Thank you ❤️ for supporting this independent, ad-free review, guide, app, and community publication dedicated to film photographers, created for and by them! Your contributions allow me the time and opportunity to develop projects like film Q, the sole web-based negative film inversion tool offering full 16-bit TIFF and camera RAW support. Film photography and writing have always been central to Analog.Cafe’s mission, and this month, thanks to your support, that aspect has expanded. I published several outstanding community submissions and added four new in-depth articles, including an exclusive piece for GOLD members.
In this newsletter: A more convenient and powerful web-based film inversion app, community submissions, free film, mastering film overexposure, and what's coming next month on Analog.Cafe. Support this blog & access premium features with GOLD memberships!
A more convenient and powerful web-based film inversion app. Film Q operates differently from any other film inversion tool. It manages film archives, works on any device with a web browser, and allows for one-button batch inversions. The inversion mechanism is just a small but crucial part of this project. The app has to manage numerous tasks seamlessly — from self-operating a small virtual machine farm to providing a consistent design across devices with live updates.
There are no other online tools that offer the same capabilities. If you look for web-based negative inversion apps, you’ll come across pages that distort your colors in a way that looks poor. Even Lomography’s attempt at creating a similar online tool appears to have faded away, as they no longer promote it actively. The DigitaLIZA Lab only processes one small JPEG at a time, tends to crash frequently, and delivers subpar results (if it works at all).
The updated film Q v1.0.0-beta.10 web app has now added full support for 16-bit TIFF output. Although a true 16-bit pipeline was part of the app's design from the beginning, you can now choose TIFF file output as an option. This will generate high-bitrate archival-quality files with no data loss, advantageous for large prints or extensive color and contrast edits. However, keep in mind that these files are substantial! ☝︎Further reading: “Are TIFF Scans Worth It?”
I also revamped the Dropbox authentication process, improved the interface with a few animations, updated the copy and design, and revised the help documentation to include new screenshots and features, along with a short video.
I was thrilled and pleasantly surprised by the recent surge in community submissions. This month, I reviewed and published two essays, two guides, and one announcement. It was a joy to read these pieces, and I appreciate the authors' confidence in my editing, scheduling, and distribution. I look forward to publishing more in June!
Free film. If you haven’t heard, I’m giving away three rolls of Kodak Vision 3 film in beautiful packaging to one fortunate Analog.Cafe GOLD member each month! Details to follow.
Film overexposure done right. As promised, I crafted the most comprehensive online guide on overexposing film negatives. This article goes beyond the basics like exposing for shadows and general rules. I hope it saves you a shot and inspires new ideas for creating interesting photos on film.
Next month on Analog.Cafe. June marks the end of the school year in many regions, indicating that summer of film is nearly upon us. ☀️
Thank you ❤️ for supporting this independent, ad-free review, guide, app, and community publication created for and by film photographers! Your contributions provide me with the time and resources to work on projects like film Q, the sole web-based negative film inversion tool that offers complete 16-bit TIFF and camera RAW support. This newsletter includes updates on the app, community submissions, FREE film, and upcoming articles on Analog.Cafe.
