Various display modes, such as additive, separate and transparent display of the color channels up to 16bit display. A unique feature to increase the Dynamic Range for significantly more image details. A double scan with different exposure increases the number of gray levels on average by two.
Fully automatic IT8 Calibration as the ideal starting point for every scanning process. A must-have for brilliant and consistent colors. Thanks to new advanced IT8 Targets you will receive even more precise and better results. Extremely effective dust and scratch removal thanks to using the infrared channel scanner dependent.
A powerful tool for turning negatives into stunning positives. Depending on the film manufacturer and film type, NegaFix creates color-coordinated images that exactly match the original motif. SilverFast 9 More efficient. More speed. More beautiful. Brilliant Images with SilverFast.
Quit SilverFast 9 Introduction Main page. One of the most influential pieces of technology to my career is SilverFast. Vincent Versace. Frank Doorhof. SilverFast gives me the control I need to transfer that process from darkroom to digital. Richard Heddington. SilverFast — A Success Story With our new SilverFast 9 it is now even easier to create a digital image archive of your own analog images.
Watch full SilverFast 9 Video. Learn more. Scanner Software. SilverFast SE. Test Buy. SilverFast SE Plus. SilverFast Ai Studio. Image processing software. SilverFast HDR. The result is a defective scanner calibration; the respective defective colors are transferred to each of the scanned images. If one wants to create some own ICC profiles for different types of film, the respective target must not be scanned each time. The procedure for this is as follows:. By clicking on the calibration button, one can create a name for it after the completion.
Thereby, one can also include the date and the type of film in the file name. Now, by opening the CMS -tab of the option dialogue see adjacent image , one can see that the just created profile has been selected as the input profile.
If one wants to create another profile with a target of a different type of film, the calibration procedure has to be repeated with the new target. Then, one assigns the respective name to the new profile. This profile is now automatically selected as the input profile.
In the CMS -Tab of the option-dialogue, one can now switch between the different profiles and thereby choose the matching one to the respective film material. This procedure can be repeated as many times as wanted, so that an unlimited number of different input profiles can be created. From time to time, some of our clients complain that the IT-8 colour calibration does not provide a significant increase of quality in the scans.
Also in our forum, the owners of the same scanner model discuss whether the calibration and profiling of the scanner does make sense or not. In one case, the IT8-calibration really made wonders, in the other case, the owner of the scanner barely notices any difference. How are such different statements possible? Is the quality increase only a subjective perception of can an objective statement be given about that?
Every technical device is subject to certain quality fluctuations and works in a firmly defined area of tolerance. If now 3 persons buy a model of this scales and weigh a block of kg, the first will for example get a weight of 98kg, the second maybe kg and the third possibly exactly kg.
If those 3 buyers let their scales to be calibrated gauging at the board of weights and measures, then, after the gauging, all 3 buyers will get a uniform weight of kg by weighing the block.
By this way, every buyer evaluates individually the sense and benefit of a gauging with costs at the board of weights and measures. But after the calibration, all 3 of them have the guarantee that their scales works in the right way. What I mentioned in the above example also applies for a scanner: every filscanner works within a certain area of tolerance; in case of one modell the colours strongly differ from the natural colours, the other model's colours correspond very well to the original ones.
An IT-8 colour calibration effects that the scanner is set to a clearly defined quality level, no matter if the level was high or low before the calibration. Thus, after the colour calibration one can be sure that the scanner provides real and natural colours. Conclusion: the IT-8 profiling provides a high quality level to the scanner concerning the colours and the colour fidelity.
But the actual need of correction differs from scanner to scanner and changes in the course of the time. In order to come back to the initial questions: thus, a user complaining that the IT-8 calibration did not change much got a good device from the production by which not much corrections were necessary.
But as a scanner changes its features in the course of its lifetime, the calibration may not show some effective results until a period of 3 months. And the different users who report in a forum of the sense and benefit of the IT8-calibration of their device are, of course, all right concerning the results in exactly one scanner. In one case, a large correction was needed, in the other case only a small one. But the results of a subjective evaluation do not apply generally on a type of device.
