Film is better in SpectraCOLOR™: CS Negative+ Convert v1.2 Update

CS Negative+ Convert v1.2

For our first release of the summer — yes we still have two more “+” announcements coming (no slide film, sorry) — we are excited to share these new color negative conversion tools and the philosophy and science behind SpectraCOLOR™ with our film community! Our goal with the CS Negative+ Convert Tools was to keep it simple and FREE while maximizing compatibility, consistency, and fidelity. And we’ve already made some major updates based on valuable user feedback (get the latest version 1.2 now), including new Color Models and Tools optimized for basic white light sources like video lights and basic light boxes/panels. Other great tools already exist and can produce wonderful results, but we felt that something was missing… the intended unique looks of the films we choose to shoot! While other softwares do a great job of analyzing, approximating and assuming what an image should look like — regardless of the exposure, processing, or personality of the film — they were not necessarily “true” to how the film was designed to look, often rendering generic *digital*-feeling images that tend to make all films look more homogeneous. The main difference between CS Negative+ Convert with SpectraCOLOR™ and other tools and techniques, which we have all enjoyed, is in the core way it handles the conversion process. CS Negative+ handles your raw camera-scanned negatives in the purest (being faithful to the original look and feel of film) and most high-fidelity way possible — short of printing in the darkroom of course. 

Most other software is designed to be more automated in the conversion process, but because of this, in our opinion, end up doing too much digital post-processing to be considered a true-to-film conversion. These other softwares need to “analyze” and auto-correct each image individually – heavily shifting color curves for each individual image to approximate what they think would be the most accurate representation of a digital image – based on content of the image rather than being true to how the photographer and film saw it. Their automated approach may work well with oddball/expired films or if you are looking to get a usable digital image from any film negative without much effort, but they are not necessarily true to what each film has been designed to look like when printed. If you have chosen to shoot film to attain that look which only film provides, and prefer a faithful representation of the film image you shot, CS Negative+ Convert is here for you!

The SpectraCOLOR™ approach is to invert the colors (or “Convert” the negative) using many tools and fine adjustments within CS Negative+ Convert, at the color science and hardware level, maintaining the highest fidelity image possible for continued customized edits in RAW file format without exporting, while still remaining faithful to what film should be. This gives the photographer a starting point that more accurately represents the way the film would actually look in the traditional darkroom process. After all, the color science of analog paper and lab scanners doesn’t need to analyze and rebuild the image you already captured. It is calibrated to the process the film was designed for and just requires density and color correction. 

CS Negative+ is Manual mode. It still does all the work, like any camera would be when in Manual mode… It just reveals the true colors of the film and lets you make the choices. And SpectraCOLOR™ is the engine.

The idea is that, just like in the darkroom and with professional lab scanners, the initial color palette and contrast of your image should be determined by the film chosen and the print curve intended for that film — and that should not need to be changed. There is only one intended print curve for all color print film. Digital conversion should be consistent for all print films and you should not need to adjust anything besides exposure and color balance to get an image that matches the intended look of that film, just like in the darkroom… but faster! And since we aren’t in the darkroom, from there your color model can be easily customized using the CS Negative+ Tools and the Adobe native edit settings, and then lifted and applied to any other negative with consistent results while retaining the ability to fine tune each image using the basic (exposure and color balance) settings and other native Adobe tools. Only with SpectraCOLOR™!

OK… So now you might ask, “But, why is film better in SpectraCOLOR™?

Unfortunately, the limitations of repurposing digital photography color science and current off-the-shelf light technology have made achieving consistent results nearly impossible, without digital analysis and auto-correction. This is largely due to the massive obstacles of color cross-talk and color negative calibration in the conversion process needing to be addressed. This challenge has led to software applying unique auto-corrections to the color curves for each and every exposure, which is subjective and tedious when done manually. SpectraCOLOR™ technology is changing that — meaning accurate, customizable, consistent film conversion is not only possible, but easier than ever.

A quality scan using a quality light source that is made for film scanning is an absolute must to avoid unnecessary digital reinterpretation, which merely makes an approximation of your final image. SpectraCOLOR™ technology makes simple and true-to-film conversion to digital images an accessible reality. And there is more to come!

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the support and feedback for the new CS Negative+ Convert Tools. We look forward to seeing what you make! Share your results by tagging us and using #csnegativeplus 

You make this possible! Download the latest update of CS Negative+, with the new “Basic” and “Lite” workflows and Color Models. See our responses to commonly asked questions below and stay tuned as we release more information, and updates, to the CS Negative+ Convert Tools and share more about how SpectraCOLOR™ technology can help you see your film in new ways. 

Oh, and remember... we’re not done yet! Something + is coming!

FAQ

Q: Other Software and plugins are already available and offer more automation when interpreting your film scans. Why use these presets within Adobe CC?
A: These tools do not replace or imitate other great tools which have helped make camera scanning negatives more accessible. Rather, they have been designed from a photochemical color science perspective, to bring a new simplified approach to handling your film scans, in a way which we prefer and believe is true to the intended look of the printed positive. We tried very hard to maximize compatibility and control while keeping it simple. If you haven’t tried them yet, they are free to download and you can see what they do.
These are not simple color profiles or carefully designed “looks.” The “-+” Convert Color Models were designed to be starting points applied through the presets panel to simplify and maximize compatibility, utilizing an integrated UX. This allows you to convert your negatives accurately, efficiently, and without the fuss. These Color Models apply many of the included adjustable “Tools” presets in a non-destructive way that integrates many native Adobe tools and raw conversion settings and can be used to customize your color model.
Our tools don’t analyze and guess how to reinterpret a negative, by applying an automated color curve adjustment for each image. They see the negative as it was intended (while preserving back-and-forth access between the native Adobe and Negative+ tools). Making your camera see the negative the way color paper does and processes it like RA-4 chemistry for consistent results. Accurately revealing the true beauty of any print film.

