Abstract: A method of digital photofinishing comprising the steps of: producing a digital color image in optical printing densities of a color image captured on photographic media; processing the digital color image with an underexposure gamma correction algorithm, a scene balance algorithm, and a contrast normalization algorithm to produce a processed digital color image; mapping the processed digital color image through a hard copy media characteristic curve to produce a mapped digital color image mapped to print densities of the hard copy media; sharpening the mapped digital color image with a sharpening algorithm optimized to avoid unacceptable artifacts; and digitally printing the sharpened digital color image onto hard copy media.

Abstract: A method of digital photofinishing comprising the steps of: producing a digital color image in optical printing densities of a color image captured on photographic media; processing the digital image with a scene balance algorithm to produce a balanced digital color image; using a contrast normalization algorithm, remapping the balanced digital color image to a preferred tone reproduction position; mapping the contrast normalized digital color image through a hard copy media characteristic curve to produce a digital image mapped to print densities of the hard copy media; sharpening the mapped digital color image with a sharpening algorithm optimized to avoid unacceptable artifacts; and digitally printing the sharpened digital color image onto hard copy media.

Abstract: A method of digital photofinishing comprising the steps of: producing a digital color image in optical printing densities of a color image captured on photographic media; increasing the under-exposure gamma of the digital color image using a media under-exposure gamma adjustment algorithm; processing the under-exposure gamma adjusted digital color image with a scene balance algorithm to produce a balanced digital color image; mapping the balanced digital color image through a hard copy media characteristic curve to produce a balanced digital image mapped to print densities of the hard copy media; sharpening the mapped balanced digital color image with a sharpening algorithm optimized to avoid unacceptable artifacts; and digitally printing the sharpened digital color image onto hard copy media.

Abstract: A method of digital photofinishing comprising the steps of: producing a digital color image in optical printing densities of a color image captured on photographic media; processing the digital color image with a scene balance algorithm to produce a balanced digital color image; mapping the balanced digital color image through a hard copy media characteristic curve to produce a balanced digital color image mapped to print densities of the hard copy media; sharpening the mapped balanced digital color image with a sharpening algorithm optimized to avoid unacceptable artifacts; and digitally printing the sharpened digital color image in hard copy media.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for calibrating a photographic media requiring only a minimal area of the media by producing a pattern of exposure patches utilizing the steps of forming an exposure area on a portion of unexposed photographic media as a plurality of abutted test patches wherein the width of all the test patches is substantially constant and the width is less than 100 .mu.m. Each test patch is then exposed at a substantially constant log illumination increment over the previous test patch.