For this, a statistic of umpteen or even hundreds of subjective evaluations were necessary. In the year Lasersoft Imaging brought a new target series on to the market. The so-called advanced targets are based on the new standard ISO part 2. According to this standard in the years up to transparency scanners and reflective scanners were calibrated with suitable targets.
It took time until the year , when finally a nes standard for the IT-8 colour calibration was defined in the ISO This new standard, also denoted as ISO Part 2 , is based on new targets, which are designated by advanced targets. The "old" targets according to consisted of 22x12 colour fields, i. The advanced targets according to ISO consist of colour fields.
Thus at the scanner calibration more colour fields are measured and compared with reference values, so that less colour values have to be interpolated and an exacter calibration is possible.
Advanced IT-8 targets are available both for scanners with transparency unit IT8. On the reflective targets and the larger transparent targets the colour fields are arranged in 36 coloums and 24 lines.
On the 35mm transparency target the film area with 36x24mm is too small for colour fields, so that these colour patches are split on 3 targets. Furthermore on all advanced targets there is a bar code with which SilverFast can automatically find the nomber of the appropriate reference file.
This feature is well-known from the "old" target series. At the bottom of the left side of the target there is the manufacturing date.
There are both advanced transparency targets standard IT8. The transparency targets in the sizes 35mm, medium format 6x7 mm and large format 4x5" are made on Fuji Provia F film. The reflective targets in the sizes 10x15cm, 13x18cm 5x7" as well as full format targets in the size 15x22cm are made with Kodak Professional Endura paper. At the "old" target series according to ISO there were different film types both for transparent targets and reflective targets. In the transparency area one could choose between Kodak, Fuji and Kodachrome films, in the reflective area one could choose between Kodak and Fuji.
This selection possibility is not given any more for advanced targets according to ISO Thus a film typical calibration is not possible any more.
And this will not change in the future, since Kodak films and Kodachrome films are not be produced any more. During the calibration process all these measurement fields were measured and compared with reference values.
For colour tones which were between these measurement fields an interpolation had to be done. The advanced IT-8 targets according to the standard ISO Part 2 have measurement fields so that less interpolations have to be done. Furthermore these new IT-8 targets have additional colour fields with dark colours and pastel colours.
It is clear that a more precise measurement and a more exact colour calibration is possible with more measurement fields. However in practice this more precise exactment of measurements cannot be proven. We have calibrated several scanners with the old part 1 targets and the new part 2 targets and compared the resulting scans. Indeed we could not recognize any improvements of the image quality by using the advanced targets.
Probably the differences and improvements only can be recognizes by precise measurement instruments. Let's have a look at the adjacent picture. If you click on the image a new window opens with an animation of 3 images. First you will se a scan, which is produced by a reflecta ProScan 10T without scanner calibration.
In the second animation picture you will see the scan of the same reflecta ProScan 10T after calibration with a standard target. Finally in the third picture you will se a scan of the same ProScan 10T calibrated with an advanced target.
At this animation you can clearly see that the calibration leads to an essential increase of the image quality at this film scanner. However, you hardly can recognize any differences between the scans with the different calibration targets.
In practice one does not achieve image quality improvements by using the advanced targets instead of the old IT-8 targets for the scanner calibration. As described in the chapter Film types of advanced targets advanced transparency targets are only available on Fuji film and advanced reflective targets are only available on Kodak paper.
At the old part-1 target series one could choose between different film types. If you want to digitize a bunche of Fuji-films you can make a perfect colour calibration with an advanced Fuji IT-8 target. However, if you intend to scan a series of Kodak slides you will not find a suitable part 2 target. Also if you plan to scan Kodachrome films there is no suitable IT-8 target in the advanced target series.
Of course you can calibrate your scanner with a Fuji film target and scan Kodak films. However, a Fuji IT-8 target includes the characteristic film properties of a Fuji film and does not reflect the film properties of other films. If you intend to digitize Kodak films or Kodachrome slides you better use old IT-8 targets as long as Kodak targets and Kodachrome targets are still available.
