Problems with large .TIF files

[arthur]

I am scanning 65 year old medium format negatives.

I am scanning at 6400 dpi and saving in TIF. Each file is around 800mb.

I am running Photoshop 6.0. PS can open the files, but I can't do anything like rotate, or even save as JPG.

Are these files just too big for this version of photoshop? Can newer versions of photoshop handle files this big?

Btw, my computer is brand new with superfast processor and 8gb RAM.

Any suggestions?

[venchka]

What scanner are you using? I never go beyond 2,400 SPI, which is the real resolution of most desktop consumer scanners.
My B&W 16 bit scans of 6x7 negatives are in the 65mb-68mb range. Color files are double that. I think I recall opening these files in an old copy of Photoshop 6 I had laying around. Lightroom handles them with ease. If the computer has the horsepower.
Back off the SPI. Or DPI if you prefer.

[arthur]

v500 epson.

I thought I would scan at highest DPI for archival purposes.

Who knows what DPI they will want 100 years from now.

[venchka]

Nope. Waste of time & storage space. The files won't get any better beyond 2,400. All those extra DPI are added by sogtware. Heck, even 1,600 looks great with big negatives.

[arthur]

well, I tried again, left the computer for a while and came back, and did rotate it.

I'm going to be embarking on a huge project of scanning letters, so I better figure out my processes for that.

[venchka]

For film, less is better. Trust me. There is well docummented scientific proof. Any claimed resolution beyond 2400 (and maybe 2100 for some models of scanners) is pure marketing hype. I have scanned hundreds of 6x6 & 6x7 negatives at 2400 DPI. Made 16x20 prints from those scans. It works.

Letters are a lot easier. Scan a few starting at 100 DPI. See how they print. Work your way up until you get decent printed copies. Always aim for the minimum DPI that produces quality output.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

I came across a similar conversation about having some image drum scanned, many years ago, and he said scanning in this case over 300 dpi for printing on commercial printers] for even somethi ng like magazine publication would be a waste of time $ and storage so ai agree with Wayne going above 2100 in your case is over polishing an apple-hence a waste of time and computer power-btw you don't plan to destroy the source item that is being scanned do you?

[arthur]

No I don't plan to destroy it. I'm just trying archive, and also distribute to relatives, and provide future generations with a high quality scan in case they are lost/destroyed.

[venchka]

Earth to Arthur: A 2400 DPI quality scan of a good orginal negative will print a minimum of 16x20. I could have printed larger if I wanted to, but my client said 16x20 was fine. Your skill at the time of scanning is more important than DPI.
You will not be giving your relatives 800Mb files. They get JPEGS large enough to make 4x6 or 8x10 prints.
As I learned last night, 1600 DPI may be the upper limit of optical resolution for consumer flatbed scanners. Do you really want to waste time storing interpolated, added on by software, guesstimated pixels?
I know it takes my old scanner and computer several minutes per 6x7 negative at 2400 DPI. I can't begine to imagine the time needed for 6400 DPI.
ps: You can't judge the quality of a scan on your monitor at 72 PPI. Make a scan at 2100-2400 DPI and make a print. If it looks good, you have your answer.

[Rson]

Here is a problem....PS 6 is a 32 bit software and doesn't harness the 8gb of ram and probably isn't multithreaded to harness your processors full capacity. Also, it doesn't harness the Graphics card like CS4 and CS5 does.

Your problem is adobe PS6.

I see you are in Dallas....I work at the galleria and if you want to drop a DVD with an image, I can verify on my monster at home. PM me. I also agree with above.

[venchka]

Y'all still don't get it.

[venchka]

Originally Posted by arthur

v500 epson.

I thought I would scan at highest DPI for archival purposes.

Who knows what DPI they will want 100 years from now.

I couldn't see the forest for the trees. That is Epson's low end scanner. Nothing you do will turn it into a high end flatbed or drum scanner. Throwing more software generated pixels in the file won't improve the quality.
You may see an improvement in scanning quality with an adjustable film holder from Betterscanning.

Film Holder Holders and Products for the Epson V500

The problem is overly bloated files. Not Photoshop or your computer. My antique computer with 4Gb ram running XP Home/SP 3 and Lightroom 2.2 works just fine with my medium and large format scans. It also works just fine with 250Mb assemblies of 5 or more RAW files.

'Nuff said. I'm tired of betting my fingers raw. Have fun!

[Flea77]

Wayne is pretty much right, we could debate the 'exact' cut off point for optical resolution on scanners all week and the fact remains he is close enough on any scanner you are likely to ever have on your desk that it doesn't matter.

But for conversation's sake lets say he is wrong, and you can scan up to 10,000dpi with perfect optical resolution from your scanner. There just is not that much data in a piece of film! If you actually want the math I can provide it, but the absolute best film out there can only produce around 3600dpi assuming no loss in lenses, filters, etc etc etc. So even in a perfect world going above 3600dpi is a waste.

Allan

[srwatters]

Full size file

This image was shot on Kodak T-Max 100, which is very tight grain, in 120 format. I scanned it at 3200dpi on my Epson V700 scanner. No noise reduction was done. I personally don't think I needed to go that high and could have done just as well at 2400dpi. The resulting TIF file was 196MB. It was handled easily by my Mac Pro. Of course YMMV.

[arthur]

it turns out that ps6 will rotate the 800mb image. It just takes a little bit of time. and shutting down other memory-hogging programs running simultaneously.

Well, I am new to this scanning business....so I am learning as I am going.

I started scanning at 3200dpi.....do you all recommend saving as JPG or TIF? For 35mm slides and negatives.