A new tool on the horizon that could lift your scanning workflow to a new level
I have tested the new film conversion software “SmartConvert” from Filmomat and tried to find out if it would fit into my scanning workflow. The new tool is mainly designed to work with camera scans but I wanted to see if I can also use it also with traditionally scanned images.
Introduction
When I purchased my Epson V700 over 10 years ago, I had no idea what journey I was about to embark upon. I had imagined it would be straightforward: place a film strip on the scanner, and the scanner would take care of the rest. I thought I'd have my scan in just a few clicks, which I could then tweak if necessary. I was quite mistaken, but it marked the beginning of a long and exciting journey toward developing my own scanning workflow.
SmartConvert by Filmomat is a new tool that easily converts scanned negative film. It features autocrop, auto-color correction and a set of precise and easy to use tools for basic but powerful image corrections. Its minimalistic design is inspired by the controls of legendary lab scanners like the Fuji Frontier scanner.
To this day, I've remained loyal to the Epson V700, even though there's now a successor model available. I still use SilverFast AI Studio because it consistently delivers the best results, especially concerning details and sharpness. Contrary to the widespread belief that there is only one final result after inverting the negative, every scan — regardless of the scanner used — requires several adjustments. Depending on the image, sometimes more, sometimes less. The process resembles printing a color image in a darkroom. One must adjust color filters to achieve the desired color balance, and contrast or density must be set correctly to get the intended print. Although SilverFast offers a full range of tools, editing in the software isn't necessarily intuitive and can be cumbersome at times. Consequently, I had long wished for a simpler tool, that gives me the look that I want in some simple steps. Recently, Lukas Fritz, the man behind Filmomat, a company that has designed brilliant machines for film development, released exactly such a tool. SmartConvert operates as a standalone application and offers the capability to invert both repro scans from digital cameras and scans from scanners.
Top row: positive scan from Epson V700 (left), SmartConvert export (middle) and final image after final adjustments in Adobe Lightroom (right)
Bottom: 100% view of the final image with some sharpening and minor noise reduction applied in Adobe Lightroom.
What is Smart Convert
It is a very minimalist tool, clearly inspired by the adjustment capabilities of the Fuji Frontier scanner. Its key features include an auto-crop function, an automatic white balance, and adjustments for contrast, density, and saturation. Additionally, there are color sliders for the three primary colors for manual color adjustments. A major advantage is its intuitive control via keyboard shortcuts. This allows for swift and precise adjustments, enabling an iterative approach using trial and error to approximate the best result. One quickly discerns if an editing step is too strong or has been taken in the wrong direction. This feature also allows an untrained eye to find the correct color balance and contrast settings. Fine-tuning is also possible. SmartConvert truly focuses on one single task and eliminates any distractions.
Image on the left shows the version directly exported from SmartConvert and the right is my final version with Lightroom edits.
How does it fit into my Scanning Workflow
Why is this so intriguing? For me, the software bridges the gap between SilverFast and Lightroom, where I finalize my scans. While this was already possible before, now I can scan my negatives flat and almost raw as positives, then invert these scans in SmartConvert, and finally, edit them in Lightroom. Separating these steps has the following advantage for me: the “raw” scan is archived and can be redeveloped at any time. In SmartConvert, I then have access to the precise tools with which I can quickly, reliably, and, most importantly, reproducibly conduct the development process.
Negtaive Conversion Theory
If one delves a bit into the theory of inverting negative data, the topic quickly becomes mathematical and scientific. What seems like a trivial task at first glance is actually a complex mathematical operation. In essence, there are two approaches. Firstly, one can try to convert values from scans to a target value through data calibration. This happens, for instance, when trying to create certain looks, i.e., matching scans from an Epson scanner to the look of another scanner like the Fuji Frontier. Similarly, it occurs when attempting to calibrate color values. This results in specific data for a type of film, ensuring that the scan aligns as closely as possible with the colors of the original scenes. Another approach, which SmartConvert also follows, is to invert negative data as unadulterated and correctly as possible, preserving the characteristics of the film material. I asked Lukas for more details on how SmartConvert's algorithm ensures that the film's character remains unaltered. Here is what he replied to this question:
“The algorithm exclusively uses the existing information from the negative to perform the inversion or color correction. Therefore, it doesn’t attempt to hit a specific color tone or force a particular result, but instead, the algorithm adapts to each negative individually. After this step, there is no further attempt to impose a specific ‘look’; rather, the result is left as it is. Essentially, it’s a bit like an analog print in the darkroom.”
Test results and findings
Over the past few days, I've scanned many of my archived negatives, optimized the workflow for SmartConvert, and achieved very good results that precisely matched my image idea. The advantage of SmartConvert is that after inverting the negative and the initial automatic white balance, one obtains a usable result. It gives a good impression of the image, and required corrections can be quickly identified. Often, it's just a few clicks away from the final image.
This is how the scan looks like after importing it into SmartConvert. The software applies an automatic color correction.
This is how the image looks like after doing a neutral tone adjustment. By clicking on an area which should be neutral grey, the software automatically adjusts color balance accordingly.
Here I decided to remove some magenta and added a bit of yellow for a conversion that matches my idea of the final image.
Top left: exported file from SmartConvert, top right: final image after Lightroom adjustments Bottom: 100% crop
The results I obtained during my tests with SmartConvert have shown me that this tool can significantly complement and in some aspects even enhance my workflow. Overall, I would assess the results as highly authentic. Sometimes, there's a slight lack of brilliance or mid-tone contrast, which, if desired, can easily be added in a subsequent editing step. In a few cases, with very dense and high contrast negatives, the initial conversion of SmartConvert was a bit off and I had to push the adjustments to the extreme. But we need to be aware that the software only processes data and does not magically transform poor scans or bad negatives into good images. The scanner and the quality of the negative of course contribute the most to a good scan.
Top left: exported file from SmartConvert Top right:final image after Lightroom adjustments Bottom: 100% crop
Final thoughts
The software doesn't turn a consumer scanner into a Fuji Frontier SP-3000, that's clear. But this is a good sign when viewed objectively. After all, the software's goal is not to reproduce a specific look but to be part of an individual workflow that preserves the characteristics of the film material and the digitization method. This way, we can control and refine our own unique look. If we take full control of the result, many creative possibilities open up, which one might miss out on if if we outsource the scanning process.
Lastly, I'd like to mention two things: Although SmartConvert has just been released, it already works very well with out major flaws! I am certain that some users will probably miss some tools and features, like I personally miss a histogram. For some scans, I encountered issues with clipping in the shadows or highlights which I only noticed after importing the converted scan into Lightroom. But I'm confident that additional useful features will follow soon and Lukas will continue to develop the tool even further.
I have a very positive opinion based on my specific use case, but I have not tested the software with data from digital cameras. That’s why I am unaware of how well the software works with the RAW files of various camera manufacturers. Therefore, this article should not be considered a comprehensive review but merely a description of my personal assessment.
I've found great joy in using the application, and I will continue to use it. I've already forwarded some small improvement ideas to Lukas. I'm eager to see what else is coming. The potential is vast, and in my opinion, the analog community has been missing such a tool!