Using a Custom Linear Profile made so much difference.
What is the solution to this if and when I lose access to the DNG Profile Editor as it appears will eventually happen?
Unedited examples and light edited examples included.
SETUP: LED SORAA Vivid Bulb in a very modified Kodak Carousel projector with the IR heat glass removed, diffused with a plasticy velum paper (single sheet) and meticulously aligned colimation lens. Camerdactyl Boop Boop Trigger controlled system. Canon R5 + Canon 100 2.8L usually at ISO 100, 1/250th, f5.6-6.3.
This is a basic edit of a well exposed 1980s chrome from Ireland. One thing I have found is nearly all of the images benefit from adjusting the shadow tint via the Calibration module moderately (-10 to -30 depending on the film stock) towards the green side. This helps shadows become much more neutral. I don’t know why. I think I have, finally a year+ later, found a workable long-term solution that is flexible for the high volumes I am digitizing.
The end result is a file that is punchy like a slide but not contrasty. My odl way was muddier at best and changing the contrast, black point etc, could only do so much because the gamma of the color profile was not correct for a slide’s analog-ness.
Camera Standard (no edits) - Histogram heavily weighted to highlights
Adobe Neutral (no edits) - Histogram starting to pull slighting back towards mids but still highlight heavy
Custom Linear Profile (no edits) via Adobe DNG Profile Editor - Histogram really starting to flatten out.
Adobe Neutral (with edits) - Histogram much better but compared to the bare custom profile still took more time and not as good, especialy in the highlights
THE WINNER: This one looks SO much like this image does on a loupe of through a projector. Crisp and not muddy. Strong details and smoother, nicer highlights.
Custom Linear Profile (with edits + crop) via Adobe DNG Profile Editor - Histogram really great now with tonal range, good separation, etc. And with a lot more flexibility. Perhaps I should’t drop the exposure as much and instead do the highlights?