In the reflective area the film type is not decisive. The Die Advanced Color Calibration Targets for a scanner calibration is available starting with the version 8. Since the version 8. A colour calibration with standard targets according to ISO Part 1 is possibly anyway. If you click on the IT-8 calibration button since the version 8.
In the 35mm area the advanced calibration is denoted with Advanced 3-slide calibration , since the measurement fields are split on three 35mm targets and so 3 IT-8 targets have to be scanned. The Advanced Color Calibration Targets have measurement fields in total. In practice not always all these colour fields can be used for the measurement. For examplare due to dust on the target or inside the scanner it might happen that some colour fields have to be omitted during the calibration process in order not to produce wrong colour values for the resulting profile.
However doing without some colour fields still enables an exacter colour calibration than using faulty measurement values to to dust. An additional factor for the nomber of used measurement fields is the colour space. It might happen that some singular measured colour tones are outside of the used working colour space. In this case these measurement fields will not be considered for the resulting ICC profile.
Even if some colour fields are not used there are much more than measuremtn fields left for creating an exact ICC profile. When the IT-8 calibration is done successfully the Delta E value us shown. The Delta E value gives the medium aberration, i. In most cases the Delta-E value lies between 0,8 and 1,8. However, if a value of 3. The ICC profile includes the deviation from the reference file so that the colours of the original will be displayed correctly. The most renowed is the corrector of dust and scratches based on the hardware Digital ICE.
SilverFast offers a dust and scratches corrector named SRD that is based on the software. How does this procedure come off compared to the ICE? Can it be used in the batch modus? First, the essential difference between both proceedings should be mentioned: ICE is a proceeding based on the hardware; with an infrared light resource, the original is scanned for detecting eventual irregularities so that dust grains and scratches are detected.
This error spots can be then corrected afterwards by the software. Thus, the Digital ICE works by pushing a button, which means there is a status of switched on and off.
Due to the additionally necessary infrared light resource, it can be only applied in those scanners that are already structured for ICE, in this concern you can also see our page Correcting Procedure. SRD of SilverFast is a purely software algorithm. Those image spots where the dust and scratches have to be applied are to be selected and a degree of strength must be adjusted. After that, a sophisticated algorithm of computation is started that recognizes the spots on the image and retouches them.
Thus, while the ICE recognizes the dust particles on the basis of the hardware, the SRD is based on an image recognition algorithm that of course cannot distinguish if a small spot is a bird or a dust grain.
But ICE can recognize this difference, as a bird corresponds to some image spots, but a dust grain forms a slight raise on the film material. The selection of all spots on the image where SRD should be applied can easily take half an hour. Timewise, there is no difference between both functions, as ICE more than doubles the scanning time and SRD needs a lot of computation time in the image processing.
Thus, the main difference is that ICE runs fully automatically and that it is based on the hardware, while SRD must be manually applied for each image individually, that is, for each image there is an additional work of up to half an hour. ICE can be simply switched to the batch modus, while SRD does not automatically remove the dust spots in each image in the batch modus. ICE is a correcting function based on the hardware that is activated by pushing a button.
SRD is an effective algorithm for the image processing, but it requires a time consuming selection of the spots to be processed for each image. SDR is without doubt an excellent image processing function. But it does not reach the performance, effectiveness and easy handling of the ICE dust and scratches corrector.
SilverFast supports different methods of the dust and scratches removal in different versions depending on the device. Where is the difference? SRD is a pure software function that must be manually controlled: on the preview image, one selects the dust grains individually and the software corrects these dark spots based in the image information around them.
SRD does not work automatically for a complete image but only for individual spots that are manually entered. As one has to make the selection manually for each image, SRD is an extremely time consuming matter and not suitable at all for mass scannings. Contrary to SRD, iSRD works automatically; thus one does not have to select dust grains individually but simply switches on the function and leaves the detection of dust grains and scratches on the image to the infrared ray of the scanner.