Q: Why are the native Adobe Exposure and White Balance sliders backwards still?
A: It is true that with our tools, as well as with other softwares, native RAW exposure and color balance tools are inverted (just like in the darkroom) but unlike others, adjusting native Adobe settings after conversion will not severely clip or shift color curves. The CS Negative+ 1.2 Tools also have Exposure, Temp and Tint fine adjustment sliders that are inverted the correct way. 

Q: Does -+ Convert require special hardware?
A: The various Color Modes are optimized for different lights sources and can be used with any camera scanning setup. As with all software, your best results will always come from properly exposed and processed negatives captured on a quality, calibrated light source which will preserve fidelity and limit digital manipulation. Quality equipment and captures will always matter. Negative+ is only the first step in improving your film scans and is compatible with all other tools for Camera Scanning. We are working on new SpectraCOLOR™ tools that will further improve this amazing workflow.

Q: Why do some scans not look as good as others upon initial conversion? Wouldn’t it be better if it automatically fixed it?
A: These “BASIC”, ”PRINT” and “SCAN” Convert color models are intended to give you a consistent conversion starting point and workflow that is accurate to what you would get with a straight darkroom print (only manually adjusting density and color balance). They offer several different suggested starting points for both traditional white light capture and for light sources balanced specifically for color negatives.
They have been designed to offer an initial conversion that can truly be considered “straight scans” because they are calibrated to the C-41 and RA-4 processes. This took years of side-by-side testing and human analysis on many different negatives, so the only thing you should have to adjust in post is the “Exposure” and “White Balance”. Other than film and processing, the only thing that should impact the colors of your camera scans is the light source. 
You can then make manual adjustments in the Adobe software of your choice or customize the conversion color model selected, using the many -+ Tools also included, which can be used to make a range of adjustments – from saturation and contrast curve to correcting color casts introduced from your light source, exposure, push processing or expired film. The customized color models can then be saved as custom user presets or lifted and applied to other images in a non-destructive workflow allowing your images to be adjusted further without needing to reconvert or analyze the image.
These conversion tools handle overexposed and underexposed images well too, offering valuable feedback for those learning how under and overexposure affects the look of the film but still offers solutions for muddy shadows or color casts.

Q: When will you release more Color Models for different film types?
A: These tools were developed with precision SpectraCOLOR™ color science to work on any and all color films without needing to analyze or select the film type ahead of time, in the same way that all color print films are designed to be printed in the darkroom on the same paper and give consistent results with only basic color balance and density corrections. They also offer more advanced controls and the ability to fix things you could not in the darkroom. A very refreshing and simplified approach that allows control of the final look of your image to be determined by the film shot and the photographer’s edits, rather than by automated software.

Q: But what about other ways of converting my negatives? Is CS Negative+ with SpectraCOLOR™ the only true way to convert negatives to positives?
A: We did not release these tools to replace an automated or stand-alone process or printing in the darkroom, but rather to give photographers a simple, straightforward option that leans into the intended print film workflow and look. NegativeLabPro (NLP) offers a very different approach and may be preferred by some, especially with difficult negatives that would not print well in the darkroom. While SmartConvert and FilmLab are stand-alone softwares that simplify the process. That said, there is no one way to make a photograph. Use the tool that suits you best and that gives you the results you prefer.

Q: Why Adobe?
A: Adobe currently offers the most widely available and powerful tools for digital image editing and file management and these tools work with bitmap and DNG raw files completely for FREE when paired with the Lightroom Mobile app. We plan on offering more SpectraCOLOR™ tools for other platforms and workflows, paired with other great analog and digital photography services in the future.

Q: How do I reduce the pinks (reds or magentas) I see in the highlights of some of my scans?
A: There are several potential causes for reddish highlights, including the color temperature of your light source, or maybe you just prefer a cooler white point. In addition to the new “BASIC Convert” Color Model, the simplest thing to try is testing some of the native “Adobe Raw” Profiles in the Develop/Edit panel. The “Adobe Color” and “Adobe Portrait” Profiles work especially well with some setups. 
The more advanced tools for dealing with any color cast issues with your negatives are the “Color -+ Correct…” tools in the “Tools” preset group. Specifically, the “Color -+ Correct -Skylight/Red Cast” adjustable slider is specifically designed for controlling the red channel bias in the highlights and shadows.

Q: Will CineStill be providing updates to the CS Negative+ Convert Tools?
A: Yes! In fact, those who have already downloaded these tools from our site will have received emails with updates to the tools, with the new “BASIC” and “LITE” groupings for of most used “Convert” Color Models and “Tools” for faster workflows and the new “BASIC Convert” Color Model that is designed to be a better start point for negatives scanned on warmer light sources or that show a strong color cast from poor processing or excessive overexposure, among other causes.