Prescanning, Making a Prescan | Better Light 7 guide

Prescan and Scan controls.

Prescanning

The usual method of operating the Better Light camera centers around the tasks of prescanning the scene, adjusting parameters to achieve the intended image, then scanning the ﬁnal image. This method allows for iteratively adjusting the composition, lighting and exposure to give the photographer conﬁdence that

the image on screen will be the same one captured in the ﬁnal scan.

Making a Prescan

The digital camera has a signiﬁcant advantage over ﬁlm in that representative image data can be viewed immediately after the exposure, allowing accurate and repeatable determination of exposure, color balance, and tonal range. This enables the photographer to precisely adjust the exposure and processing conditions for each image, and to neutralize any unwanted color cast, or to introduce color ﬁltration as desired.

In addition to evaluating the preview image visually, a digital spot meter permits the photogra- pher to accurately measure any point location within the preview image, and a histogram display pro- vides an overall indication of the distribution of image data values.

There are two types of prescans available; the normal prescan and the fast prescan. Both types of

prescans can be initiated by clicking on the button in the main control area.The camera will then begin a prescan at the lowest resolution available for your model camera:

model 4000 series: 20% (1000 x 750 pixels, 4.2 MB)

model 6000 series and Super 6K™ series (1000 x 750 pixels, 4.2 MB) Super 8K™ series (888 x 666 pixels, 3.4 MB)

To give the most accurate representation of the ﬁnal scan image normal prescans are taken using the currently selected Line Time, ISO, Color and Tone settings. The time necessary to complete the prescan is displayed above the Prescan button.

Prescans of images to be captured without a tone curve (the “None 14-bit” tone curve selection in the Tone panel) are captured and displayed using the previously selected tone curve before switching to “None 14-bit”. This creates better image data and exposure rep- resentations during the prescan and ﬁnal scan preparation process. The ﬁnal scan will be made without a tone curve.

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Better Light 7 manual Prescanning, Making a Prescan

Contents

Revision D March Large Format Digital Scanning Camera System Acknowledgements Page Page Contents Locking Both Lock Crop Ratio Limit Line Audio Focusing Aid Multiple Color FocusingAltering Color Balance for Mood or Eﬀect Saving a High Bit Depth Image Automatically Opening the Image Exporting Notes Line Time Hardware Setup Software OperationLighting Parts List Connector Identiﬁcation Getting Started Installing and Conﬁguring the ViewFinder Software PC PC version of the software is required Memory RequirementsSystem Requirements Macintosh Mate the female end of the cable with the DB Quick Start GuideConnect the camera insert to the control unit Connect the control unit to the host computer Turn on the host computer Connect the AC power to the control unitInstall the viewing overlay on the camera’s ground glass Turn on the digital camera Mm thick Tungsten infrared blocking ﬁlter Install the infrared blocking ﬁlter Start the ViewFinder software Select the image capture settingsCompose and focus the image Put the insert into the camera View the ﬁnal image PrescanTake the picture Transfer the ﬁle to the computer Making a Prescan Prescanning Fast Prescans Cropped Prescans Super View Prescans Saving and Viewing Prescans Canceling a PrescanColor Managed Prescans Guides Rulers Resolution Image Capture SettingsPage Line Time ISO Exposure Lock Capture Mode Scanning Canceling a ScanScanning to the Camera Disk Automatically Naming Images Naming the Image Adding Notes to Your Picture Digital Spot Metering Exposure EvaluationRGB Data Values, EV Units Determining Relative Exposure Static Spot Meter Tool Setting the Spot Meter Size Judging Overall and Spot Exposures Histogram Static Spot Meter Location Readings Magnify Tool Tool BarHand Tool Panorama Tool Measure Tool Mac only ToneZones Tool Page Grid Tool Crop Mask ToolPage Size Panel Tab PanelsScan Area & Cropping Diﬀerent unit. Example 15.24 cm x 10.16 cm at 300 pixels per Size of the cropped area may still be adjusted while Clicking up or down buttons of Scan Area Lock Crop Ratio To set a speciﬁc shape for crop rectangle Lock File Size To specify an exact ﬁle size Seconds Scan direction Faster Scans for Free Establishing Neutral Color Balance Color Panel Saving Color Balances Deleting Color Balances Changing Existing Color BalancesAltering Color Balance for Mood or Eﬀect Tagging Images with ICC Proﬁles Reverting to a Previous Color Balance Tone Curve Selections Tone Panel Saving a High Bit Depth Image Brightness/Contrast Tone Curve Adjustments Manual Tone Curve Adjustments Bit Tone Curves Limit LineSpot Meter Reference Points Negative Curves Tone Curve Histogram Setting the EV Scale ReferenceSelecting an Output Tone Scale Deleting Tone Curves Saving Tone Curves Large Focus Display Focus Panel Selecting a Focus Site Reading the Focus Displays and Adjusting Focus Multiple Color Focusing Audio Focusing Aid Mac only Infrared Focus Image File Management and Retrieval ViewFinder File Manager Adding more Notes to Your Pictures Sorting Image FilesExporting Notes Automatically Opening the Image Automatically Saving Files to a Folder Retrieving Image Files Selecting the Retrieval Tone Curve USB controller only Hard Drive Storage Capacity Deleting Image Files File Menu Menus Edit Menu Display Menu Camera Menu Opens the Clean/Park window to expose the CCD for cleaning Capture ModeClean/Park Diagnostics Right of the Save scan folder label User PreferencesAutomatically Retrieving Images Saving Files After highlighting the desired folder, click Auto Naming Automatically Save PrescansAutomatic Scan Viewing in an Application Auto File Open Mask Auto-rotate Retrieved Files Guides Grid Baseline ISO Setting Using SoundsISO Increment Selection Crop Pano SettingsUse this feature, the factory settings are adequate Time Lapse Appendix a Cleaning the CCD Cover Glass Line Time Exposure AdjustmentsAppendix B Manipulating Exposure Tone Curves Color Balance SensitivityLens Aperture Lighting Appendix C Line Time Settings Model 6000-HS, 6000E-HS Resolution SelectionsAppendix D Model 4000E-HS Super 6K-HS Super 8K-HS Status Status IndicatorsPower Appendix E Scene Panorama Hardware SetupAppendix F Panoramic AdapterPage Rollout Panorama Hardware is assembled just as it is for a Rollout panorama Object Panorama Camera reported error Conversion Error Error MessagesCamera reported error Not Ready Camera reported error No Room Other Errors Unknown Error Camera reported error Value ErrorCamera reported error Math Error Scsi Errors Comm returned error Camera Timed Out