Due to the procedure, the scanning speed is reduced by half but no personal working time is required. At SilverFast 8 there are some new features for example for scanning Kodachrome-Slides. You can choose between four differnet kinds of displaying the defects: Mark, Correct, Automatic and Original. You can use these Features to controll the Dust and Scratch Removal easily at the preview.
With the modulation "Detection" you can influence the degree of efficiency of the Dust and Scratch Removal. This is particularly useful for Kodachrome-Slides because of the oftentimes appearing problem with the Dust and Scratch Removal. This modulation helps to reduce the problem of lost picture details.
And the opportunity to influence the detected size of the defects. These features are especially for superior Scanoperator and professionals. On our website about different Correction Procedures , the automatic dust and scratches remover ICE is described in detail. It is about a very reliable method that was already developed in the beginning of the millenium and that has been implemented into many scanners. Both procedures are based on the hardware; they use the infrared ray of the scanner in order to detect the mountains and valleys on a slide or a negative.
Thereby, the mountains correspond to dust grains and valleys to scratches. Once the dust grains and scratches are detected, the intelligent algorithms can correct those spots on the image based on the image information around them. This is why it is called automatic dust and scratches removal. Both proceedings only work if the scanner has, beside the CCD sensor, additionally an infrared sensor that scans the image surface.
Thus, both procedures use the hardware of the scanner for the recognition of dust and scratches in order to accomplish then the automatic corrections with the software algorithms.
The algorithms are different but of the same value. According to that, a scanner producer builts an infrared sensor in his scanner. Depending on the software, then either the ICE-procedure or the procedure is applied. As both procedures are protected, no subsupplier is allowed to use these terms, and this is the reason why there are two terms for the same procedure. ICE and iSRD are two equal procedures for removing dust and scratches that use the infrared ray of the scanner that is based on the hardware for the detection of dust and scratches on the film.
They differ in the respective algorithm for the image processing. Normally, the scanner producers offer their scanners with ICE. Therewith it is clear that the scanner has an additional infrared ray scanning that is based on the hardware. In the in-house software of the producer there is a button or a checkbox for the activation of ICE. If the same scanner is operated with the SilverFast-software, the respective button is iSRD that uses the ICE-function of the scanner, that is its infrared ray.
At the version 6. Therefore, a special test chart with colour fields is printed in the printer that will be calibrated and scanned afterwards.
SilverFast compares the colour values provided by the scanner with the target colour values that were printed out and from the computed differences, an ICC-colour profile for the printer is created. If this ICC-profile is from then used for the printer, one gets colourfast printouts. Of course, an important condition is that the scanner with which the printed test chart is scanned is IT-8 calibrated.
Only if the scsanner does not produce any colour errors due to the IT8-colour calibration, the scanned original can be used for profiling the printer. Otherwise, the scanner errors are transferred to the printer and one gets falsified print-outs, also in case of the images that do not come out of the scanner.
A further condition is that the flat bed scanner must be of high quality. The condition for a permanent process of colour management is, beside the scanner calibration and the printer profiling, a calibrated screen. Only when the screen shows real colours, one can also expect images coming from the printer that look like those on the screen.
LaserSoft Imaging offers the printer calibration as an optional module when one purchases the SilverFast-scansoftware. The profiling of a printer works as follows: first, the test chart is printed out and then it is scanned again with a calibrated scanner. Filmscanners cannot be applied for the calibration of the printer as they cannot digitalize non-transparent originals a printed sheet of paper.
Thus, the printer profiling with the SilverFast-profiler only works with flat bed scanners. Principally, every flat bed scanner can be considered for the printer calibration, but it must be suitable for the IT-8 calibration.
If you want to know if there is a SilverFast IT-8 calibration and printer profiling for your scanner, please contact us per e-mail. Asyou can read in our page about Printer Profiling , the professional creation of a printer profiling always works as follows: first, a test chart is printed out which colour fields are then measured and compared to the reference colours.
