DSLR scanning is a technique used by photographers and enthusiasts to digitise film negatives or slides using a digital (DSLR) camera instead of a traditional flatbed scanner. This method has gained popularity due to its potential for higher quality scans, greater control over the digitization process, and flexibility in terms of equipment and setup.
DSLR scanning offers several advantages over traditional flatbed scanning, including higher resolution, greater dynamic range, and the ability to control the entire digitization process. However, it requires more setup time and may involve some learning to achieve optimal results. With practice, DSLR scanning can be a rewarding method for digitising film negatives.
Standard Profiles
Before the DSLR scanned image can be displayed in the Raw converter, it is passed through a standard profile (usually Adobe Standard). The problem with this approach is that the standard profile has inbuilt adjustments, usually a contrast boost which can change the look and characteristics of the scan.
Custom Profiles
I feel that it’s always more beneficial to start out with a scan which has little to no adjustments made to it as this has many benefits.
- The Highlights are greatly improved
- The shadows are greatly improved
- We get a better dynamic range
- We start off with a flatter image giving us greater control of the final edit
How Do We Make Custom Profiles For DSLR Scanning?
Making custon profiles for DSLR scanning is very easy and only takes a few moments. The only equipment you need is a camera capable of exposing a RAW file and a free piece of software (Mac or Windows).
In this Mini Video tutorial, I will demonstrate how and why using a custom profile for DSLR scanning can be to our advantage.