Tutorial: ICE, ROC and GEM

The hardware and software we use when scanning your slides and negatives improves images in ways that will amaze you. These techniques remove the effects of age and rough handling - and reducing or eliminating the need to edit the images that you receive from us.

ICE

"ICE" stands for Image Correction and Enhancement. This is the technology in our scanners and software that effectively removes the effects of minor scratches and dust contamination on your slides or negatives. ICE works on color films and C-41 processed B&W films; it will not remove the effects of scratches or dust on traditional B&W films (such as Tri-Pan or TMAX). We apply ICE on all slide and negative scans where it is effective. This service is included in all of our prices - not a costly extra.

ICE works using a combination of hardware and software technologies. The scanner hardware scans the film using infrared light to illuminate the film. This allows the sensors in the scanner to pick up the imperfections on the surface of the film - such as dust particles and scratches in the film. Software then electronically "subtracts" the effect of the imperfection from the digital image. It sounds a bit like magic - and it works like magic! However, ICE is not perfect. It can't recover very badly scratched or seriously dirty films. For average films, however, it does an amazing job.

ROC

Slides and negatives fade over time. To complicate things, film fades at different rates in different areas of the color spectrum and differently in shadow areas compared to highlight areas. "ROC" is the technology in our software that restores the color of your faded slides or negatives. "ROC" stands for "Restoration Of Color" ROC works by analyzing the differences between the red, green and blue colors in slide film (yellow, magenta and cyan dyes in negative films) to determine a model of the original film stock. Using this model, the software then restores the original colors by selectively increasing or decreasing components of the color in the final digital image.

This complicated mathematical algorithm can have absolutely amazing results. However, ROC works great on some slides and terribly on others. We apply ROC on slides and negatives that will benefit from it; this is included in our scanning prices - not a costly extra. We apply this technology selectively based on the condition and age of your film and our experience with the effectiveness of the technique.

GEM

When scanning film at high resolutions (e.g., 4000 PPI), the grain of the film being scanned can become apparent. "GEM" is the technology in our software that reduces the perceived effect of film grain during the scanning process. We apply GEM on any slide or negative that will benefit from it; this is included in our prices - not a costly extra.

Like ROC, GEM works by doing a complicated mathematical analysis of the different colors in the scanner data to produce a model of the film and grain patterns and then applies the model to reduce the visible effect of the grain. It is far more effective than simple software techniques such as filters that introduce noise into the image in order to blur the grain patterns -- and you lose less of the fine detail in the image as a result.

GEM serves a similar purpose to noise reduction techniques. We choose which technique to use based on our experience and your specific slides or negatives.

An Example...

Shown below is a crop of a small part of a scan of a 35 year old slide. We have scanned the same slide three times to show the effect of ICE and ROC. The differences are remarkable! Please visit our website for larger example images. (Those are beads on a baby stroller circa 1969 shot on Kodak slide film.)

No ICE, No ROC Scratches, dust and color fade are apparent.	With ICE Dust and scratches are removed	With ICE and ROC Colors are returned to their original luster.

Benefits of ICE, ROC and GEM

Without ICE, you will not be happy with the resulting scanned images. Even very "clean" negatives and slides have some dust and scratches. These imperfections will show up on the scans. Most film has not spent its life in pristine conditions and hence has finger prints, dust, dirt, fungus and scratches. For most films, the use of ICE will remove the need for you to spend hours in your photo editing package manually removing these effects of age and handling from your scanned images. Like ICE, the benefit of using GEM and ROC is that you will spend less time manipulating your scanned images to produce good prints.

Applied correctly, these are amazingly useful tools. We are not slaves to this technology, however. We have the knowledge and experience to utilize these tools effectively when we scan and process your images. We always use our experienced eyes before we use these tools.

"Digital ICE4", "Digital GEM" and "Digital ROC" are brand names of products from Applied Science Fiction (now a Kodak company). Please see the Kodak/Applied Science Fiction website for lots more details on these tools.