Negative Conversion for Drum Scans: Scan-Only vs Converted Files
When you order a drum scan, the scanner captures the film as a positive. Slide film already has “positive” colour on the film. Colour negative (C-41) and many black & white negatives need a conversion step. This post explains the two delivery options we offer for negative conversion, what files you’ll receive, and how to choose.
If you want maximum control and already have a consistent workflow, choose scan-only. If you want a clean starting point that’s ready to edit, choose converted. Either way, you’ll get high-bit files designed for real editing and printing.
Why negatives need conversion
A drum scanner doesn’t “know” what your final photo should look like. It records what’s physically on the film. With transparency (slide) film, that’s straightforward: you see the colour on the slide, and that’s what you get. With negatives, the colours are inverted and the orange mask (for colour negative film) needs to be handled correctly.
Conversion is not a single “correct” button. It’s a set of decisions about colour, contrast, and how you want the film to feel. That’s why we offer two approaches.
Option A: Scan-only delivery (maximum control)
If you order scan-only negatives, we deliver the original scan files as 16-bit TIFF in Lab colour space. This is ideal if you prefer converting yourself, you want full consistency across projects, or you like building your own looks.
Option B: We convert for you (ready-to-edit files)
If we do the conversion, we convert using Negative Lab Pro and deliver 16-bit TIFF files in ProPhoto RGB. We’re very pleased with the results this workflow produces and we’re happy to recommend it if you want to handle your own conversions in the future.
Converting takes time and manpower, so please add a 25% processing fee. We do not batch process.
Negative conversion samples
Below are sample conversions to give you a reference point for colour and tonal potential. Your final result will still depend on exposure, film stock, lighting, and taste — and that’s the point. There’s always room for adjustment.
Scan options that matter (tell us before we scan)
- 120 full frame: if you’d like us to not crop it out, tell us in advance.
- 35mm sprockets: doable — please request sprockets before scanning.
- Space between frames: if you’d like us to leave the space between frames on the scan so you can check balance while converting, let us know.
Which option should you choose?
If you like full control and consistency, choose scan-only. If you want a fast, clean edit-ready file, choose converted. If you’re unsure, send a note with your order and we’ll recommend the most sensible route based on your film stock and intended use.
For scan size guidance and cost, see film scan prices and scan sizes. For the full workflow and what’s included, see drum scanning services.
