When scanning negatives or slides, it's important to understand the impact of different scanning modes on the final image. One common issue users encounter is that the preview image may appear as a positive, but the final scanned image remains a negative.

What is HDR Mode?

HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode in scanning software like SilverFast is a specialized scanning mode that captures the full dynamic range of the negative or slide. This means it collects all the available data without applying any corrections or transformations.

Why Do Negatives Remain Positive in HDR Mode?

In HDR mode, the scanner is simply capturing all the available data from the negative or slide without any processing. This means the final scanned image will still appear as a negative, even though the preview may show a positive image.

This is because the HDR mode is designed to preserve the raw data for maximum flexibility in post-processing. The negative-to-positive transformation is a separate step that needs to be applied manually or using specialized tools like SilverFast's NegaFix feature.

How to Prevent Positive Images when Scanning Negatives

To ensure your final scanned images are correctly transformed from negatives to positives, follow these steps:

1. Avoid HDR Mode: Instead of using HDR mode, select a non-HDR scanning format, such as "48->24bit color". This will automatically apply the necessary color and density corrections to transform the negative into a positive image.

By understanding the differences between HDR and non-HDR scanning modes, and utilizing the right tools like NegaFix, you can ensure your negatives are properly scanned and transformed into positive images.