Has anyone done a comparison of 35mm (negative and/or slide) film for digital processing (scanning). That provides the best color and definition without requiring much digital 'enhancement'.

-- Cliff Cotterill (cliff@internetaddress.com), September 23, 1999

Answers

One of my friends owns a digital imaging business and scans slides all day for his customers. He has been experimenting with different films on his own, trying to do this very thing; determine which gives the best scans and hence the best prints. Last time I spoke with him he was leaning toward (horros) Fujichrome Velvia, but looking forward to trying out the new RDP III.

Why Velvia? It seems the scanning process slightly desaturates the image, and Velvia requires less post0scan manipulation to yield a rich image. It alos has famously fine grain. Kodak's E100 films also scan quite well, but apparently have problems with color shift due to the way the emulsion reacts with the oils used in drum scanning.

-- Darron Spohn (sspohn@concentric.net), September 24, 1999.