Why do my FP4 scans look flat and soft, and how can I tell if the problem is the film or the scan?
Asked 12/30/2019
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I shot a roll of Ilford FP4 Plus 125 in a Canon EOS 3, and the lab-developed/scanned files look flat and generally soft. I can improve contrast in editing, but the overall result still seems weaker than expected, and several frames on the roll look similar.
How can I tell whether this is mainly a scanning issue or a problem with the negatives themselves? What should I check on the negatives to judge exposure and density?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
1
You need to look at your negatives. Scans mean nothing. Your film should have rich blacks and film base clear areas. If the whole image is 'thin' (meaning under-exposed) then the scans will be made in such a way to try and capture as much detail without blowing them out.
Basically, you need the source material, not the end result.
If you want to post a photo of your negative against a light box or a monitor, taken with a cell phone, that would give a better idea of what where they are in the exposure scale. The blackest part of the image should be darker than the film imprint near the sprockets.
Originally by user85056. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user85056
6y ago
0
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Start by checking the negatives, not the scans. A scan can look flat because the lab is trying to preserve as much detail as possible, especially if the negatives are thin.
What to look for:
- The negative should show good density overall.
- The darkest image areas on the negative should be denser than the film edge markings near the sprockets.
- Clear areas should approach the film base.
If the whole negative looks thin, that usually points to underexposure, and the scanner may produce a flat-looking file as it tries not to clip highlights or shadows. In that case, the scan is reflecting the source material rather than causing the problem.
So the first step is to inspect the negatives on a light box or bright screen. If possible, photograph a frame with your phone for comparison. Without seeing the negatives, it’s hard to judge whether the softness/flatness comes from scanning or from exposure on the film itself.
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