In case of professional printer calibration tools, spectral photometers are applied; these are special measurement devices that can measure a colour on a paper. In case of the SilverFast Printer Calibration, a profilized scanner is employed as colour measurement device instead of a special photometer.
Are therewith comparable results obtainable? During the price comparison of the SilverFast-Profiler below euro with professional spectralphotometer tools, as for example in our shop the commodity group Printer Profiling , one can already guess that such a high surcharge on the price for the special profiling hardware will be reflected in the quality.
In fact, our SilverFast Profiler Test Report shows that therewith, an acceptable quality increase can be achieved in the printing that is sufficient for many amateurs. Thus, those who already own a flat bed scanner and operated it with the SilverFast-software and calibrates IT8, will get for a reasonable surcharge an additional printer profiling, so that one gets clearly better print outs as if without calibration.
For the professional users who attach a high importante to the colour fidelity, also in the case of the printer or the photo printer, the SilverFast-Profiling is not an alterntive to an extra toolset consisting on spectral photometer and profiling software. Millions of amateur photographers shoot their photographies with some small compact cameras that generate some finished image files in JPG-format that are already optimized in the camera.
Semiprofessionals and professional photographers generate raw files with their digital cameras, of which finished image files are generated with the support of a RAW-converter.
By this way, one can accomplish the important adjustments unhurriedly at home in front of the computer and does not have to care about everything during the shooting. Moreover, certain errors happened during the shooting can be corrected afterwards. What is applied for digicam photographies can be transferred in the same way on the scanned photographies. Those who digitalize paper photographies or film material with the support of a flat bed scanner or a filmscanner have to do certain adjustments in the scansoftware on the basis of their image files in JPG-format or TIF-format.
A wrongly adjusted colour depth, a much too low resolution or a non activated film grain equalization is then firmly set on the image file and cannot be corrected afterwards. By this way, one gets the same workflow as one does in case of the digicam images: one archives the unprocessed HDR-raw data that contain all the information of the original measured by the CCD-sensor, makes certain adjustments and corrections based on the raw-data and generates therefrom the finished image data.
Thus, every photographer who works with its digital camera with raw data is recommended also to work with raw data in the scanning. Also, every ambitioned user who digitalizes his filmmaterial and intents to get the maximum image quality should generate HDR-raw data to in order to leave the possibility open to be able to further optimize the raw material at any time, also if the requirements to the image files are low for the current purpose. During the HDR-scanning in the SilverFast scan-software some raw data are generated that are independent from the software configurations.
Thus, it is possible to accomplish afterwards in SilverFast HDR those configurations as for example the JPG-compression stage, colour adaptations, correction filter, that otherwise are made during the scanning with SilverFast. This is why both procedures of the scanner and the image adaptation can be split in the scan programe, so that they can even be accomplished by different persons at different work stations.
SilverFast HDR is a completely independent software that indit processes the raw data generated by the SilverFast-scansoftware, but it is not related to it. SilverFast HDR also has an own serial number. SilverFast HDR is an independent software package that can be purchased and installed independently from the SilverFast scan-software.
While the scan programe SilverFast is applied in order to digitalize film originals of non-transparent originals with the help of the scanner in order to generate HDR-raw data, HDR-SilverFast is applied in order to generate some finished image data form the raw data. Both procedures of the HDR-scanning and the image release can either be separated timewise or physically. Thus, it is for example possible to digitalize on one day several hundred slides with the help of a filmscanner and convert them in the following days in HDR to finished JPG-images.
It is also possible that in a company, an employee "only" generates some HDR-scans in a scanning room and that another employee generates therefrom finished image files in another office.
Thus, these procedures can be split physically and timewise. We offer within our scan-service to digitalize film material and photo material in the HDR-modus. Then the client does not depend from the configurtions made during the scanning but can practically scan the originals by himself without having an own scanner.
One of the high-end packages contains the automation tool ColorServer, with which it is possible to make a full automatic processing of the raw data. For example, those who have some continuously repeating procedures in the processing of the image data are best served with the Colorserver-expansion.
