negatives scanning color change

I didn't see too many topic on film scanning, but let me ask you this, is it a plug and play type of operation. Meaning if one has a decent scanner can he /she scan negatives and display them right away on a web site or should some modification be done? I was told that the color will shift whenever scanning negatives.
Also scanning a negative will give you a negative or positive?

Sorry if the question seem dumb

trek 9.8

When scanning a negative, you will get a negative unless the software that is being used will automatically convert the image into a positive. The reason for the 'color shift' is that the color neg has a color 'backing' which can vary from film type to film type, and brand to brand. So unless the scanning conversion software has a way to read and automatically 'neutralize' photos based upon the color tint outside the frame area, it (or the software company) has to guess about what setting to use.

Wow, so in order to display the positive on a web site I would have to correct the color and reverse the negative into a positive. Would a decent scanner allow me to do that, or do I have to use Photoshop?
Thank you for your reply

Trek 9.8

'It depends'...upon the scanner and what arrangement had been made by the manufacturer to include software for doing things like negatives-to-positive image conversion

I have a relatively inexpensive Minolta film scanner where all of this is done automatically so it is essentially plug and play. You tell it what you are scanning and it pretty much does the rest. I've not experienced any color shift problems and I've scanned many types of film and slides. It could hardly be easier. Time consuming--but easy.

sounds good what kind of Minolta scanner?
Anybody knows a decent one that does it automatically with 35 mm,2 1/4 & 4X5 negatives????

Thank you for your feedback

Trek 9.8

A scanner is essentially nothing but a photocopier...it is an input device. In order for the negative to be interpreted as a positive image, you MUST use software! You can use the Minolta software that comes with the scanner, or buy third-party software. But you have to have software.

Here is something from the Ken Rockwell site about negatives scanned with a 2005 version Minolta scanner:

"Scanning Negatives

"The Minolta scanner software lacks any film terms for color negative film, so the colors are awful for scans from color negatives just like with most scanners. My work is done with transparencies so I don't really care. If you scan from negatives you must buy Silverfast's HDR or VueScan to try to get decent color.

"There is no easy way to override the exposure from negatives. In some cases with thick negatives it may make the highlights too light. If that happens I tell the scanner to scan for a positive image and invert and tweak the levels in Photoshop. This is because positives scan at the full dynamic range of the scanner, and negs scan expecting a smaller density range."