What are "quantization effects?" Once I understand that term (and I think I do, but I need to be sure), then all else will probably fall into place.
Aside from that, I always have a hard time pulling subtle details from shadows in B&W negatives, and it really pisses me off. Recently I've been thinking that it was a mistake getting this Nikon scanner since it doesn't seem to do the job well in Zones I & II & III. Mot long ago I was thinking that better scans can be had if the negs were "fatter" in the shadows, and having fooled around a bit with some negs, that seems to be the case. Unfortunately, detail in deep shadow is an important part of my work, and I hate it when it just disappears. Maybe it's my scanning technique or Photoshop skills that's the problem. I'll wait for your definition ... Shel > [Original Message] > From: John Francis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > I thought you'd know :-) > > B&W is *all* about light and shade. There's a great deal of > post-exposure manipulation done to create the perfect print; > either in the development stage, or in printing. Digital > doesn't give you any options at development time - everything > is done by manipulating the response curves. If you're trying > to pull detail out of the shadows you'll find that the linear > response of a digital sensor means you get quantization effects > rather than a smooth range of grey tones. > > You get the same efffect with colour images, of course, but > if there's significant chroma detail the eye will often ignore > the intensity artifacts (just as JPEG artifacts that are very > apparent in smoothly-shaded areas are hard to spot in areas > where image detail is changing rapidly and unpredictably). > > > Shel Belinkoff mused: > > > > Why is that? (esp for B&W) > > > > being a B&W shooter, that sort of thing really is of interest. > > > > Shel > > > > > > > [Original Message] > > > From: John Francis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > > There are still a few situations where 12 bits > > > isn't enough (especially if you want B&W images). > > > >
