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Thread ID: 103305 2009-09-18 02:37:00 Software for converting photo negatives pctek (84) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
811506 2009-09-18 07:19:00 Not sure but if you just invert the colors would that work?

I would think one would of needed a scanner of some sort, flat bed, dedicated or those slide thru things which comes with its own special software.

From the first post:-
"My father has loads of negatives and he has a machine to get them onto the PC OK but wants a program to make them back into prints."

I think that would imply some sort of scanner but maybe not.
Sweep (90)
811507 2009-09-18 08:24:00 What's he using to scan the film?

Some negative gadget that attachs to his camera.
pctek (84)
811508 2009-09-19 09:33:00 If he has a gadget to scan the film, then that gadget should have the software for it. Or search if it is online.

The software will convert it into standard TIF, JPEG etc .. and you can make prints from that. For neg film the software will just provide a workable file for that. For pos film like slide film, the same but a diff process built into the supplied software.

AFAIK there is no software available that simplies inverts it.
I am aware there is a workabout, if you have a backlight source - like a modified flatbed scanner or the like, you can scan this into the computer, and using a utility it is able to convert it to a full color JPEG or TIF ready for print. If I find it I will let you know.
Nomad (952)
811509 2009-09-19 09:39:00 PaintShop Pro 7, with the image open, > [Colors] > [Negative Image]. Save the new positive image in the format of your choice. R2x1 (4628)
811510 2009-09-19 09:53:00 Correcting myself, I saw a youtube.com video and apparently you invert the colors then it looks disgusting but then you select auto levels and it works. Nomad (952)
811511 2009-09-20 22:25:00 If he has a gadget to scan the film, then that gadget should have the software for it .


Its a camera gadget - not a PC gadget, so no it doesn't have software .

PaintShop Pro 7, with the image open, > [Colors] > [Negative Image] . Save the new positive image in the format of your choice .

That creates a negative, he's trying to make prints from negatives .

Anyway I forwarded him the stuff about Photoshop, which he has .
pctek (84)
811512 2009-09-20 22:59:00 Creating a negative is a bit of a misnomer - it is a reversal, ie neg to pos, or pos to neg by inverting the value in each channel. R2x1 (4628)
811513 2009-09-21 01:38:00 Correcting myself, I saw a youtube.com video and apparently you invert the colors then it looks disgusting

That would imply that "software negative" is different than "film negative" (and, to be honest, I expected some differences). Using the Auto Levels feature may help, but I suspect that there's a "proper" way to do it.
Nermal (7077)
811514 2009-09-21 03:27:00 Converting film strips (negatives) to print is a very slow and tedious procedure.

Using a special built attachment for the flatbed scanner beats any camera attachment hands down.
Zippity (58)
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