Example: a website creator always needs an exemplar of the scanned originals sized x pixel with a medium JPG-compression in the sRGB-colour range with a slight contrast optimization.
Then, one sets a so-called hotfolder with ColorServer in which exactly those processing steps are accomplished based on the raw data. As soon as a file is stored in this folder, mo matter if manually or by the Silverfast-scanprograme, SilverFast-HDR automatically starts the desired raw data conversion and generates the desired output-file in a previously defined folder.
By this way, one can accomplish certain data conversions form raw data fully automatically. All information of the dust- and scratch removal are saved within the infrared channel. HDRi-Files contain all data which can be delivered by the scanner.
So it is best suited as archival format. But this should not mind for archiving your pictures because even today there are external hard discs available which have several terabyte of storage capacity. For some scanners it is not possible to use HDRi because of hardware characteristics.
Please, check if your scanner supports HDRi. Please do not hesitate to contact us via e-mail if you need further information about the compatibility of HDRi-Scans. SilverFast DCPro has two main functions: camera profiling and raw data processing. In order to profile a digital camera, a special Digital Camera-Target is necessary. During the profiling of a camera, the errors are measured with the help of a target and therefrom, an ICC-correction profile is computed for the camera.
This correction profile can be applied to all images that where done with a digital camera so that one gets some real and natural colours. The raw data that were captured with a digital camera are loaded in DC-Pro SilverFast, adjustments as the white balance, sharpening and other colour corrections are done and from the raw data image files are generated, for example in JPG-format or TIF format. You will find detailed information about the functions and the application of the software on our detailed website about SilverFast DCPro.
Those who hear the name SilverFast automatically think on a software for scanning. It has to do with the scansoftware SilverFast only insofar that the user interfaces are similar and certain workflows and configuration dialogues are the same.
Otherwise, one purchases SilverFast DC-Pro as an own software that can be installed on any kind of computer independently of a scanner or a scanner software. Those who operate a flat bed scanner or a filmscanner with the SilverFast software and purchases SilverFast DCPro for the processing of the camera raw data will need very few time to get get introduced in the new software, as one can mainly take over one's knowhow from the scansoftware SilverFast.
Many controls, dialogues and labelings are identical to the SilverFast-software, so that one is quickly able to handle the new programe. Those who buy the software package DCPro of SilverFast will get, beside the pure software, a digital camera target for measuring their digital camera. This target sized 10x13 cm is photographed with the digital camera and the generated image file is scanned with the software SilverFast DCPro.
The calibration in DCPro is started over an own button for the calibration. As user, one has to set a frame around the scanned target so that many small individual frames are positioned exactly over each of the colour fields. Then, during the calibration procedure, each of the photographed colour fields are evaluated and compared to the target values contained in a reference table.
From the difference of the measured values and the target values, SilverFast DCPro generates an ICC-correction profile that will be saved in the hard disk as such. In the software DCPro, one selects this ICC-profile during the processing of one's raw data, so that the colour corrections are automatically applied to all raw images to be processed. By this way, one can generate certain colour profiles for the different light conditions that can be selected within the DCPro-software.
With this additional module, complete series of images can be processed fully automatically. Example; those who come back from their holidays with raw images saved in the memory card and want to get the first overview of their pictures can practically by pressing a button generate from the raw files in screen resolution. Generally, it is possible to generate the so-called hotfolders with the ColorServer.
For a hotfolder, one sets a rule, for example, the conversion of a raw file into the JPG-format, the reduction of the resolution to 72 dpi, the reduction of the image dimensions to x pixel for a screen version, a slight increase of the contrast and colour optimization. If then one inserts the camera raw files at any given time into this hotfolder, these files are fully automatically processed as per the determined rules and scanned into a firmly defined output folder.
Thus, SilverFast DCPro, in conjunction with the module ColorServer, is a very effective tool for automizing and simplifying those procedures that are continuously repeated. RAW-converters for the raw data of digital cameras are massy available in the software market. The conversion and processing of raw files meanwhile became a standard task of many programes, as an increasing number of photographers capture their images in the raw format.
