans look flat, many have a noticeable magenta cast, and some seem short on red/orange. I’m doing basic edits in Lightroom and have tried white balance, tint, contrast, clarity, vibrance, saturation, and selective color adjustments, but the results still feel unconvincing. I’d prefer not to rely on slower scanner-side processing. Are there any typical post-processing adjustments or workflow steps that work well for older slide scans?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
5y ago
2 Answers
1
are there typical adjustments that are proven / recommended for older slides?
Not really. Images can vary a lot.
I would work on global issues, like tint, before local issues, like contrast. Attempting to correct local issues first can cause global issues to vary at the local level. For example, increasing contrast can affect color so that a constant tint is made to vary across the image.
Aside from what you've already mentioned, you could try levels and curves. Some scanner drivers and software have curve adjustments built in.
To remove the magenta cast, you can adjust the green channel. If the color cast is not pure magenta, you may need to adjust the Red and Blue channels.
I applied the same set of curves to all three of the images you provided to remove the tint. It's not perfect because the color cast is not the same in all images, but it's a reasonable starting point for further adjustments.
The first two images might also benefit from increasing gamma or exposure.
To increase contrast, you can try an S-curve.
Many other adjustments are possible with curves.
Originally by user75526. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user75526
5y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
There isn’t one proven correction for all older slides—results vary a lot by film stock, age, and storage. A good workflow is to fix global color problems first, then tonal/contrast issues afterward.
Start by correcting the color cast before adding contrast or clarity. If the scans are magenta, adjust toward green. If the cast isn’t pure magenta, you may also need small red and blue channel corrections. Curves or levels are often more effective than broad saturation tweaks because they let you correct channels separately.
A practical approach:
- Correct overall tint/white balance first.
- Use levels or curves for each RGB channel to neutralize the cast.
- After color is closer, adjust overall contrast/tonality.
- Then fine-tune any local or selective color issues.
Doing contrast first can make color problems vary across the image and become harder to fix. So prioritize global color balance, then move on to contrast and any selective adjustments.
In short: no single recipe, but channel-based levels/curves—especially reducing magenta via the green channel—are the most typical and useful corrections.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI5y ago