Which decisive advantage does SilverFast DCPro have on the widely facetted market of the raw data converters? DCPro of SilverFast has a double function: Beside the conversion of the raw data, with the DCPro-Software, a camera profiling is possible, so that is can be worked within a colour management process. Through the calibration of the camera, the image errors of the camera are measured and saved as a correction profile. During the raw data processing, this correction profile is automatically applied to the files to be processed, so that one gets corrected images without any colour errors.
Thus, SilverFast DCPro corrects the camera errors through the profiling and avoids thereby that certain camera errors are rediscovered in thousands of image data and must be corrected afterwards. Those who already operate their filmscanner of flat bed scanner with SilverFast will not need a long introduction period for SilverFast DCPro, as the basic handling and many dialogues of adjustments are similar.
Those who buy the software SilverFast DCPro normally already posess a digital camera and have an abundance of raw data saved in their computers. Is it also possible to process one's old raw files created before the purchase of the digital camera software DCPro?
With such a profiling process, those input devices as scanners and digital cameras deliver some real and colourfast images. By opening a raw data file with this programe, one sees the image immediately in the way it would look like with the adjustments during the photographing. Now it is possible to modify all of these image adjustments.
Everything what one normally would have adjusted before photographing can be done later on. Once the desired result is achieved, one does only need to click on the processing-button of the normal scan software of SilverFast, type in the file name and one gets the finished image file.
The raw-format is a file format of digital cameras that contains the lossless and unmodified data captured by the image sensor.
The raw file does not contain all the colour information of a finished image file in the JPG- or TIF-format, as these have to be laboriously computed first. Parameters as the white balance, contrast, sharpness, colour saturation and image noise reduction do not have to be considered during the photographing in the raw-format.
Contrary to the exposition time, aperture and ISO-sensitiveness, these parametres do not depend on the hardware. Thus, by using the raw format, one does not leave the adjustment of those values to the internal processing algorithms of the camera but one can specificly accomplish them on the computer and adapt them optimally to the desired result.
Thereby, depending on the used raw-converter, one gets much more comprehensive and precise possibilities of adjustment. Thereby, a considerable increase of the image quality is possible to together with the increased dynamic range of the image information contained in the raw format.
And of course, by using the raw format, one has later the possibility to find the optimal adjustments. Those who do not know whether they have to adjust "flashlight", "artificial light" or "automatic" as white balance while photographing an object in the interior of the room with the flash activated, can comfortably test all these adjustments in the raw-converter one by one and by this way find the optimal adjustment.
Thus, in the case of raw photographies, the definite camera adjustments are not made during the photographing but later on during the raw-conversion. There is no camera that straight represents the colours the way they look in reality. Thereby, the colour errors do not only differ from producer to producer, neither only from model to model but even two cameras of the same model can differ due to some fluctuation in the production.
This effect appears everywhere in the technique: by buying 5 scales of the same type, every one will indicate a different weight. By using an individual camera profile, these deviations can be corrected without processing the images later. Thereby, the individual camera is measured first in order to determine its colour deviations and to save a so-called camera profile.
Thus, such a camera profile contains the colour errors of the camera saved in a compact format. Then, during the raw conversion, the camera profile is used in the automatic error correction.
Thereby, one does not only save time and probably also money, but also increases the image quality, as from the very beginning, the colours are correct. Thus, when it comes to the exact colour reproduction, as for example in case of art reproductions or product photographies, one sholud basically use camera profiles. But also every amateur photographer gets some better digital images by measuring his camera, photographing in the raw format and processing them automatcally.
Moreover, it also contains the print-tool PrinTao. The DCPro-version contains, beside some further additional features, the possibility to generate an individual camera profile with the help of the provided calibration target. The additional option PhotoProof enhances SilverFast DCPro Studio by a proof-function, with which one can arrange a softproof and also edit some legal proof-printouts with an attached FOGRA-medium wedge on a calibrated and linearized output device with the support of PrinTao.
ColorServer is an automation tool with which one can automate the workflows of large amounts of images. By this way, it is possible to accomplish gradiation- and tonal value corrections, colour space conversions and all other possible image adjustments of SilverFast DCPro Studio automatically in a cofortable way.
PhotoProof can simplify this process. With only a few mouse clicks, it enables the user to arrange a softproof, so that the output colour space is simulated on the screen. On a linearized and calibrated output device assisted by PrinTao a proof print of the picture in the output color range can be made. The integration of a FOGRA medium wedge different medium wedges for different measuring instruments are provided secures the legally binding effect of the proofs - provided the evaluation of the printed medium wedge, which requires additional hard- and software, shows the deviations are within the given tolerances.
The automation tool ColorServer makes the batch processing of image files possible. The program works with so-called Hotfolders.
Those are folders, which are constantly supervised by the current program. If a new file is being saved in a Hotfolder, this file is being processed according to the adjustments - all adjustments possible in SilverFast DC Pro are available. The processed file is then stored in the before chosen target folder and the original is being shifted from the Hotfolder into the likewise before chosen archive folder.
Furthermore, an error folder can be determined in which all files will be stored where during the processing an error arose. Thus, in practice, one arranges a Hotfolder and any time one wants to process some images with the desired adjustments one simply moves them into the respective data file and everything runs automatically. It couldn't be easier! We want to show you in the following chapters how to work in general with SilverFast DCPro the available Add-Ons, and describe the appropriate proceedings.
The photographed pictures have to be saved in RAW-format in the storage medium of the camera. Then, the image adjustments as the white balance and sharping are secondary - they are optimized later on. After photographing it is recommendable to transfer the data to the hard disk of the computer. The raw data should be archived separatedely, also after the computation of the finished image file. Through the so-called VLT virtual light table the pictures for the processing can be selected, viewed and organized.
The VLT is divided into three areas: folder tree structure, preview area with thumbnails of the pictures of the current file and a "light table", on which one can position thumbnails of the pictures freely. A doubleclick on a picture, which is on the light table or within the thumbnails, opens the SilverFast main program. All adjustments which can be made with the SilverFast scanning software prior to the scan, can be done now afterwards. All possibilities of adjustent of SilverFast Ai as for example the gradiation curves, tonal values, colours and sharpening are also available here.
In the separated window for the image adjustment there are, beside the options exposition, white balance, brightness and contrast, some further specific camera-Raw adjustments available: There is a choice of white balance-presets, a magenta-green-colour control, a control for the luminance smoothing and another control for the reduction of the image noise.
As soon as the result is satisfactory, the finished image file can be computed: one simple click on the "process" button is enough, and after entering the desired file name and the destination folder the picture is made.
This works very fast: after a few seconds - depending on the computer speed - an image of 10 megapixels is finished and saved. With the help of the provided calibration target and the function for the profile creation that is integrated in the software, the SilverFast DCPro enables a simple and comfortable optimization of a digital camera. First, the calibration target must be photographed.
Thereby it is important to avoid the reflections on the surface and ensure an even illumination. What is also very important to pay attention to the right exposition. The most exact measurement is achieved with an exposure meter and the light measuring.
Then the light is measured in all four corners and in the centre of the target and the lamps are adjusted in a way that in all measuring points show the same exposure values.
If one does not have the respective equipment, it is also possible to accomplish an incident and reflected light measuring on a greycard with the exposure meter that is integrated in the camera.
If there is also no greycard available, the target can be also measured and an exposure series made. Then one chooses the photography where the white point shows some RGB values of approximately This can be measured, for example, with the densitometer of SilverFast. The correct white balance is another crucial element for generating an error-free profile. In case of the most cameras, a neutral grey surface is to be measured. Therefore, a greycard is the most suitable item that is illuminated with the light with which later on the calibration target also will be photographed.
In the adjacent image, the studio setup is shown that we have arranged for photographing of the testchart. Therewith, the conditions were optimal.
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